1. How Israel tried to meet God on their terms
a. They behaved on their own terms (4:1)
b. They worshipped on their own terms (4:4-5)
2. How God persuaded Israel to meet Him on His terms
a. God warned on His terms—His holiness (4:2-3)
b. God persuaded on His terms (4:6-11)
3. The results
a. The result of Israel’s terms (yet have ye not returned to me)
b. The result of God’s terms (prepare to meet thy God, O Israel) (4:12-13)
Sometimes I think that the lawyers have taken over the world. It seems like everything we do has some type of terms we have to agree to. Just listen to a car dealer commercial on the radio sometime. They go through all the commercial telling you about this once in a lifetime sale they’re having. This weekend only. Push, pull or tow your old car in and we’ll give you top-dollar trade in value for it. We’re practically giving cars away. Whoever reads that stuff for the commercial is loud, enthusiastic, and just over the top with excitement. Then comes the part where they have to disclose all the terms. The reader changes his voice to just above a mumble. And he reads faster than any human being can possibly understand. It’s the same thing with all the junk mail I get. Somebody will send a credit card application. All over the front in big 2-inch letters it’ll tell me about all the money they’re going to give me. But then at the bottom or on the back, it’ll give the terms and conditions. Of course, you have to have a magnifying glass to read the print. The only reason they put the terms there in the first place is because the lawyers make them. But they still try to hide them as best as they can. But you can’t hide the fact that nearly everything in life has terms attached to it. Whether you’re buying anything, getting a job, or entering a contract—terms have to be agreed to. Did you know that God has terms as well? Except God is no lawyer—He sets His terms up front. The problem comes in when we try to meet God on our terms instead of on His. That’s what Israel did. Ever since God called up Abraham and promised to make of him a nation, He had laid out His terms to them. And they consistently refused God’s terms. They wanted a relationship with God, but they wanted it on their terms. They wanted to meet Him on their terms, not His. In our passage tonight, God speaks through Amos to review His case against Israel. He reviews the ways Israel tried to meet God on their own terms in spite of His continual persuasion. Even though times have changed, human nature hasn’t. Neither has God’s character. There are still two ways we can prepare to meet God. We can either try to do it on our terms or His. We’ll meet Him either way. Either we’ll meet Him in judgment or in eternal relationship. Each of us is going to meet God. I want each of us here tonight to prepare to meet Him on His terms. In order to do that, we’re going to look at three things. We’ll see how Israel tried to meet God on their terms. We’ll see how God persuaded Israel to meet Him on His terms. And we’ll take a look at the results. First, let’s see how Israel tried to meet God on their terms. Israel tried to meet God on their terms because they behaved on their own terms. Look at verse 1:
AMOS 4:1
They behaved on their own terms. Look at the words God used to describe them. He called them kine. Kine is an old-timey word for cows. Cows, not bulls. Bashan was a hilly area overlooking Samaria that was known for its cattle. If Hardee’s had been around back then, they would have marketed Bashan burgers instead of Black Angus. Bashan cows were well-fed, spoiled and fat. And this is the picture God used to describe the Israelite women. In the original, the feminine structure of the verse makes it clear that God is talking about the women of Israel. Plus, when He uses the word masters, that is the word that is most commonly used for husbands. Throughout history, in every society, women are the main stabilizing forces. You’ve heard the song, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Rules the World. Well, it may not rule the world, but it certainly makes it stable. The decline of any society can be seen in the way the women act. Women are typically more stable. They are more moral. They are more obedient to laws. They are more kind and merciful to the poor and needy. But when they begin to turn from those natural ways, society inevitably declines. That was what was happening in Israel. The women had turned from their natural roles. They had lost their mercy and kindness for the poor and needy. They had usurped their roles in the home and were now demanding to be waited on. This is not just a judgment on the women. It is a judgment on Israel as a whole. Because women acting that way is an effect. It’s not a cause. The cause is from men and society as a whole turning from God. Look at what has happened in our country. America began to turn away from God in the mid 1800s. Our educated elite began to believe in things like Darwinism. They began to question the Bible and tear it down piece by piece. That was the beginning. Now fast-forward to today. Women in America are no longer valued for their kindness and mercy. We lift up cutthroat, catty corporate executives and political figures as role models. From an early age, girls are encouraged to be tough and aggressive instead of kind and merciful. Just like in ancient Israel, that is just one of the final symptoms of a disease that has been ravaging for a long time. It is a disease called wanting to behave on our own terms. We all want to meet God. But we don’t want to behave on His terms. Just like Israel, we want to behave on our terms. But not only did Israel behave on their own terms, they worshipped on their own terms. Skip down to verses 4-5:
