A Study Of "The Day Of The Lord” In The Scriptures – All References Part 5 – Amos, Obadiah Series

A STUDY OF “THE DAY OF THE LORD” IN THE SCRIPTURES – ALL REFERENCES PART 5 – AMOS, OBADIAH

The DAY OF THE LORD is “The Day of Jehovah” and its usage is always associated with something dire, with judgement, and with events outside the implementation of man. In other words, it is the intervention of God with the power of God in the affairs of this world. It has a primary application to Israel, but that is always extended often to a wider field, and that involves the world. Its main focus is in the Tribulation that is coming. We continue –

NUMBER 10

[10]. {{Amos 5:18–20 “Alas, you who are longing for “the day of the LORD”, for what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light - as when a man flees from a lion, and a bear meets him, or goes home, leans his hand against the wall, and a snake bites him. Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, even gloom with no brightness in it?”}}

((Amos’s primary application in his writing reflects the conditions of his time and impending judgement. In a very broad sense it could be said that “the Day of the LORD” is God’s hand in judgement right through the existence of His people, the Jews, but we know it always has the greater application to the last days of the age, that is, to the time after the Rapture. At the time of writing, the Lord had complaints against all of them in the nation. Amos dealt with judgement on the surrounding Gentile nations then turns the attention to the divided kingdom with a citation of evils. Here are just two verses – {{Amos 2:4 Thus says the LORD, “For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke its punishment because they rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept His statutes. Their lies also have led them astray, those (same lies) after which their fathers walked. Amos 2:6 Thus says the LORD, “For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment because they sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.”}}

The prophet reveals what the Day of the LORD will be like and there are similarities to Joel as is often the case in prophetic writings, as Joel came first. In fact there is another angle to this as Amos states – {{Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.”}} We may be sure that these things written are written straight from the Lord’s inspiration. It is all part of Peter’s statement – {{2Peter 1:21 “for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”}} The same judgement signs we met before are there – darkness, fear (of attack and uncertainty), gloom and no brightness. We are now familiar with these aspects but there is one surprising revelation in the Amos passage we are looking at.

There were those who were desiring, even panting for the Day of the LORD to come. The idea of panting is that of a dog waiting and hoping for its food with its tongue going in and out. They were wishing for it to happen, to see the Day of the LORD in operation, but Amos told them it would be of no purpose to them, in other words, this was something you really do not want! There is something ghoulish in the fallen human nature that likes to watch tragedy and calamities happen, especially to others. That is why the Roman arenas were packed with people feasting on hurt being done to victims and people being torn apart, and bodies mangled. It is vile. People might have a decent enough looking exterior but inwardly their thoughts and desires spring from the corrupt nature. The human soul is reprobate and full of evil. Some call it “drama” but it is demonic. In fact in an oblique reference, Amos adds another dire sign – {{Amos 8:9 “It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord GOD, “that I shall make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight.”}} Dark hearts love darkness but the darkness associated with the Day of the LORD is not something they will love. Dread fear and panic and chaos is what they will receive.

This has application to us. What are we looking for? Do we desire the Day of the LORD to come? Do we want to see God’s wrath descend on this awful sinful world? Is it what they deserve? Amos began our passage with “Alas” for he knows what they wish for, is disaster. How many are looking forward to disaster? Sadly the world generally dismisses any notion of God, and certainly rejects any possibility of the wrath of God. In that regard they are careless and think they can remain detached from creation.