Judgment on Judah & Israel
Notes
Transcript
Order of Service
Order of Service
Welcome
Welcome
Prayer
Prayer
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Hymn -
Notices
Notices
Prayer Meeting - 7:30pm Wed
Friday 7pm - Online
Sunday Morning 11am & 6pm
Tithes & Offerings - £
Main Prayer
Main Prayer
Hymn -
Hymn -
Reading
Reading
Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked. So I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”
Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned;
they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined. “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars and who was as strong as the oaks; I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath.
Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. And I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord.
And I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’
“Behold, I will press you down in your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses down. Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life;
he who handles the bow shall not stand, and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself, nor shall he who rides the horse save his life; and he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day,” declares the Lord.
Sermon
Sermon
The nations around
Three transgressions and for four
Faithlessness to their allies
sold into slavery
cruelty & evil
ethnic cleansing
God is sovereign of all nations
He holds them all to account
How much more therefore will be hold his own people to account
Judgment against Judah
Judgment against Judah
Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked. So I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”
For three transgressions of Judah, and for four
I will not revoke the punishment
Because they have:
rejected the law of the Lord
and have not kept his statutes
but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers [ancestors - NIV: false gods] walked.
they allowed themselves to be led astray but false prophets
Offense to God: Faithlessness & breach of covenant
So I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.
Judgment against Israel
Judgment against Israel
Israels’ offence
Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.
For three transgressions of Israel, and for four
I will not revoke the punishment
because they:
sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth
this may refer to corrupt judges/jurers who took bribes
or literally, slavery
either way, the value attributed to life was low
the bullied and oppressed the poor, and used the courts to pervert justice
and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned;
may have been a female slave, but not expressly stated
they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge,
creditors were to return pledged garments to the owner by sunset
widows garment was not to be taken in a pledge at all
poor man’s cloak waqs the only covering he had agains the cold of the night
and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined
the priests were so consume from that which had been given by the worshipper
yet, they consumed that which they had issued as fines
fines were to be compensation for damages, not promotion of drunkenness
What God had done to establish the Nation
“Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars and who was as strong as the oaks; I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath. Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. And I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord.
Saved from Egypt
Led and provided for 40 years in the wilderness
Defeated the “Amorites” - height like cedars, and strong like oaks
fruit and roots destroyed
He reased up as Prophets and others as the Nazirites to serve as a model of dedication to God
Nazirites vowed abstinence fromn alcohol, cutting their hair, and contact with corpses
Samson was the best known Nazirite of the Old Testament
All they had they owned to the Lord
It shows the people’s faithlessness and rejection of the Lord
How Israel responded to God’s Provision
“But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’
They forced the Nazirites to break their vows of dedicatio to God
They commanded the Prophets not to function as messengers of God
God’s people have two options:
bring life into live with God’s message and God’s model
or, bring the messengers and models into line with their twisted lives
Romans 12:1–2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
How God would responded to Israel’s Rebellion
“Behold, I will press you down in your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses down. Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life; he who handles the bow shall not stand, and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself, nor shall he who rides the horse save his life; and he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day,” declares the Lord.
God promised to destroy the nations with fire
But Israel He promises to crush
He had given victory to untraining people against the heavilly trained Amorites
Now he promises to crush those who take pride in their own ability
The description is of total chaos and overwhmling defeat of Israel
Swift and unescapable
Strong will not be able to stand
the warrior would not escape with his life
the archer will not be able to stand
the leet-footed solder would not be able to escape
the horseman or charioteer would not be able to escape
the bravest warriors would flee away naked in the day of God’s judgment
Israel’s best soldiers would drop their weapons and run
Israel expect the day of the Lord to come for them as a benefit
Amose anounces that opposite result of that day
Summary
All nations are accountable to God when they oppress, dehumanize, and take away the rights of people, especially helpless people.
God’s judgment is severe against those who exploit, abuse, and oppress fellow human beings.
God judges indiscriminately.
Claims of a special relationship to God does not immunize such people from his judgment.
Military prowess and preparedness are no match for the mighty God when his judgment comes.
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Q&A
Q&A
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Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Doxology
Doxology