AMOS 4:4-5
They worshipped on their own terms. Both Bethel and Gilgal had originally been wonderful places of worship for God. Bethel was the place where Abraham set up an altar to God. Jacob saw the Lord there and it was one of the places where Samuel judged. But over the years, the people corrupted it. That was the place where Jeroboam set up the golden calf. That marked the beginning of a long history of idolatry and false worship there. Gilgal was the original base-camp of Israel as they conquered much of the promised land. That is also where Samuel anointed David as King. Both Bethel and Gilgal had historically been places of worship. But over the years, the worship had become empty and even vile to God. They were going through all the right motions. They were even going over and above. They brought sacrifices much more often than was required. They tithed much more often than was required. Their outward shows of religion were over and above. That should be a good thing, right? Well, not if their heart was in the condition theirs was. Because they came to offer sacrifices just as a show. Their sacrifices didn’t indicate a change of heart. Because their heart was still full of leaven—figure of speech for sin. The freewill offerings were proclaimed and published as mandatory. They were no longer free. They were an obligation. They were worshipping, but they were doing it on their own terms. They didn’t worship with a changed heart. They didn’t do it out of a free love of God. They did it for a show. They did it out of obligation. Doesn’t that sound like the church today? We want to meet God, but we want to worship Him on our own terms. We want to come to church to make us feel good or get our batteries recharged. Or we come to church out of some sort of obligation. We look for a church that will meet our needs or will suit our personal tastes. If the music isn’t the way we like it, we leave. If the programs or recreation or entertainment isn’t what we like, we leave. We have become consumers rather than worshippers. And when everything meets our needs and we’re finally content, we sing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” When we have that attitude, is that worship on God’s terms? Or is it worship on our terms? I’ll give my worship or I’ll give my tithe as long as I get what I want. As long as it’s on my terms. Israel tried to meet God on their terms. They behaved on their terms and they worshipped on their terms. But that’s not what God wanted of them. And it’s not what He wants of us. He wants us to meet Him on His terms. But God doesn’t force us to do anything. Just like He didn’t force Israel to change. He didn’t force them, but He persuaded them. We’ve seen how Israel tried to meet God on their terms. Now, let’s see how God persuaded Israel to meet Him on His terms. God persuaded Israel to meet Him on His terms by warning them on His terms. Go back up to verses 2-3:
AMOS 4:2-3
God warned on His terms. We’re talking about terms and God’s terms and Israel’s terms. What are God’s terms? Well, He tells us here in verse 2. His terms are holiness. His holiness is the terms that He swears by. Remember how Jesus summed up God’s terms in the Sermon on the Mount? In Matthew 5:48, Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” That is God’s terms. That is what He demands. And Israel didn’t even come close. But God, in His grace warned them every step along the way. He warned them that their disobedience would bring judgment. He changes His picture here. He goes from picturing the women of Israel as fat and happy cows to picturing them as fish on a hook. What happens when you catch a fish? You hook it and drag it out of the place where it is comfortable. You place it in an environment that is harsh and hostile to it. An environment that it can barely survive in—and then only for a short while. Archaeologists have discovered Assyrian carvings that show how they led their captives away by ropes. Ropes that passed through hooks placed in their captives’ noses or lips. God’s warning was literally fulfilled as the Assyrians led Israel into captivity just a few years later. In just a few short years, Israel went from unprecedented economic and military prosperity to being drug into captivity like fish on a stringer. Has God given us warnings? His terms of perfection are the same as they have always been. But along with His terms of perfection, He has given His provision of grace. Grace that our imperfection is covered by the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. He takes away our sin and gives us His perfection—His righteousness. But He only does that when we trust Him as our Lord and Savior. And the Bible is full of warnings when we refuse. Warnings of things far worse than being dragged around with a hook in our lip. Warnings of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Warnings of fire and brimstone. Warnings of eternal punishment as God’s wrath is poured out. When we behave on our terms, God warns on His terms. When we worship on our terms, God warns on His terms. But not only does God warn on His terms, He persuades on His terms. Look in verses 6-11:
AMOS 4:6-11
