Amos 1_1 - 2_16 Here Comes the Judge

Secular:

I chose Amos…. Because I wanted to bring an OT book to you… reminding you that the God of the OT is the God of the NT…
That the problems in the OT are the problems in the NT
And salvation in the OT is the salvation made more clear in the NT
What I found was a book that resonated with the very age in which we live…
We live in an age on the brink of the judgement of God
In case you want to tune out in favour of a happier message…
Your heart should bleed for those who face the wrath…
And overwhelmed that you… the child of God… would know salvation

Biblical:

Amos 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he envisioned in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 2 He said, "The LORD roars from Zion And from Jerusalem He utters His voice; And the shepherds' pasture grounds mourn, And the summit of Carmel dries up." 3 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they threshed Gilead with implements of sharp iron. 4 "So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael And it will consume the citadels of Ben-hadad. 5 "I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven, And him who holds the sceptre, from Beth-eden; So the people of Aram will go exiled to Kir," Says the LORD. 6 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they deported an entire population To deliver it up to Edom. 7 "So I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza And it will consume her citadels. 8 "I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon; I will even unleash My power upon Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines will perish," Says the Lord GOD. 9 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they delivered up an entire population to Edom And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood. 10 "So I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre And it will consume her citadels." 11 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, While he stifled his compassion; His anger also tore continually, And he maintained his fury forever. 12 "So I will send fire upon Teman And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah." 13 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead In order to enlarge their borders. 14 "So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah And it will consume her citadels Amid war cries on the day of battle, And a storm on the day of tempest. 15 "Their king will go into exile, He and his princes together," says the LORD.

Amos 2:1 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime. 2 "So I will send fire upon Moab And it will consume the citadels of Kerioth; And Moab will die amid tumult, With war cries and the sound of a trumpet. 3 "I will also cut off the judge from her midst And slay all her princes with him," says the LORD. 4 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they rejected the law of the LORD And have not kept His statutes; Their lies also have led them astray, Those after which their fathers walked. 5 "So I will send fire upon Judah And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem." 6 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they sell the righteous for money And the needy for a pair of sandals. 7 "These who pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the helpless Also turn aside the way of the humble; And a man and his father resort to the same girl In order to profane My holy name. 8 "On garments taken as pledges they stretch out beside every altar, And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined. 9 "Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Though his height was like the height of cedars And he was strong as the oaks; I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below. 10 "It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And I led you in the wilderness forty years That you might take possession of the land of the Amorite. 11 "Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets And some of your young men to be Nazirites. Is this not so, O sons of Israel?" declares the LORD. 12 "But you made the Nazirites drink wine, And you commanded the prophets saying, 'You shall not prophesy!' 13 "Behold, I am weighted down beneath you As a wagon is weighted down when filled with sheaves. 14 "Flight will perish from the swift, And the stalwart will not strengthen his power, Nor the mighty man save his life. 15 "He who grasps the bow will not stand his ground, The swift of foot will not escape, Nor will he who rides the horse save his life. 16 "Even the bravest among the warriors will flee naked in that day," declares the LORD.

Personal:

We go toe to toe for truth all the time…
Especially if we are married…
We defend “our truth”
Become hostile sometimes
Often over song lyrics… or movie plots… or recounting our history…
It is time to take that passion and remind ourselves of the truth of God…
His heart
His passion
His character

Bridge:

The nations around Israel and Judah were judged for what they failed to acknowledge.

Truth in conscience… truth in creation

The nations of Israel and Judah were judged for that which they did know but failed to do!
Where are the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

Body:

God’s Judgment on the nations…
Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke its punishment

Three complete… complete transgression… complete opposition to God… and four…. Even more!!

God’s dealing with unbelieving society… The nations were judged because they had sinned against the law of God, which was written in the heart and conscience (cf. Rom. 2:24,25). Judah and Israel were judged because they sinned against God’s revealed, written law.

Consistent
Holy
Just

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Without excuse in knowing God…
Without excuse in living according to his heart…
The theme of justice resonates in scripture… these nations where not living godly lives…

Damascus (1:3-5)

They threshed Gilead with implements of iron (they were cruel and inhuman in warfare

They beat them and cut them with farming tools…
Purposefully being inhumane in warfare
God’s character was offended…
When human beings show disregard for those created by God… they are an affront to his Glory…
Romeo Dallaire was commander of UNAMIR in Rwanda… and he cried out for help… as he say the imminent nature of the attack on millions…
Slashed with machetes… men, women, children…
This is an affront to the holiness of God… the one who created them, and loves them…
Where were the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

Gaza (Philistia) (1:6-8)

They took captive the whole captivity to deliver them up to Edom (they acquired foreign slaves by capturing them in war)

The crime…
The moved an entire population from their homes and into the hands of slavery…
Again devaluing human beings…. Treated them as something less than God’s beloved…
Box cars of Jews… cast out by the Germans…
Scores of African men and women loaded on ships… baited with lies… destined to forced slavery…
Where were the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

Tyre (1:9-10)

They delivered up the whole captivity to Edom and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood

