Amos 8 & 9
For nine chapters God has been roaring out judgment on Israel. In these final two visions, Amos sees the Lord holding a fruit basket, indicating that Israel is ready to be picked and eaten. There is no place to hide, because God is coming with a sword to kill and no one will escape. These chapters reveal God’s seriousness in how he deals with sin. It is hard to process the God who so loved the world that he gave his Son with the God who kills with the sword. What we see is a God who is unfolding his story throughout time and we have the opportunity to contribute to his story through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus or find ourselves on the other side of his sword.

“The powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.” –Walt Whitman, “O Me! O Life!”

 

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Amos 6 & 7
Israel’s had forgotten about righteousness and justice in favor of pimped out beds and expensive lotion. In their pride they turned a blind eye to God’s desires for them in order to live a life of luxury. God gives Amos three distinct visions. In these visions we see the wonderful balance between God’s sovereignty and his call for us to participate in his plans through prayer. We also see our greatest need, a plumb line, which is Jesus as revealed in the Scripture.

 

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Amos 5
God’s roar against Israel because of their sins turns to a lament, as God mourns the pending destruction of Israel. He does offer a lifeline of hope: seek the Lord and live. Hope is found in seeking God’s face, turning from sin, and pursing righteousness and justice once again. They have not lived right, they have not worshiped right, and they messed up the view of the the end times. Their only hope is our only hope: seek the Lord and live.

 

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Amos 4
God’s ongoing desire is to build an alternative community of righteousness and justice. This was his plan for Israel, but they had become divided. The Northern Kingdom, which still bore the name Israel, continued to sin with their piece-meal approach to worship and their oppression of the poor. God disciplines Israel with the hope that they will return to him. We who are followers of Christ are in a multi-ethnic community called the Church and God has made a way for us to return to him through the sacred act of communion.

 

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Amos 3
Israel had broken off from Judah, developed a strong army and wealthy economy by plundering her enemies. They felt secure within their piecemeal system of worship in Bethel and in their lavish summer and winter homes. Such affluence brought arrogance and a disregard for God’s law. God’s message to them has been echoed in an old folk song, “You can run on for a long time, run on for a long time, run on for a long time, but sooner or later God’ll cut you down.” In this message, Pastor Derek discusses God’s judgment on Israel, the role of prophets/prophecy today, and why putting your hope in wealth and “going to church” is futile.

 

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Amos 1 & 2
When God sent Amos from Judah to Israel in the eighth century BC, God revealed himself as the God who roars. His message opens with a war speech, where he announces his judgment on eight nations including Judah and Israel. As modern-day God-worshipers, we should come to attention and listen to the God who roars.

 

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