What Will It Take To Prepare Us To Meet God?

Amos 4:1-13

This is a story about Amos. He was a common man, sheepherder, a layman; dedicated to serving God and his actions spoke for him. God told Amos to warn the Israelites of judgment coming because of their disobedience, complacency, idol worship, they oppressed the poor, they were hypocritical, and they had no sincere heart for God.

In chapters one - two, Amos announces judgments to fall on nations that came against Israel. God then tells of judgments to come to Judah and Israel. People asked what they had done. They began to sound like the Pharisee in Luke 18. In chapters three - six, Amos gives the reasons why God would bring judgments. The children of Israel had sinful lives; they used religious rituals and traditions to make themselves look good. They were more concerned about their image. Amos mourns for Israel and how God despises Israel’s pride. In chapters seven - nine, Amos tells of the visions of judgment that would happen, of Israel’s destruction, and tells of Israel’s restoration.

But today’s focus is on chapter four. God used different situations to get the Israelites to turn their lives back to Him.

In verses 1-5:

Superficial Worship…

Here we see that Israel’s rich ladies were contrasted with the kine (cows) of Bashan, spoiled, smooth, and very much taken care of (Psalm 22:12). These ladies childishly pushed their spouses to persecute the vulnerable to supply their extravagant ways of life. We are to be mindful so as not to want material belongings in such a manner in that we will abuse others and disappoint God to obtain them.

Amos snidely welcomed individuals to sin in Bethel and Gilgal where they loved worshipping idols rather than God. At Bethel, God had restored his pledge to Abraham with Jacob (Genesis 28:10-22). Presently, Bethel was the religious focal point of the Northern Kingdom, and Jeroboam had put a symbol there to deter individuals from going to worship in Jerusalem in the Southern Kingdom (1 Kings 12:26-29).

Gilgal was Israel’s first camping area subsequent to entering the Promised Land (Joshua 4:19). It was here where Joshua restored the Abrahamic covenant and the ceremony of circumcision, and the people commended the Passover (Joshua 5:2-11). Saul was delegated as Israel’s first ruler in Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:15).

The Israelites were saying thanks to God and tithing for the abundance that they had accomplished by mistreating poor people. Being prosperous is not a gift from God. It is great to say thanks to God for any success that we might acquire, however God should likewise be engaged with the cycle prompting that flourishing.

We can see that the people were showing off. They were putting themselves on display and wanted to be seen. They wanted recognition and they were more interested in serving themselves and were not submitted to God’s will. Let me ask this question, can going to church be sinful? It might be if people who claim to be Christians live and act like these people did.

Are people today more concerned with their image or their attitude at a church service or even in their daily Christian lives?

• TOO MANY PEOPLE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY USE THE CHURCH AS A SOCIAL CLUB, A SINGLE’S CLUB, OR A DAYCARE CENTER.

• Matthew 23:5, But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments.

(A phylactery is a small box containing Hebrew text, Jewish men wore during prayer to keep the law.)

In verses 6-11:

Sufficient Warning…

Seven warning signs were given to the children of Israel.

In verse six, “cleanliness of teeth” refers to famine/starvation. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”

In verses seven – eight, “withholden the rain from you” refers to drought, they had no water. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”

In verse nine, “blasting and mildew” refers to blight, a plant disease; “palmerworm” – insects ate the plants. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”

In verse ten, “pestilence” – is human disease; “slain with the sword” – war was everywhere. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”

In verse eleven, “destruction of cities” – homes, buildings destroyed. “Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.”

Have we seen any of this in our lifetime? We can watch any television news station and see this all over the world and some of it is right here in our own country.

In verses 12-13:

Suitable Whipping…

Now we see that God would pass judgment and that the people were told to be prepared to meet Him. No matter how God warned the people, through famine, drought, plague, locusts, plagues, or war, they still ignored God. And since they ignored God and did not understand the message, they would have to meet God face to face in the judgment. They had rejected God and refused to obey Him.