Amos 4:4-5
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Amos was a prophet sent to the Northern Kingdom of Israel because of their wickedness, and through this book we see two essential problems with the Northern Kingdom
Their Idolatry
Their failure to take care of the poor/weak/vulnerable.
6 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—
7 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;
8 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.
This is something that we see throughout the book.
1 “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan,
who are on the mountain of Samaria,
who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’
So one of the main problems that God is addressing is their failure to take care of the poor.
This failure has real implications for the Israelites.
4 “Come to Bethel, and transgress;
to Gilgal, and multiply transgression;
bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tithes every three days;
5 offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened,
and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them;
for so you love to do, O people of Israel!”
declares the Lord God.
God tells the Israelites that their worship is worthless.
If you can’t show love to people, then you can’t show love to me… and this makes sense. Who’s image are we created in?
We are created in God’s image, so we treat one another with love and respect. We take care of one another.
In the NT, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandments are to love God and love neighbor. You can’t have one without the other.
We can’t be God’s people without showing love because God is love.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The idea is that those who pledge allegiance and loyalty to Jesus have eternal life.
Have you pledged your allegiance to Jesus?