Zechariah 9-12
Revelation 20
“Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!” —Amos 6:1
When things are going well, we can easily forget about God and live life in a way that pleases ourselves. This was exactly what was happening during the period of kings. Amos was one of the last prophets in a long line of prophets sent to the Northern Tribes to call them back to who they were meant to be in the world. Amos wrote, “You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:4-6).
Amos was rebuking the Israelites for living the high life and not being grieved over the things that were breaking the heart of God. While they were rich and indulgent, they were also oppressing the poor and casting righteousness to the ground as they live off the fattened calf. It was their abundance and materialism that was getting in the way of them hearing from God; they were too busy picking out new furniture, planning the next fattened calf they were going to eat and the endless entertainment they had at their disposal. They became deaf to God’s voice and the warning signs that He was sending to them. They failed to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
Doesn’t this sound familiar? The way the Israelites were behaving sounds a lot like our western culture. This begs the question, how do we know if these things have crept into our life? How do we know if we are living in line with the Spirit in Scripture or we have become complacent in our Christianity? May we take a moment to honestly reflect on these statements: If we have everything we need, but feel like it is never enough, then something is wrong. If we focus exclusively on our own needs and never give thought to the needs of those around us, then something is wrong. If we do not pay our workers or deal in our business with integrity, then something is wrong.
God would send us the same warning signs that He sent that generation; He would start to speak to us about these things through His Word. Are we willing to listen to Him? Amos’s generation was not listening; their hostility to God’s Word was evident by their apathetic behaviour displayed towards Amos’s warning.
If we hear the voice of God calling us back to Him, are we willing to align all of our lives with God’s commandments?
Lord God, tune my ears to hear what You are saying to me. Help me to align my life with Your Word. Thank You, Lord.
Revelation 20
“Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!” —Amos 6:1
When things are going well, we can easily forget about God and live life in a way that pleases ourselves. This was exactly what was happening during the period of kings. Amos was one of the last prophets in a long line of prophets sent to the Northern Tribes to call them back to who they were meant to be in the world. Amos wrote, “You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:4-6).
Amos was rebuking the Israelites for living the high life and not being grieved over the things that were breaking the heart of God. While they were rich and indulgent, they were also oppressing the poor and casting righteousness to the ground as they live off the fattened calf. It was their abundance and materialism that was getting in the way of them hearing from God; they were too busy picking out new furniture, planning the next fattened calf they were going to eat and the endless entertainment they had at their disposal. They became deaf to God’s voice and the warning signs that He was sending to them. They failed to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
Doesn’t this sound familiar? The way the Israelites were behaving sounds a lot like our western culture. This begs the question, how do we know if these things have crept into our life? How do we know if we are living in line with the Spirit in Scripture or we have become complacent in our Christianity? May we take a moment to honestly reflect on these statements: If we have everything we need, but feel like it is never enough, then something is wrong. If we focus exclusively on our own needs and never give thought to the needs of those around us, then something is wrong. If we do not pay our workers or deal in our business with integrity, then something is wrong.
God would send us the same warning signs that He sent that generation; He would start to speak to us about these things through His Word. Are we willing to listen to Him? Amos’s generation was not listening; their hostility to God’s Word was evident by their apathetic behaviour displayed towards Amos’s warning.
If we hear the voice of God calling us back to Him, are we willing to align all of our lives with God’s commandments?
Lord God, tune my ears to hear what You are saying to me. Help me to align my life with Your Word. Thank You, Lord.
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