The prophet Amos pronounces one of the most intense messages of judgment upon Israel in the bible, he certainly doesn’t pull any punches! After addressing other nations, we see his focus on the northern part of Israel and the message begins with a call for them to wake up. Their lives were filled with problems created by God to get their attention, and they just didn’t get it. In chapter four alone, the criticism, “yet you did not return to me” comes five different times! (4:6,8,9,10,11,12). They were without bread, but they didn’t turn back to God. They were without rain, but they didn’t turn back to God. They dealt with blight and mildew, but they didn’t turn back to God. Some of their young men died of pestilence and sword, but they didn’t turn back to God. Some cities were even destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah, and none of it was enough!
In response, the climax comes when God says, “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (4:12). The Lord God of hosts, the one who created the mountains, who creates the wind, who knows the thoughts of men, who changes day to night and who treads on the heights, this One is coming in judgment (4:13).
The people had forsaken God and stood condemned, if they were to be right with Him, they’d have to amend their ways. And God, in His grace, still offered them this opportunity! He says, “Seek me and live” (5:4,6). He says, “Seek good, and not evil, that you may live” (5:14). The choice was theirs. Would they continue in their sins and presume upon His grace? Or would they turn in live? Would they go into exile? Or would they be delivered? God sent problems to get their attention, now He sent His prophets, the decision was theirs.
In the present, they thought their surface-level religion was sufficient. They tried to cover over the multitude of their sins with a few nice things. But God knew that it was all a lie. He says,
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen”
Amos, 5:21-23, ESV
Instead, God wanted righteousness and justice (5:24). The people tried to cover over lives lived entirely separate from God with some superficial religious service. God would have none of it. In fact, He hated it! Unless they amended their ways they were heading for exile.
It’s interesting to consider the truth of what Solomon once realized, “and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecc. 1:9). What Israel was doing over 2,000 years ago is still a present reality for many, even today. Countless people live altogether godless lives Monday through Saturday and expect that through one hour of religious service on a Sunday that everything else has been forgotten. They don’t love God. They don’t seek God. All they want is to have some sense of clean conscience despite their sins. Sounds an awful lot like what Amos was criticizing in Israel.
While God’s grace is greater than all of our sins, His grace is not a license to sin (see Rom. 6:1-2). His grace doesn’t intend to have us live our lives entirely separate from him and then with some small act of worship to have all the evil of our deeds suddenly forgotten. The Lord knows those who are truly His. He won’t be fooled. His desire is not to just have some of our outward observance but to have our hearts.
The good news is that we can seek the Lord and live. We can be forgiven through our Lord Jesus Christ. We can confess our sins and be forgiven and cleansed (see 1 Jn. 1:9). If we’re genuinely born-again, Holy Spirit-filled Christians who have been bought with a price, then surely our lives should attest to this. If 167 out of 168 hours of the week are dedicated to godless things, how could we claim to know Him?
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