KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, July 09, 2018
Chapters: Amos 1-5
Message: The LORD is His Name
Hello My Friend,
The Book of Amos contains nine chapters, and was written by Amos to Israel. The timeline is approximately 776-763 BC. The purpose of the book was to call Israel back to God. What we are to learn from the book is that God calls all nations to prepare for the day they will meet Him for judgment. “For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.” – Amos 4:13.
As merciful and patient as God is upon all the people of the earth, there does come a time when mercy runs our, and for those who have not received the LORD Jesus Christ as their Saviour before that time it will be too late to do anything about it. It may seem like God is most hard on His people, and does nothing to judge the wicked, but that is not the case, they already suffer in their sins one way or another. Amos, father of Isaiah, a mere shepherd was sent, not only to Judah and Israel to warn of God’s judgments, but all nations surrounding them, and all who conspired against them. God sends Amos to warn them of their coming judgment, one by one, nation upon nation is called out by God first, then He informs Judah and Israel what is about to happen.
“Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.” – Amos 2:4-8.
“because they sold the righteous for silver,” Let me tell you, and if you did not notice this by now, it is time to start, we are in a me, myself, and I generation, people willing to sell you out in a second to satisfy their lusts, including some Christians, and the sad thing, it is for things that are not worth it. Now, these were prophesies that came to pass, Judah in their seventy years of captivity and Israel in their world-wide dispersion which still continues today. The same warning still applies to today, for our transgressions we will be judged because we are guilty of despising the law of God. Our only safety net is Jesus Christ, and while we do not have hell and the lake of fire to look forward to if we are saved, we do have some suffering to look forward to if we do not get in that safety net. Now, God sends Amos to Bethel to deliver the prophecy of judgment there, this is the site of one of Israel’s two false worship centers and one of the several homes of Jeroboam II.
“Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled. That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.” – Amos 3:1-3,10-11,14-15.
“You only have I known of all the families of the earth:” God did not choose Israel to be His people because of their faithfulness and righteousness, He did it because of one mans faith, and the promise He made to that man, Abraham. The Jews have this false assumption that because they are Jews they are automatically saved, this is false, and so is the assumption that all religions lead to God. A Catholic is no more privileged to be saved than a Baptist, we all face judgment, and Jesus is the only escape. This is what happens when those who know not what is right have no idea what they are doing is wrong. Religion is never the answer, only Jesus is, the altars, the comforts, and the pleasures they all come to enjoy thinking they are one of God’s will be destroyed, and they will be too. God knows who are His, those who worship Him in truth. “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” – John 4:22-23.
If you ever wondered where God is with all the crazy things going on in the world today, the answer is, He is right in the midst of the mess waiting for His people to return to Him. Through Amos, God tells Israel no matter what He has done to them, whether it was helping them prosper or chastening them, they not returned and therefore they will be judged for their iniquities.
“And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.” – Amos 4:6-9,12-13.
“yet have ye not returned unto me,” God sends famines, strange diseases, insane people, all in an attempt to get people to turn away from all these false gods and religions and turn to Him, and yet they have not returned. Do you think God wants to see His people suffer, let alone living in poverty? No. And the sooner they realize they need Him in every part of their lives the better off they will be. While judgment is not avoidable, God does make a way for a person to escape it or find peace through it. Through Amos, God reminds us that if we seek Him we will live.
“Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel. The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel. For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name: Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?” – Amos 5:1-4,8,18-20.
“Seek ye me, and ye shall live:” The same LORD of Old Testament times is the same LORD we know today, but now we know Him as His Son, Jesus Christ. He will give life to all who seek Him with all their heart. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.” – Amos 4:13.
Today’s Prayer: God, You are the LORD, that is Your name, the Almighty and only living God, who has an abundance of mercy on all who call upon You. Thank You for loving us so much to warn us repeatedly of Your judgment so that all can have a chance to seek Your Son and live, and thank You for showing us the right path of life. Lord, keep us faithful and growing as we await the return of Your Son. Give us Your power and strength to reach whomever You place before us with the Gospel, and let us be the Godly example You need us to be in this wicked world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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