Amos 5:1-15

The previous chapter ended saying “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”  Today’s passage tells Israel how to do this.  Consider this …

·        Who is Israel’s God?

o   He is a God who speaks to Israel, through His prophet (5:1,3-4).  He does not judge without graciously warning and calling them to repentance.

o   He is, as is said elsewhere (Ex. 24:17; Heb. 12:29), a consuming fire (5:6).

o   He is the Creator, who made all things (5:8).

o   He is the Sustainer of creation as well (5:8).

o   He is Yahweh, the LORD, who made the covenant with Israel (5:8).

o   He is the God of wrath and fury (5:9).

o   He is the God who knows (5:12).

o   He is a God who will be gracious (5:15).

·        What did He know about Israel’s sins?

§  In general (5:12): they were many and mighty!

­   Specifically they were guilty of idolatry (5:5-6), injustice (5:7), scoffing at those who reproved them (5:10), oppression (5:11) and greed (5:12).

·         What must God’s people do to prepare to meet Him?

o   5:13: Be quiet.  “The prudent keep silent at that time.”  The context refers to those who, in this evil time, rebuke the workers of iniquity in the gate (v10).  The rebuke is not received but is abhorred.  This may seem strange, that they should continue to rebuke evil-doers.  But in this situation it is as in the Proverbs (e.g. Prov. 9:7) when reproof only makes matters worse.  The silence gives the conscience of the wicked the opportunity to get their attention.  And perhaps to …

o   5:1-3: Hear the word of the Lord.  The call to hear at the beginning of the chapter is a call to hear the Lord’s grief.  He laments the situation.  He is not, nor is He ever, happy about judgment.  He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:23).

o   5:4-7,14: Seek the Lord.  In addition to a strong rebuke of the idolatry at Bethel Israel must seek the Lord.  Those who seek the Lord will find Him but they must do the seeking.  Seeking requires removing one’s focus from idols, especially the idol of self.  It means we call out to the Lord for all who call upon the Lord shall be saved (Joel 2:32; Rom. 10:13).  This had been God’s promise to Israel even before they entered the land, that from wherever they were scattered, they would find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deut. 4:29).

These words are still valid.  Those wandering in their own way, who see their hopeless and lost situation, must seek God!  The search will lead them to Christ, the only way to God (John 14;6).  Seek God with all your heart!