Living With Purpose

We can have a clear revelation of God and still choose to do certain types of destructive behavior.

We can have a clear revelation of God and still chose to do certain types of destructive behavior. In this passage, Paul is reminding the church in Corinth of the spiritual condition of the children of Israel. He set this before them as an example for us today.

In this passage, Paul is reminding the church in Corinth of the spiritual condition of the children of Israel. He set this before them as an example for us today.

:1-11

Vs1-4

The advantages of the Israelites—vs1-4

-Supernatural guidance and protection of the pillar of cloud

-Passing through the sea—

-All baptized into Moses—they were united with their spiritual head, God’s servant.

-Enjoyed spiritual food—supernatural bread from heaven

-Spiritual drink—Christ was the source of supernatural water.

Vs5-11

Yet, the presence of “supernatural privileges” in the lives of the OT Israelites did not produce automatic success.

Actually, most of them (Caleb and Joshua being exceptions) experienced God’s discipline, were disciplined and died in the desert.

Fivefold failure of the Israelites—

-lusted after evil things

- they craved for pleasures, “Give us meat to eat”—never satisfied.

-Participated in idolatry

—(—golden calf)

-Sexual immorality

—worshipping idols—()

-Tempted Christ

—questioning the plan and purpose of God. Killed by snakes ()

-Murmured

— spoke against Moses and Aaron ()

The same examples and warning for the Corinthians—The Church of Corinth’s standing in Christ and corresponding freedom could not be exercised in sin without penalty.

1 Corinthians 10:12–14 KJV 1900

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Paul told the Corinthians that they would be tempted to do the very same things that the children of Israel did—it is an inherent flaw in all of fallen humanity—a condition of the human heart.

Paul told the Corinthians that they would be tempted to do the very same things that the children of Israel did—it is an inherent flaw in all of fallen humanity—a condition of the human heart.

Christ triumphed over all of these failings and sins.

How do we flee from the temptations, how do we flee from what we have always done and trusted in?

Flee from trying to be God? Flee from exalting our knowledge above the knowledge of God? Flee from trying to reason everything? Flee from idolatry?

How do we move from “flee” to “trust”?

Does God desire that we move forward? Does He desire that we put Him first in our lives?

Amos 8:2-14

Amos 8:2 KJV 1900

And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.

— Condemnation of Covetousness

Condemnation of Covetousness

I believe that there comes a time when we don’t expect our nation to listen, we don’t expect the ungodly to listen. Yet, it also seems that the further away the nation goes, even those who believe in God are not willing to listen to Him. Instead, they have settled into a form of worship they find very satisfying and pleasing.

Such was the time when God raised up Amos!

Note what God said, “I will not again pass by them any more”. In other words, I am not coming to you, speaking to you anymore.

8:3-

“howlings”- wailing will be the first response. An inarticulate shattering scream.

“silence”- is the second response, which will be the response of devastation.

Many dead bodies, flung everywhere, suggesting a fierce attack on Israel, leaving death and destruction.

Imagine, stunned silence coming to the people!

8:4-5—

The people wee anxious to leave the presence of the Lord—why? so they cold continue in commerce.

The people wanted to get back to what their lives were really all about—getting gain by any means, including that which was against the law of God.

Vs5- They skimped, boosted, cheated and bought! The time of worship got in their way of work causing them to lose out on gain.

Vs6-

They were profiting from the purchase and sale of poor people. The merchants took over property belonging to the needy as payments.

We see the indictment of God against this people—He told them they were using every man for personal advantage.

Such, is a climate that puts the righteous judgment far away!

—Their focus was on personal ease and incomplete worship!

When we ignore God, look what He can do!

READ 8:10-14—

Consequences of Covetousness

Note vs 11—

God said that He would take away their song—for they had chosen to worship at a place that fell short of truth (7:12-13).

There would be a famine of hearing the true words of God.

Beyond the Judgment

Vs11- “In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen”

In this passage, “tabernacle” describes the temporary shelter, constructed of poles and palm branches, that a farmer would build to provide relief from the sun while he worked in the fields. Amos would have been very familiar with such “huts”.

“Booth” or “hut” is used to describe the re-establishment of the golden days of David.

Vs12—the purpose of the restoration of the Davidic Kingdom was so that the true sons of Israel, those who survived the sifting judgment, would take possession of the “remnant of Edom”. In other words, the restored Davidic Kingdom (the Church of Christ) would take possession of “all the nations”. The messianic kingdom would become the means of reaching the nations of the world with the claims of the Messiah.

“Called by my name”—Yahweh’s name. To be called by someones name is to belong to that person.

In other words we see the expansion of the Messianic kingdom—the life and testimony of Jesus Christ.

QUESTION: What happened from the time that the children of Israel entered the land—fat and fertile, yielding much—to now—the land is barren, valleys parched.

There is no reason in the soil for its barrenness. It is simply due to neglect!

Amos 9:13 KJV 1900

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; And the mountains shall drop sweet wine, And all the hills shall melt.

Amos 9:13

—The Ingathering

—the metaphor of the harvest will be great. Before the reapers have fully gathered it in, the ploughman is plowing for the next crop. While the abundance of fruit shall be so surprising that before the treader of grapes finishes trending out the juice of the vine, a new crop is in. The prophecy is that the Church of Christ will experience abundant ingathering of souls.

Could it be that rather than just seeing one soul saved, we begin to experience hundreds of souls saved? Where the Word of God has been powerful to hundreds, we shall see thousands blessed.

Some of the seed that was sown produced “hundred fold”—are we ready to experience such a harvest?

—The Labor

—God does not promise fruitful crops without labor. Notice the ploughmen, reapers, treader of grapes, sower of seeds. I believe that the “sign of true revival” is increased activity of God’s laborers.

Imagine- the ploughman overtaking the reaper—-sower of the seed treading on the heals of those who were gathering the crop!! Have you ever known sucah a doing in the Christian world before?

Once we see the ploughmen, vine dressers, seed sowers—lookout, the great revival will be coming.

—The Extraordinary

—“the mountains shall drop sweet wine”-

Not a likely place for wine to be found on the mountains! By this we understand that conversions shall take place in unusual quarters. Prayer meetings taking place in unusual places; worship happening at school, at work. Men, women, boys and girls unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, right where they are.

Oh the day is coming when those who disciple new converts will not be able to keep up with the people who are preaching. There will be such a harvest that we will not be able to handle the volumes of people coming into the true Church.

The Church is not to be measured by her success!

We are to preach in adverse times as well as in prosperous times. If unfruitful seasons come, we are not to ceae from sowing our seed. Our business is with OBEDIENCE, not with RESULT.

The Church is to do her duty even though that duty should bring no present reward.

If a farmer knew a bad year was coming, he would perhaps only sew an acre or two. But if a prophet could tell him, this year’s harvest will be like never before—-the farmer would plant in fields that he had never planted.

Remember, we must plough up fallow ground.

When we fall in love afresh with God, say no to sin, we will experience the life and testimony of Christ in our lives in a new and marvelous way!