I am definitely reflecting on the current events of the Israel/Hamas war. I have been mov by things I have read in Amos as well as Obadiah. As is typical of the Old Testament prophets, they are written against a particular historical backdrop, and in that context they also speak of days yet unseen. In my view, the historical backdrop serves us today. As Paul said, these are written as examples for our admonition on whom the ends of the ages have come (1 Cor. 10:11) that we might have hope (Rom. 15:4).
Since the historical objective of the prophets
had to do with calling the people of Israel to repentance, I also want to remind
you of three principles that are true of Israel today:
1. Rom.
11:25-29: Israel is currently in a period of partial blindness to the gospel.
Israel as a nation still has a future in God’s plan; Israel will be saved. But for now, the Jewish people are enemies of
the gospel but beloved by Christians because of election. God will eventually complete the fulfillment
of His promise to Abraham; His gifts and calling are irrevocable.
2. Lev.
26:36-39; Deut. 28:64-68: During this time the Jewish people experience
significant persecution, events that can be called “terror.” It is a time when the nations have an unusual
influence on and control over the Jewish people. That time will not end until Messiah returns
and the Spirit is poured out on Israel.
3. Jer.
30:11; Ezek. 34:11-31: God’s last days work will come in three stages. He will regather Israel to the land. He will cleanse Israel. In much of that cleansing God will use the
nations of the world even as He used the Assyrians and Babylonians in the
past. Israel will experience severe
trouble. Then God will deliver Israel
from those nations and will judge those nations. He will not make a complete end of
Israel. We will see that Amos says the
same thing in Amos 9.
In the case of Amos, he was a prophet from
Judah (the Southern Kingdom) sent to Israel (the Northern Kingdom). In the first three chapters I see two connections
with today’s situation. First, the
enemies are very similar. Amos calls out
Syria, Philistia (modern Gaza), Tyre (modern Lebanon), Edom, Ammon and Moab
(modern Jordan). These nations were not
the primary tool of God’s judgment on Israel; that was left to Assyria. But as you read God’s message to each of
these nations, their sin is essentially that they piled on when Israel was
down. They took advantage of Israel’s
weakness, giving those who sought refuge over to the Assyrians to take as
captives.
The second similarity has to do with the sins
of Israel for which reason God brings judgment.
After pronouncing judgment on the surrounding nations, and then on Judah
to the south, the prophet comes to Israel in 2:6-3:15. Israel certainly was idolatrous; they still
worshipped the golden calves at Bethel (2:14).
But the sins God calls out are injustice, sexual perversion, and
rejection of God’s word (2:6-12). All
the while, they lived their lives in luxury and ease (2:15). These are the sins of a “secular nation,”
which is generally what Israel is today.
My point is that Amos is a book of prophecy
that speaks well to today’s situation in Israel. They suffered a terrible event on Oct.
7. Hamas did it. Hamas should be destroyed, and Israel is
working on that. But Israel needs to
step back and seriously consider that God is doing His work. They should use this time for repentance.
And may I say, as well, that every person in
whatever nation should be doing the same.
Every event in our lives, good or bad, demands that we stop and
reflect. What is God doing? What must I learn from this situation? I am not singling out the people of Israel
whom I truly and dearly love!
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