A Sad Song for Israel

Series: God Speaks

Text: Amos 5:1-17

Introduction: (What?)

Sometimes when we are meeting with the family of one who is deceased, we get stuck when it comes to selecting the music. In many instances no one in the family knows what hymns or songs the loved one might want. In other situations the song selections are just not conducive to the solemnity of the moment. I had to sing at a funeral once for a 2-year-old who died because of SIDs. The family wanted the country song “Why Me, Lord?”

Chapter five begins with a funeral song or Lament for Israel’s doom.

Explanation: (Why?)

1. Israel the great becomes Israel the less (vv 1-3)

Amos begins this chapter as one looking into the future of Israel. He says, “Listen to this message that I am singing for you, a lament, house of Israel: She has fallen; Virgin Israel will never rise again. She lies abandoned on her land with no one to raise her up.” He refers to “Virgin Israel” because God had chosen the land as His future Bride. However, the land would be raped by invading armies because Israel refused to repent. Afterward she could never be returned to her chaste condition. In v 3 Amos tells the extent of the devastation. “For the LORD God says, ‘The city that marches out a thousand strong will only have a hundred left, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will only have ten left in the house of Israel.’” In other words many would be killed or captured. The army of Israel would be decimated. There would only be a handful left.

Although our politicians tout the strength of the American military, the truth is that they are a mere shadow of what once was. Politics even invades the military on the battle fields. Before any military operation today the troops are issued an order entitled “ROE” which stands for “Rules of Engagement”. This legal document often crafted by legal scholars who know little or nothing about battle, stipulates what they can and cannot do in the heat of battle. They either have to memorize it or take in on their person on a card or sheet of paper. They are so afraid of legal reprisal after the fact that they go into a conflict with their hands tied. The reality is that we are no where near as powerful as we once were. This was the case with Israel about whom was said in Joshua 23:10 “One of you routed a thousand because the LORD your God was fighting for you, as He promised.” In vv 11-13 though God issued a warning. “So diligently watch yourselves! Love the LORD your God! If you ever turn away and become loyal to the rest of the nations remaining among you, know for certain that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out before you. They will become a snare and a trap for you, a sharp stick for your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you disappear from this good land the LORD your God has given you.” By the way, Israel DID disappear from the Promised Land for 2,000 years, ending in 1948.

The funeral song of Amos seems to indicate that this is exactly what happened. It is just like Samson. Once he disobeyed God and told Delilah the source of his strength, God no longer was with him. He got up as before expecting to be victorious over the Philistines as in the past, only to find that he only had the strength of a normal man.

2. You had your chance (vv 4-13)

However, all is not lost. Israel still has a chance. In v 4 Amos issued a call for repentance. “For the LORD says to the house of Israel; ‘Seek Me and live.’” I think that is God’s message to America today. We still have a chance if we return to the LORD.

Then Amos issues a “do not”. “Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal or journey to Beer-sheba, for Gilgal will certainly go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.” All three of these were sites where pagan altars and images had been erected. America today is making some strange alliances, and pandering to godless nations. Paul’s admonition about not being “unequally yoked” would certainly apply. If we ignore this, we, like Israel, will go down in flames. But once again Amos encouraged Israel that there is still time. “Seek the LORD and live, or He will spread like fire throughout the house of Joseph; It will consume everything with no one at Bethel to extinguish it. Those who turn justice into wormwood (bitterness) also throw righteousness to the ground.” The judgment of God is often depicted as fire. Of course the final judgment of all who do not repent and turn to God is eternal fire in Hell.

In vv 8-9 Amos reminded Israel who they were dealing with. “The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the water of the sea and pours it out over the surface of the earth---the LORD is his name. He brings destruction on the strong, and it falls on the fortress.” In other words, a lightweight should never get in the ring with a super heavyweight. However, even with this warning, Isreal still violated the commands of God.

“They hate the one who convicts the guilty at the city gate, and they despise the one who speaks with integrity. Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact a grain tax from him, you will never live in the houses of cut stone you have built; you will never drink the wine from the lush vineyards you have planted. For I know your crimes are many, and your sins are innumerable. They oppress the righteous, take a bribe, and deprive the poor of justice at the city gates. Therefore, those who have insight will keep silent at such a time, for the days are evil.” God has a long memory when it comes to our unconfessed

sins. Not a one of them is hidden from Him, and He already has a plan to bring justice on the unjust. The fact that judgment has yet to fall does not mean that God has forgotten.

3. Repent or pay (vv 14-17)

For the third time Amos urged Israel to “seek God and do good.”

“Pursue good and not evil so that you may live, and the LORD, the God of Armies, will be with you as you have claimed. Hate evil and love good, establish justice in the city gate. PERHAPS the LORD, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” (vv 14-15)

So long as judgment has not fallen, there is still the possibility that repentance will make a difference. However, neither they (nor we) should ever presume on the LORD’s patience. While Peter had it right in 2nd Pet. 3:9 “The LORD does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” Moses was also right in Gen. 6:3 when he wrote “And the LORD said, ‘My Spirit will not remain (strive) with mankind forever, because they are corrupt.’”

When we don’t really know what to do we should opt to do what God has blessed in the past. That is the reason the Holy Spirit had the OT put into the Bible. We can learn from the way God acted toward His Chosen People. In 1 Cor. 10 Paul warned the Corinthians to learn from Israel’s past. In v 11 he wrote, “These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Amos told Israel that if they ignored the LORD’s call to repentance there would be consequences. “Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies, the LORD, says: ‘There will be wailing in all the public squares, (news broadcasts) they will cry out in anguish in all the streets. The farmer will be called on to mourn, and professional mourners to wail. There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass among you.’ The LORD has spoken.” (vv 16-17)

Businesses will fail, crops will fail and a great cry will come from all points in the city. Look around you. Today businesses are closing every day. Droughts, floods and storms are decimating the crops throughout our country. Food prices are sky rocketing.

Remember that in Exodus 11: 4 at the first Passover, God went throughout (passed among) Egypt and killed every firstborn.

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Is God about to “pass among” America? Will His patience run out soon if we don’t repent and return to Him? Repentance starts with the individual. Has God pointed out any sin in your life that you have been unwilling to confess, or that you have put off? Are you harboring some bitterness toward someone who has offended you? Is there someone whom you have offended and you have neglected to make things right with them? Remember, scripture says in James 4:17 “So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.”