Tyre delivered up captives into forced slavery…
But compounding the issue was a preach of a covenant…
A longstanding brotherly relationship existed between Phoenicia and Israel, beginning with King Hiram’s assistance to David and Solomon in the building of the temple (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kin. 5:1–12; 9:11–14), and later cemented through the marriage of Jezebel to Ahab (1 Kin. 16:31). No king of Israel ever made war against Phoenicia, especially the two major cities, Tyre and Sidon.
So captured Jews were being sold through Tyre to Israel’s enemies….
Breach of trust, of covenant…
Where were the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

Edom (1:11-12)

They pursued their brother, Jacob with a sword

They were always angry at Jacob for stealing the blessing

There is a long history of enmity between these brothers… starting with Isaac’s sons Jacob and Esau…
The stolen blessing… where Jacob through trickery took that which was due his brother…
And throughout biblical history… the line of Esau has always been subject to the line of Jacob… and never happy for it…
Which left them in opposition to God’s children
And as the killed them and fought with them… they became the focus of God’s wrath…
Where were the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

Ammon (1:13-15)

They ripped open a pregnant woman in Gilead so they could enlarge their territory

The Geneva convention was created to regulate countries at war… that there were things so despicable that they were considered inhumane even in war…
Ammon would have been guilty…

The reference to ripping children from the womb of their enemies was the height of despicable activity…
The degraded the value of “image bearers’
Devalued human life
Was beyond protection…
Was evil and vindictive

Where were the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

Moab (2:1-3)

They burned the bones of the king of Edom

Again this were the heights of creative evil…
Not only to kill your enemy…

But to desecrate their remains…
To burn the bones was to expunge their existence…

An affront to God because of its evil intent…
An affront to God because of the dealing with another human….
“Love one another” was inherent in the O/T
Where were the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

God dealing with the Wayward Nation – the Knew the Word

*** Amos / Micah / Obadiah

Preaching truth in the face of lies

Jeremiah…

Trouble on every side…

Tickling ears…

Truth… and true prophets became an anomaly

Denying God’s Word for man’s favour…

Judah (2:4-5)

4 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they rejected the law of the LORD And have not kept His statutes; Their lies also have led them astray, Those after which their fathers walked. 5 "So I will send fire upon Judah And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem."

They despised the Law of God

They did not keep God’s commandments

They lied like their fathers

The other nations new the character of God through creation and were without excuse…
Judah knew the very heart of God from his Word and through his prophets
Received his priests… shared history and yet…
Those who know and turn face the greatest judgement!
God’s wrath was not to be abated forever!
Sadly we ask the prophet to change the message than to change our heart
Squamish Chief June 9th….
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

No truth
No Christ
He is the answer… the path… the guide… the Saviour

What God says is true…

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

God’s judgement is as real as his promise
His wrath as His love…. Heaven as Hell
They turned there back… he promised judgement… and…
It came to pass as recorded in 2 Kings 25:9 He burned the house of the LORD, the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire.
Where are the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

God dealing with the Wayward Children

Israel (2:6-16)

They sold the righteous/poor for material gain

They defiled God’s holy name with prostitutes

They did not listen to God’s prophets

7 "These who pant after the very dust of the earth… materialists… on the head of the helpless Also turn aside the way of the humble… look for the flashy the popular, the proud; And a man and his father resort to the same girl In order to profane My holy name… engage in sexual sin (pornography isn’t victimless… premarital sex isn’t victimless). 8 "On garments taken as pledges they stretch out beside every altar, And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined (take the kindness of an honest loan and make it their God). 9 "Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, Though his height was like the height of cedars And he was strong as the oaks; I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below (God has demonstrated his power in our midst… in his judgement… in his salvation). 10 "It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, And I led you in the wilderness forty years That you might take possession of the land of the Amorite. 11 "Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets And some of your young men to be Nazirites. Is this not so, O sons of Israel?" declares the LORD. 12 "But you made the Nazirites drink wine (corrupt those dedicated to God…) , And you commanded the prophets saying, 'You shall not prophesy!' (Don’t say the tough words!!)13 "Behold, I am weighted down beneath you As a wagon is weighted down when filled with sheaves. 14 "Flight will perish from the swift, And the stalwart will not strengthen his power, Nor the mighty man save his life. (The weight, magnitude and power of judgement will be unbearable) 15 "He who grasps the bow will not stand his ground, The swift of foot will not escape, Nor will he who rides the horse save his life. 16 "Even the bravest among the warriors will flee naked in that day," declares the LORD… You will perish in your own strength!!
Trust in God…
He is the Lord God almighty
Hear his Word
Listen to his Prophets
Tune out the world
Love his children
Share is hope
BECAUSE the day of Judgement will come…
Matthew 8:10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Where are the voices of God’s people?
Where is justice?

Conclusion:

The world will face the judgement of God
Those who have given up Yahweh… will face judgement
Those who have heard the word and said too hard… not for me… there must be another way… will face judgement
For those who trust in Christ…

There is hope
There is promise
There are answers… for He is truth