Month: June 2022

Amos 9

Amos concludes his book of prophecy with a final vision of the Lord standing beside the altar, commanding to destroy the temple and kill all the people. The message of judgment — taught throughout the book — reaches a climax in this final chapter. There is no escape. All who rejected the Lord will be destroyed.

But there is hope for the future. There will come a day when the Lord will restore Israel, rebuilding the broken kingdom and returning the people to a land of peace and security. 

The final chapter of Amos divides into two sections: the first showing The Judgment of God, and then the Restoration of God. 

Amos 8

Through eight chapters, Amos has been repeating the same message to the people of Israel. You have disobeyed God, and turned away from Him.^a Return to Him! 

Stop taking advantage of your neighbors and return to Him! 

Put away your immorality and return to Him! 

Put away your idols and return to Him! 

Care for the poor and return to Him!

And if you refuse to obey Him – if you refuse to return to Him — He will come back in judgment. Your wealth will be taken away, your houses torn down, and your people will be killed. Your nation will be destroyed as you are carried away as prisoners to a foreign land. Do not ignore the Lord’s warnings!

The Lord promised severe punishment for those who refused to listen to Him. But the worst judgment, above all, is the judgment of His silence. If you refuse to listen to the Lord, He will stop calling. You will search for Him and try to find Him, but He will have gone from you.

While we may not fear national exile, this message to ancient Israel is just as important for us in the 21st century. God has been warning His people throughout Amos’ messages. Now the judgment has reached a climax with four final statements:

“The end has come!”

You despised God’s standards!

“I will not forget!”

“I will be silent!”