Amos 03 Life Lesson for 09.18.22

Pastor Randall shares 5 takeaways from Amos 5:4-15; Seek God.
Summary 01: Read Amos 5:4-9
Amos shares a last attempt to persuade Israel to repent of their sin. In two poetic lines, Amos summarizes Israel’s covenant-breaking behavior: They had perverted justice and righteousness in their society. Verse 8-9 is a hymn that magnifies God as the Creator, who guides His creation to a meaningful end. However, that end might mean destruction for those who pervert the justice that God desires for a meaningful society.
Question: How does God’s attributes or rule over creation impact your worship of Him?

Summary 02: Read Amos 5:10-15
In these verses, Amos focuses on the corruption of the judicial system. The courts could have taught God’s law and principles by judging justly, but Amos was concerned with the absence of due process. Any nation that claims to be godly should demonstrate the truth of that claim in its public justice system, especially in relationship to the poor or oppressed.
Question: What injustices do you see in your nation that could be rectified with honesty and integrity?

Conclusions: Each of us must ask individually and corporately if our actions please God. In Amos’ message, seeking good means seeking justice in the courts. This is only accomplished by honesty and integrity. As members of a nation, we should also use our influence to elect and encourage leaders who seek justice.

Quotable: “Image is what people think we are; integrity is what we really are.” -John Maxwell-

Prayer: Lord, help me and my countrymen to seek and honor You through upholding justice. Amen.

Background: Amos came from the southern kingdom of Judah but did his prophetic work in the northern kingdom of Israel, slightly earlier than the prophet Hosea. He was from Tekoa, a small town about eleven miles south of Jerusalem. He did not consider himself a prophet or the son of a prophet (7:14); his only qualification was the calling of God. Amos received his training as a prophet straight from the hand of God. He was not afraid to tell people his tough message which was a warning of God’s judgement for their sin. Amos also saw God’s faithful love as well.

The Gospel in AMOS: The name Amos is derived from the Hebrew root: amas, “to lift a burden, to carry.” Thus his name means “Burden” or “Burden-bearer.” Amos lived up to the meaning of his name by his divinely given burden of declaring divine judgment to rebellious Israel. His message was like a heavy burden on his heart. Jesus also was a burden-bearer by carrying the weight of our sins on the cross.