God persuaded on His terms. When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, I heard a statement over and over again that really bothered me. Several people told me that the hurricane was God’s judgment on New Orleans. Now, don’t get me wrong, New Orleans is one of the most wicked cities I have ever been to. But just as many churches were destroyed in Katrina as were wicked places. As a matter of fact, Bourbon Street was virtually untouched. God’s time of judgment will come. And Katrina wasn’t it. Just like 9/11 wasn’t it. Or World War II wasn’t it. Or the Civil War wasn’t it. Or the great Chicago fire wasn’t it. Or the Great Depression wasn’t it. Or Sodom and Gommorah wasn’t it. Or anything since the flood wasn’t it. God judged the world in a flood and He will judge the world with fire. Everything in between is His persuasion. In verse 6, He persuaded Israel with famine. Clean teeth wasn’t complimenting them on their dental hygiene. Clean teeth meant they had no food to dirty their teeth with. In verses 7-8, He gave them drought to try to persuade them to turn to Him. In verse 9, He gave them a blight to try to persuade them to turn to Him. In verse 10, He gave them pestilence and war and in verse 11, He gave them supernatural defeat. Many of the things we take as trials are given by God to persuade us to return to Him. Look at our nation. After the Civil War, there was national revival. After the Great Depression, there was national revival. After most great times of trouble and trial in our nation, there have been periods of return to the Lord. Until recently. Even after 9/11, Bible sales went through the roof. Every marquee in every town said something like “God bless America.” But there was a shift between 9/11 and Katrina. When Katrina happened, there was a tremendous outpouring of support from churches. But the people weren’t looking to God. They were looking to government. God persuaded America to turn to Him through the awful tragedy of Katrina. And as a whole, we didn’t. Instead, we turned to FEMA. Instead of seeing our sins and repenting, we saw blame and cast it. Instead of falling on our knees and crying out for God to save us, the politicians cried out to the casinos to save them. A little closer to home, we saw the same pattern on a smaller scale at Virginia Tech. Instead of seeing the tragedy as an indictment on our sinful culture, we saw it as a political opportunity to either ban or support gun ownership. Psychologists were looked to for answers rather than God. God is persuading us just like He persuaded Israel. He persuades with clean teeth and tragedy. The question is, are we listening? Or are we like Israel? Are we too busy with our comfortable lives to pay attention? Israel tried to meet God on their terms. They behaved on their terms and they worshipped on their terms. But God didn’t just let them go. He persuaded them on His terms. He warned them on His terms and He persuaded them on His terms. Finally, let’s take a look at what happened. Let’s look at the results. First, let’s look at the result of Israel’s terms.
Skim through the verses we just looked at—verses 6-11. Look at the last phrase of each verse. Each of those five attempts God made to get Israel to return to Him was answered the same way. “yet ye have not returned unto me, saith the LORD.” Israel had set their terms. They were going to come to God on their terms. They wanted to be fat and comfortable. And they didn’t want service to God to get in the way of that. They wanted to behave the way they wanted to. And then they wanted to put an “I Love Jesus” T-shirt on and claim to be God’s children. They wanted to worship God. But they wanted to worship Him in a way that pleased them. They wanted to get the charge from going to church without the commitment. They wanted to burn offerings, but they wanted to keep their sinful life. They wanted to leave the leaven in. Through all of that outward devotion, God leveled the same charge. Ye have not returned unto me. Israel’s terms were selfish and were insufficient to meet God in relationship. And because of that, they had to meet Him on His terms. Look at verses 12-13:
AMOS 4:12-13
Prepare to meet thy God. Israel was not prepared to meet God. They had rejected every offer of grace God had given them along the way. At Mount Sinai, they begged for the law rather than appealing to God’s grace. Before the prophet Samuel, they begged for a king rather than appealing to God’s grace. When God persuaded them with prophets, they killed them or ran them off. When God persuaded them with tragedy and disaster, they rejected Him. When God persuaded them with His only begotten Son, they crucified Him. The question is, what are you doing with the grace God has extended you? He has offered His Son as a sacrifice for your sins. He has offered His Spirit as comfort and power to live like Christ. What are you doing with that grace? Are you rejecting it by behaving on your own terms? Are you rejecting it by worshipping on your own terms? Or are you going to accept it? Make no mistake about it. Each of us will meet God face to face one day. Are you going to do it on your terms or on His? If you do it on your terms, Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” But if you meet Him on His terms, through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ, we have the promise of Revelation 22:1-4: “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” How do you intend to meet God? On your terms or His?
