Crossing The Threshold-3

CROSSING The THRESHOLD-III—Amos 1:1-2

Attention:

Hushers:

Six-year-old Angie & her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Mom had gone to the bathroom, so taking advantage of the moment, Joel giggled, sang, & talked out loud.

Finally, his big sister had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out loud in church."

"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked arrogantly.

Angie pointed to the back of the church & said, "See those two men standing by the door? They're hushers!”

A Threshold is a crossover or transition zone or optimal use zone. Where the upper limit or end of effectiveness is reached.

When the threshold is reached, of God’s toleration for sin in the world & particularly among His people, His wrath takes over & He approaches them in a very different way.

God used (His servant)Amos to declare God’s new but strained relationship with His people.

Amos declared God’s strained relationship with His people.

An amiable/good relationship between God & His people can be so changed that it invites God’s wrath.

What does a failed relationship with God evoke/prompt?

OR--

What results from God’s Crossing His Threshold?

God is Longsuffering—

Rom. 2:4—“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, & longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

BUT...

God can Reach/Cross His Threshold & we discover that

A failed relationship with God evokes/prompts...

1. PUBLIC REVELATION(:1a)

2. TIMELY/Available OPPORTUNITY(:1b)

3—A failed relationship with God evokes/prompts...

OUTRAGE(:2a-b)

Explanation:(:2a-b)Jealousy/Ire/Exasperation/Hostility

:2—“And he said: “The LORD roars from Zion, And utters His voice from Jerusalem; The pastures of the shepherds mourn, And the top of Carmel withers.””

“The LORD roars from Zion,”

Why/When does a lion roar?—A lion “roars” when it has prey. The roaring of the lion is an assurance, on the part of the lion, that he has captured his prey or it is imminently within his grasp.

A “roar” is also a sign to the other lions within the pride, that food has been captured/subdued for their benefit.

Amos 3:4—“Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?”

Amos 3:8—“A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?”

Isa. 5:29—“Their roaring will be like a lion, They will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar And lay hold of the prey; They will carry it away safely, And no one will deliver.”

In Rev. 5:5—Jesus/Messiah/Christ/Son of God/=“The Lion of the Tribe of Judah!”

In the case of this prophesy “the LORD Himself is pictured as a lion which “roars.” YaHWeH’s position(from which He “roars” having captured His quarry) is “from Zion.”

Regarding “Zion”—Lit.=‘Parched Place’—possibly meaning that there is nothing of any significance there except God!

2Sam. 5:6-9—“And the king & his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind & the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion(that is, the City of David). Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft & defeats the Jebusites (the lame & the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief & captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind & the lame shall not come into the house.” Then David dwelt in the stronghold, & called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo & inward.”

2Chron. 5:2—“Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel & all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD up from the City of David, which is Zion.”

Ps. 132:13-14—“For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”

“Roars”—gav shaw-ag'—1) (Qal) To roar—1a) Of lion, conqueror, Jehovah, cry of distress. Strong—a primitive root; To rumble or moan. Used 21X.

“Zion”—Nwyu Tsee yown'—Zion = “Parched place”—1) Another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books. Strong—the same (regularly) as Nwyu[from the same as hyu in the sense of conspicuousness [compare xun];A monumental or guiding pillar; Tsijon(as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem. JFB—The seat of the theocracy from which you have revolted.

“And utters His voice from Jerusalem;”

YaHWeH likewise loudly openly proclaims(Ntn naw-than’--Lit.-‘gives’) His judgment “from Jerusalem.”

God openly declares His word of judgment “from” that place which is precious to Him & of His own choosing(Deut. 12:5; 2Chron. 6:5-6; Ps. 132:13-14).

God has caught the prey which unchecked, has brought spiritual devastation to His city & thereby His holy name.