Amos 5_1-27 A Dear Israel letter

Secular:

The language of love…

Sappy
Sweet
Gentle

Have you been in a relationship

It is the boldest
Most in your face
Difficult
Because so much is invested…

Everything is heightened in a relationship…

Sensitivity
Expectation
Joy
Hurt

That is why a love letter drips with such emotion
And Dear John drips with tears…

Biblical:

Amos 5:1 Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel: 2 She has fallen, she will not rise again-- The virgin Israel. She lies neglected on her land; There is none to raise her up. 3 For thus says the Lord GOD, "The city which goes forth a thousand strong Will have a hundred left, And the one which goes forth a hundred strong Will have ten left to the house of Israel." 4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live. 5 "But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble. 6 "Seek the LORD that you may live, Or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel, 7 For those who turn justice into wormwood And cast righteousness down to the earth." 8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion And changes deep darkness into morning, Who also darkens day into night, Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth, The LORD is His name. 9 It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong, So that destruction comes upon the fortress. 10 They hate him who reproves in the gate, And they abhor him who speaks with integrity. 11 Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine. 12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate. 13 Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time. 14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said! 15 Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. 16 Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation. 17 "And in all the vineyards there is wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD. 18 Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light; 19 As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him. 20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it? 21 "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. 23 "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. 24 "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 25 "Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? 26 "You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27 "Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

Personal:

As we have walked through Amos…

We hear the judgement
We hear the righteous anger
We hear disappointment
We hear a lot of scary dialogue

What we need to hear is the voice of a heartbroken God
His children have walked away… served others gods, loved other gods….

Bridge:

This is the twangy sad country song of a God hurt by those He has loved the most….
This is the sound of love spurned…
This is the voice of someone cheated on…
And God is due all our love, all our obedience, all our worship….

Body:

Dear John Letters

Amos 5:1 Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel: 2 She has fallen, she will not rise again-- The virgin Israel. She lies neglected on her land; There is none to raise her up. 3 For thus says the Lord GOD, "The city which goes forth a thousand strong Will have a hundred left, And the one which goes forth a hundred strong Will have ten left to the house of Israel."

This is like receiving a love letter from a heart broken lover
The tone and tenor are set…
It is a dirge… funeral music…
Do you know that feeling…?

Dumped… abandoned…
It is an actual “pit of your stomach” thing

Why?

Cause what could have been… never will be…
She never consummated her relationship…

So much potential…
So much promise…
So much love…

She has fallen… never to rise again

This loving exciting and promising relationship is never going to be the same

Relationships have consequences and benefits…

To sell out on your relationship has your consequences…
Start taking other fellows out for dinner ladies… and see how long your hubby hangs out
Gentlemen starting sleeping with a few lady friends and see how you relationship fairs…

God poured out his love… monogamous loving relationship…. And they decided to “play the field”
Deuteronomy 28:62 "Then you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, because you did not obey the LORD your God.
“It is not you, it’s me…. No actually it is you”

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!

" 4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live. 5 "But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble. 6 "Seek the LORD that you may live, Or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,

STOP cheating on me!
This relationship goes nowhere unless you stop cheating on me…!
Remember that “pit of your stomach feeling” when you take a soul level hit…
God names the other women… Bethel… Gilgal… Beersheeba…

Supposed to worship Yahweh at Jerusalem…
Stop pretending we are in relationship… when you go visiting other houses…
It is just wrong…

Again… come back to me…

Achy voice… from that place in the heart… that place that cries out different than just our voice…

The consequence of turning away is pain…

Anyone who has been divorced…

Know the pain of separation
No one is unscathed
Especially painful when we can hold it against God’s best
Human beings were meant to be in relationship… when it breaks…our heart breaks…

In movies you see the distraught lover gather and burn every remembrance… trying to satisfy their vengeance and expunge the memory…
God delivers judgement as he decimates them… sleep around… expect your possessions to be tossed on the lawn…
Face the physical and geographical penalty…
Many will die… many will not return…

"Seek the LORD that you may live, Or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel…”

Stopping Cheating… or pay the price!

Itemizing the Short Comings…

First who am I…

Put the stars in place…

The LORD is His name.

Is stronger than the strongest

The LORD is His name.

Here comes the list

Challenges wrong…
Act with integrity… doing what you say
Oppressive… against poor
Selfish…Got your own place all dolled up… facny stone abode… ya… don’t think you’ll be living there
Selfish… nice grapes… no wine for you…

You are as shallow as a puddle…

You live a double life

your transgressions are many
your sins are great
And you say you love me… HA!

O sure you are a dreamboat…

You who distress the righteous
accept bribes
And turn away the poor

Right about now… it is time for you to stop defending yourself…

the prudent person keeps silent
for it is an evil time… don’t join into what the world is doing!

Are you ready for the answer!
Turn it around…. Stop cheating… stop lying… stop being selfish!

Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
And then you may have the relationship you have been talking about!
Do right by your beloved… Hate evil, love good,
And establish justice in the gate!
Maybe then your beloved will be gracious to you.

Do you here where you have failed this relationship…. Do you know the cure? Stop doing the things that peeve the heart of the beloved… the list is long… but all that is being asked… genuinely work on it!... no… okay… it’s going to be like that is it…

You can start crying now…

Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, "There is wailing in all the plazas, And in all the streets they say, 'Alas! Alas!' They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to lamentation. 17 "And in all the vineyards there is wailing, Because I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD.

You are unwilling to give up your prostitutes and mistresses….
You are unwilling to stop cheating…

Start crying…
And fell the ache of a smashed relationship
You will see me in everything…

An you will not know me…
Nor will I know you!
Because I will pass through the midst of you
Like a sword… cut you… but not protect you… ask your prostitute… your cheating heart to be there with you

Let the crying begin!

Don’t come Running to Me?

18 Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light; 19 As when a man flees from a lion And a bear meets him, Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall And a snake bites him.

You are waiting for me to come bail you out…
When you are ready… when you want…
That isn’t a relationship
When I show up…
It will not bode well for you…
Not hugs… slaps…
You run from problems… Well running to me… is not going to solve anything….
You made your bed you cheating… worm

Don’t come running to me…

You Disgust me!

20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it? 21 "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. 23 "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. 24 "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 25 "Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? 26 "You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves.

When you see me….

It won’t be arms open running down a beach!
It will be painful…
It won’t be happy times… it will be dark
All your shallow charm and fake love will not stand!
Take your cheap offerings… and cheating heart… away from me!
We had something… emphasis on had.
But you chose to follow your cheating heart…

You disgust me…

It is over!

27 "Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

Bye bye…
See you…
Taking your duplicitous heart and be gone…
Know what it is to have lost the greatest love!

It is over!

Conclusion: