It shocks everyone. These crimes are so heinous:
• Russian soldiers’ murder, torture, looting, rape against Ukrainian women, threats of violence, and inhumane treatment of POWs.
• In Myanmar a massive wave of violence broke out in Rakhine State, forcing more than 700,000 people - half of them children - to seek refuge in Bangladesh..
• Chinese using systematic torture, illegal imprisonment, forced labor, organ harvesting and abusive psychiatric measure for those who oppose the government.
• The Taliban commit war crimes by targeting civilians, including killing teachers, abducting aid workers and burning school buildings.
• Just near to us the church staff were hiding a horrible sin. Finally, the sin was confronted and the staff members left. The church is left split apart.
It is clear that these criminals deserve judgement. Nobody can treat a fellow human being this way and expect to go unpunished. Each time we would ask God to intervene. There must be judgement.
As Christians it causes us to cry out. We want to see such human injustices brought before God.
The book of Amos speaks against human injustices.
Amos is a layman; he makes it clear he is not a professional profit. He is a herdsman, a sheep breeder, a keeper of the figs from the southern Kingdom of Judah. He goes to the North kingdom, Israel and preaches only under the instructions of God. He brings his message to Israel about 750 BC.
• Tyre- They were slave traders and dishonoured a prior covenant to act brotherly.
• Edom- Pursued Israel with the Sword, cast off all pity.
• Ammon- engaged in military pursuit to enlarge its boarder. There was cruelty to gain territory. Ripped open the body of a pregnant woman that the child might die. Most inhumane act.
• Moab- burning the bones of the King of Edom after death.
• Judah- They have rejected the rule of God and have followed lies.
There is a judgement pronounced in each nation. They clearly saw the sins of those around them as deserving judgement as it is clear to us that the current examples of Russia, China, the Taliban, Myanmar and the nearby church listed above are worthy of judgement.
Israel was caught unaware, as they were cheering saying A-men to the judgement of the nations around them. Amos points his finger to the covenant people Israel. He charges them of their own overlooked sins deserving judgement.
Is it possible that you have overlooked sin in your own life? That you are headed like Israel unaware toward judgement? It is imperative that you look not only to others in how they treat their fellow man. You must examine your life continuously for sin regarding how you treat others. You may discover that you are headed for judgement.
This must have stunned Israel when the judgement focussed on them. Did you notice what the complaint against Israel focussed on? It involved how Israel treated the poor and oppressed. Amos used this approach to point out their overlooked sin. He did it 750 years before Jesus told the crowds at the Sermon on the Mount that you can notice the spec in others’ eyes, but you overlook the plank in your own eye. It was more than spec in the eye in Moab and Judah that Amos called out, but for sure Israel had a serious log in their own eye (Matthew 7:3-5).
Examining how you treat the oppressed will reveal your overlooked sin (Amos 2:6-8). Amos speaks to the Israelites cruelty to the poor.
Materialism- Israel put the poor in slavery because of a debt for as little as a pair of sandals.
Immorality- The fathers set an example of immorality to their sons involving temple prostitutes. They were profaning the name of the Lord.
Ignoring God’s Word- They would take the outer garment of the poor as a pledge for payment. The poor would use this garment as a sleeping cover. It was cruel for the Israelites to keep the garment overnight causing the poor to suffer.
Fines were collected for infractions of the law; they were used to finance the drinking binges of those overseeing the money. After God harshly announced judgement of the nations the harshest judgement of all comes to Israel, the children of the Lord.
Is the church guilty of Materialism, immorality and ignoring God’s Word? Are you?
There are seminars today that coach people on how to build a business and profit on the misfortune of the poor. They coach the attendees on how to capitalize on the bankruptcy of others. They explain how to increase your luxury at the expense of the poor.
Materialism- In of our day is causing people to oppress the poor. Giving a cold cup of water in Jesus’ name is still required of the disciple of Jesus. Have you found yourself profiting financially from the misfortune of the poor?
If you are exploiting the poor because they cannot stand for themselves, then you too are guilty of the same sin as Israel.
Billy Graham said, his wife, Ruth, was reading the draft of a book he was writing. When she finished a section describing the terrible downward spiral of our nation’s moral standards and the idolatry of worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled him by exclaiming, “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” Today we can look at the church and our lives as believers. Is our church, are we as bad as Israel at the time of Amos? Are you?
Immorality- you wonder if the same situation does not occur today where the father is living an example of immorality for the son. Are you setting an example of moral purity in your words and actions?
Ignore God’s Word- Many are living as though obedience to God’s Word means nothing to God.
When materialism, immorality, and disobedience creep into your life, it is most certain that you have forgotten the state of spiritual oppression you were delivered from. It means you have forgotten what salvation did for you.
Your overlooked sin will cause you to forget God’s grace (Amos 2:9-12). Amos reminds Israel of what God did for them. God made possible the destruction of the Amorites. They wee tall strong people who lived in the land that Israel came to conquer.
God reminded Israel how He brought them up from Egypt. How God took them through the wilderness forty years to posses the land. It is a reminder how he cared for them in the wilderness.
How does it happen that God’s people forget God’s grace? Isaiah said the Ox and donkey know their master, but you forget (Isaiah 1:3). On a crowded bus you leave a few inches space next to you someone wiggles in. If you leave a space for sin, it will work its way in to take a space on your seat.
When you have been mistreating the poor to satisfy materialism, found yourself in immorality and forgetting God’s Word you can be sure you have forgotten God’s grace. Have you forgotten that you were spiritually bankrupt and then God saved you from your hopeless situation?
It was God’s grace that you have been raised into the riches of Christ. Have you so quickly forgotten God’s grace in salvation as Israel forgot their deliverance from Egypt? It is your materialism, immorality and disobedience that brings about judgement.
Your overlooked sin brings judgement (Amos 2:13-16). Amos uses the illustration of a wagon weighted down with grain. The wheels crushing the ground underneath. Israel’s sins have weighted down upon God and now God is about to press Israel.
Every means of strength will fail in times of judgment. There will be no one fast enough to flee judgement. In the recent earthquake there was sudden destruction. There was no one fast enough, strong enough, educated enough, wealthy enough to escape the devastation of the earthquake. Amos says all human resources will fail.
No height, or depth will separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39). We cannot go to the Sheol, or heaven or mountain top or the bottom of the sea (Romans 9:2-3). In the same way there is not escape from judgement when you ignore your overlooked sin.
Israel knew the purpose of God but cast it off for personal gain. The message is warning for us. God will judge even his covenant people. You only have I chosen. (Amos 3:2)
If you ignore your overlooked sin your will face the judgement of God. Do you recognize an area in your life where you are overlooking your sin? Have you forgotten God’s grace? It may be that you are walking down a path that leads to judgement.
Won’t you examine your life for overlooked sin. If you have been crowding out God and filling your life with self, then it is time to turn back to God. The only way out is repentance. This is the day to renew your commitment and love to your savior, Jesus Christ.
