God Speaks
The LORD Announces His Plans to Send Judgment on Judah, Israel and Offending Nations
Verse of the Day: “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, Israel, prepare to meet your God.” He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals His thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth–the LORD God Almighty is His name. [Quotes in original] (Amos 4:12-13 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 192
We Respond
Reflection
Consider the following questions regarding Amos 1-5:
> 1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
> 2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Amos 1
1. God wields judgment against people and nations who mistreat His chosen ones.
2. Even people or nations that don’t believe in the LORD God will be judged according to how they treat others, especially His people.
Amos 2
1. God promises to crush people and nations (even those He had previously favored) who sin against Him.
2. Some of the ways people sin are by: rejecting the law of the LORD, not keeping His decrees, following false gods or ideologies, mistreating the poor, sexual immorality or violence and cruelty.
Amos 3
1. Surely the LORD God does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. (v 7)
2. People will suffer punishment for all their sins unless they repent.
Amos 4
1. God is sovereign over famine, weather, agriculture, water supply, insects and wild animals, plagues and pollution.
2. People are to turn to, obey and depend on the LORD.
Amos 5
1. The LORD God Almighty promises to be with and to show mercy to those who hate evil and love good.
2. There are people who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.
Prayer
> 3. How might I pray regarding Amos 1-5?
O Sovereign LORD God, I acknowledge that You wield judgment against people and nations who mistreat Your chosen ones. You hold even people or nations that don’t believe in You accountable for how they treat others, especially Your chosen people. You promise to crush people and nations (even those You had previiously favored) who sin against You and reject Your laws. You call that sin. Some of the ways people sin are by: rejecting Your law, O LORD, not keeping Your decrees, following false gods or ideologies, mistreating the poor, sexual immorality or violence and cruelty. Surely You, LORD God, do nothing without revealing Your plan to Your servants the prophets. People will suffer punishment for all their sins unless they repent. I declare that You are sovereign over famine, weather, agriculture, water supply, insects and wild animals, plagues and pollution. Holy Spirit, You are in the continual process of drawing people to turn to, obey and depend on the LORD. LORD God Almighty, You promise to be with and to show mercy to those who hate evil and love good. Those people who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth will suffer judgment for eternity unless they repent. Those who do repent and turn to You in faith will bring You glory forever, LORD. AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
> 4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Amos 1-5?
With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will confess and forsake any and all sin God shows me.
- I will not support or vote for any politician who is blatantly rejecting the law of the LORD, not keeping His decrees, following false gods or ideologies, mistreating the poor, or engaging in sexual immorality or violence and cruelty.
- I will pray for increasing numbers of people to turn to, obey and depend on the LORD.
- I will thank the LORD God Almighty that He promises to be with and to show mercy to those who hate evil and love good.
Share
I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.