Crossing The Threshold-4

CROSSING The THRESHOLD-IV—Amos 1:1-2

Attention:

An air filter for your home’s air handler

The air filter can become so clogged with pollutants that they overwhelm the system’s intent—to provide fresh unpolluted air to the home. As a result, too much stress is put on the systems that draw the air thru the filter. Thus all other systems are strained to the point that they fail. Thus the collateral damage is that the entire system suffers.

Your sin & my sin is continually filling up the filter of God’s patience & longsuffering. When the filter’s limit is reached, the filter must be changed. Something must be done to prevent the collapse of the entire system.

But eventually the source of the problem—the substance which clogs the filter itself—must be dealt with in a decidedly different manner!

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 of sin in the world & particularly amongHis people, His wrath takes over & He approaches them in a very different way.

God used (His servant)Amos to declare God’s new 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 will Reach/Cross His Threshold & we discover that

A failed relationship with God evokes/prompts...

1. PUBLIC REVELATION(:1a)

2. TIMELY/Available OPPORTUNITY(:1b)

3. OUTRAGE(:2a-b)

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

MOURNING(:2c-d)

Explanation:(:2c-d)Inescapable/Strength removed

: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 effect of the Lord’s “roaring” is that the very “pastures” upon which the sheep feed, they cry out in a lamentation of grief.

There is a knowledge of God’s movement, even within ‘inanimate’ creation, which anticipates God’s judgment in the presence of an oblivious mankind.

The roaring & utterance of God has initiated a judgment which will remove the ability of the “pastures” to sustain life-giving life.

That it is “the pastures/habitations of the” “shepherds” that “mourn”, speaks to a removal of the “shepherd’s” home(“habitation”), the removal of their livelihood, the removal of their guidance, & thus to the removal of their protection for the sheep.

Ps. 23:1-6—<<A Psalm of David.>> The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod & Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness & mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.”

Ps. 96:1-13—“Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great & greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Honor & majesty are before Him; Strength & beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory & strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, & come into His courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously.” Let the heavens rejoice, & let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, & all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, & all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.”

Lk. 19:37-40—“Then, as He[Jesus] was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice & praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:” ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven & glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered & said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”