Amos 5:24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
As God looked upon his people he wanted to see both justice and righteousness. Justice demands fairness in court, fairness in business, and protection of the weak. Righteousness demands integrity in relating to God and others. Both are essential to a healthy society.
But when it comes to our personal rights, Christians should be willing to suffer some injustice, and overlook some unrighteousness. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also (Luke 6:29), said Jesus. Jesus was treated unfairly and we should expect the same. We should stand up for the rights of others, but lay down our own rights in service to Christ.
Amos 6:1 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria.
The problem with spiritual complacency is that it always leads to spiritual decline. If we’re not growing closer to God, we’ll soon be falling away from him. No one stays in the same place for long, and if we’re not moving in the right direction, we’ll soon be moving in the wrong direction.
This was the problem with the Ephesian church. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first (Revelation 2:5), said Jesus. If they didn’t repent, in fact, Jesus threatened to take away their church. There are places in the world where the church used to flourish, but no longer exists, because it grew complacent.
Satan doesn’t care if he turns believers away from Christ all at once, or gradually. If we turn away from Christ just one degree a month, we’ll be diametrically opposed to him in fifteen years. If we’re not growing in holiness, we’re growing in sinfulness, and it all begins with complacency.
Amos 7:7-8 The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, What do you see, Amos? A plumb line, I replied. Then the Lord said, Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
A plumb line is a string with a weight at the end, that’s hung next to a wall to see if it’s straight. Israel was leaning badly and would have to be torn down. This is what happened when it fell to the Assyrians. If Israel had built according to God’s word, it would’ve remained standing. But since it leaned toward sin, it had to come down.
The same idea can be applied to Christians, but with the hope of repair. If our lives are leaning toward sin, they can be rebuilt according to God’s word. For this to happen we must read the Bible almost daily. This will make us aware of our faults, so we can make repairs, before a collapse occurs. There are many degrees at which we can lean, but only one at which we can stand straight. The Bible is God’s plumb line for our lives.
Amos 8:9 In that day, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
Amos foresaw a cosmic disturbance on the day of God’s judgment, which came to pass when Jesus was crucified. This was recorded in three of the four gospels. From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land (Matthew 27:45). At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon (Mark 15:33). It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining (Luke 23:44-45). With the death of Jesus Christ the light of the world (John 8:12) went out.
But, three days later, Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28:1-10), and the light of his resurrection has been spreading ever since. Jesus bore God’s wrath on our behalf so we could have every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), wrote Paul. The darkness has passed for those who believe, and the light of God’s grace is shining on us (Proverbs 4:18).
Amos 9:11 In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter.
The prophet is thinking of a building that collapsed due to a storm. Israel would be destroyed, but God would rebuild it. In light of God’s promise to David, this was important to know.
After David built the nation of Israel into a regional superpower, God promised his throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). But some time after his death, David’s kingdom was split in two, and greatly weakened (931 BC). The northern kingdom would eventually fall to the Assyrians (722 BC), and the southern kingdom would fall to the Babylonians (586 BC). It would appear that God’s promise to David had failed.
The promises of God may seem to fail for a while, but never fail completely. God would restore David’s fallen shelter through the return of the exiles (537 BC), but ultimately through Jesus Christ. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and . . . his kingdom will never end (Luke 1:32-33), said the angel.
After Jesus rose from the dead he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9), and will soon return as King of kings (Revelation 19:16) to rule the world. At that time God’s promise to David, and to Israel, will be fulfilled beyond all expectation. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are Yes in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20), wrote Paul.
Reflection and Review
Why shouldn’t Christians insist on their rights?
How can believers fight against complacency?
How is the Bible like a plumb line?
As God looked upon his people he wanted to see both justice and righteousness. Justice demands fairness in court, fairness in business, and protection of the weak. Righteousness demands integrity in relating to God and others. Both are essential to a healthy society.
But when it comes to our personal rights, Christians should be willing to suffer some injustice, and overlook some unrighteousness. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also (Luke 6:29), said Jesus. Jesus was treated unfairly and we should expect the same. We should stand up for the rights of others, but lay down our own rights in service to Christ.
Amos 6:1 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria.
The problem with spiritual complacency is that it always leads to spiritual decline. If we’re not growing closer to God, we’ll soon be falling away from him. No one stays in the same place for long, and if we’re not moving in the right direction, we’ll soon be moving in the wrong direction.
This was the problem with the Ephesian church. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first (Revelation 2:5), said Jesus. If they didn’t repent, in fact, Jesus threatened to take away their church. There are places in the world where the church used to flourish, but no longer exists, because it grew complacent.
Satan doesn’t care if he turns believers away from Christ all at once, or gradually. If we turn away from Christ just one degree a month, we’ll be diametrically opposed to him in fifteen years. If we’re not growing in holiness, we’re growing in sinfulness, and it all begins with complacency.
Amos 7:7-8 The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, What do you see, Amos? A plumb line, I replied. Then the Lord said, Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
A plumb line is a string with a weight at the end, that’s hung next to a wall to see if it’s straight. Israel was leaning badly and would have to be torn down. This is what happened when it fell to the Assyrians. If Israel had built according to God’s word, it would’ve remained standing. But since it leaned toward sin, it had to come down.
The same idea can be applied to Christians, but with the hope of repair. If our lives are leaning toward sin, they can be rebuilt according to God’s word. For this to happen we must read the Bible almost daily. This will make us aware of our faults, so we can make repairs, before a collapse occurs. There are many degrees at which we can lean, but only one at which we can stand straight. The Bible is God’s plumb line for our lives.
Amos 8:9 In that day, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
Amos foresaw a cosmic disturbance on the day of God’s judgment, which came to pass when Jesus was crucified. This was recorded in three of the four gospels. From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land (Matthew 27:45). At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon (Mark 15:33). It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining (Luke 23:44-45). With the death of Jesus Christ the light of the world (John 8:12) went out.
But, three days later, Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 28:1-10), and the light of his resurrection has been spreading ever since. Jesus bore God’s wrath on our behalf so we could have every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), wrote Paul. The darkness has passed for those who believe, and the light of God’s grace is shining on us (Proverbs 4:18).
Amos 9:11 In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter.
The prophet is thinking of a building that collapsed due to a storm. Israel would be destroyed, but God would rebuild it. In light of God’s promise to David, this was important to know.
After David built the nation of Israel into a regional superpower, God promised his throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). But some time after his death, David’s kingdom was split in two, and greatly weakened (931 BC). The northern kingdom would eventually fall to the Assyrians (722 BC), and the southern kingdom would fall to the Babylonians (586 BC). It would appear that God’s promise to David had failed.
The promises of God may seem to fail for a while, but never fail completely. God would restore David’s fallen shelter through the return of the exiles (537 BC), but ultimately through Jesus Christ. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and . . . his kingdom will never end (Luke 1:32-33), said the angel.
After Jesus rose from the dead he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9), and will soon return as King of kings (Revelation 19:16) to rule the world. At that time God’s promise to David, and to Israel, will be fulfilled beyond all expectation. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are Yes in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20), wrote Paul.
Reflection and Review
Why shouldn’t Christians insist on their rights?
How can believers fight against complacency?
How is the Bible like a plumb line?