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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Amos 1-3
No one is righteous. None are exempt from God’s judgment. And there is no escape from it. That is the sense that I get when reading through these chapters. Furthermore, there is a stamp of certainty and finality on it all. Multiple times Amos states, “The LORD has spoken” and “This is the LORD’s declaration.” There is enough in the Bible for us to know beyond any shadow of a doubt that what God says will be, will be. So what is the point of all this destructive prophecy? In my mind, it is the fear of God and the awareness of my need.
Amos 4-5
These two chapters speak to me of God’s desire for us. Giving His people good things did not keep their hearts true to Him. So He took those good things away in an effort to turn them back. He then laid out a plea in chapter 5, not for His sake, but for theirs. “Seek the LORD and live, or He will spread like fire” (Amos 5:6a). And, “Pursue good and not evil so that you may live, and the LORD, the God of Armies will be with you” (Amos 5:14a). As it turns out, there is an escape from God’s certain, fully deserved judgment. The escape is to flee TO the One who renders that judgment rather than away from Him.