Friday, November 13
Read Amos 2
Think About It:
- In verse 6, Amos prophesies the LORD’s judgment against Judah. It hurts to see the same judgment formula applied against Judah – the people of God – as was applied against the previous six Gentile nations. It shows that Judah piled “sin upon sin upon sin” just like the other nations. Do you see this tendency in the church of today as compared to the world? We find it easy – and comfortable – to expose and rebuke the sins of those who aren’t followers of God. That is what Amos did with the first six pronouncements of judgment, but just as Amos went on to look at sin among God’s people, we should do the same.
- In verse 5, The LORD says, “But I will send a fire upon Judah, And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.” The repeated use of fire to express judgment is continued in the New Testament. There the Bible uses fire in a spiritual way, to describe the purifying work of God in the believer. Read the following passages: 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 1 Peter 4:17. When we think of God’s purifying fire, we should think of the way Peter expressed it in 1 Peter 4:17: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.” We should invite God to burn down whatever ‘walls’ or ‘palaces’ we build against Him, so His work can continue in us and through us without hindrance.
Family Time:
- Why was the LORD punishing Judah? (v. 4)
- How well do you do in keeping God’s commandments?
