When Silence Isn't Golden

When Silence Isn’t Golden

Bible Reading:

Amos 2: 4-5

PREPARED BY

KEN GEHRELS

PASTOR

CALVIN CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH

NEPEAN, ONTARIO

When Silenc e Isn’t Go lden p.1

Do you ever get impatient with a speaker - with me, for instance? Knowing why you came, suspecting

the gist of what is going to be said, and wanting to get to the heart of it. Meanwhile the speaker just waltzes

around the perimeter a bit here an d there. You s tart to wiggle in your seat, fingers druming on the hymnal --

"Come on, Gehrels. Get to the point. You’re talking about everything BUT...."

Right? Listening to that is like listening to a politician do a jig around the issue. Frustrating. "Drop the

fluff and cut to the chase."

Ever get that sort of sense with Amos? This Sheep Rancher and Fruit Farmer out of Tekoa has been

calle d by G od to pro phecy a m ess age of dire wa rning to th e pe ople of Is rael; callin g them to examin e their

lives, to repent, to turn back to the Lord, and to do that before it is too late and God’s judgement rains down

upon them. And yet, here we are well into chapter 2, and we have yet to hear a single word spoken against

the peo ple o f Isr ael!

In fact, Judah is the 7th nation at the receiving end of a prophecy by Amos. So what gives? Is he

waltzing around the issue? Does h e just enjoy hearing himself speak? Or what?

To understand it, we need to remember most of all that the words A mos speaks ,

and the order in which he speaks them

all come from God.

God is the author.

Amos is merely the mouthpiece.

It’s d ivinely re asoned that the p roph ecy a gains t Isra el is pre face d by

seven

other prophecies.

Seven -

the number of holy fullness.

full, complete holy warning has been given.

Think of it rather as the gathering of dark clouds before the storm.

When we see them billowing up over the Kanata sky line, we know it’s time to take the laundry in, cover the

BBQ and close the car windows.

Storm’s coming!

Take action.

God’s word is speaking judgement against those other nations who have flaunted disobedience, who

have thumbed their collective noses against heaven.

The storm of judgement’s coming!

Take ac tion , Isr ael!

With the seventh warning -

Here’s you final warning from the Lord -

one last chance.

With this one God’s patience and waiting is completed.

Get the point, Israel - God means b usiness.

There is no time to fool around.

Batten down the hatches of your life.

Clean up what needs cleaning up.

Repent!

The prophecy against Judah is the seventh warning.

So it is that as you and I listen to this prophecy some 2750 years after it first was issued we can see

one of the timeless characteristics of our Unchangeable God, namely this:

When Silenc e Isn’t Go lden p.2

The Lord is not one who rains down punishment in a sadistic or vindictive manner. Warning after

warning is given.

He extends the times to c omplete fullness - seven - that all may repent.

He wants to see all people come to salvation.

Which is someth ing th at is shown not only he re in Amos, but in prophecy afte r prop hecy:

Think of Jon ah -- angry that the w icked people of N inevah are no t destroyed, bu t rather spared after a

last-minute repentance.

Remember God’s rebuke to the sulking prophet, suffering from heat exhaustion under the withered

remains of a dead bush?

Jon 4:11 "But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty

thousa nd people w ho cannot te ll the ir righ t hand from their

left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned

about that great city?"

Or the word of the Lord through Ezekiel, chapter 18:

v.23 "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the

wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not

pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"

Or the apos tle Peter:

2Pe 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as

some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not

wanting anyon e to perish, but everyone to come to

repentance."

Let’s recognize that, brothers and sisters.

Let’s recognize the pain,

the tremendous he artache,

which God experiences when his people go astray.

Recognize the longing which he experience s,

desiring them to turn back to him.

And perh aps as w e lea ve h ere t his e ven ing, the Holy S pirit w ill work with in us to br ing th at same pain