Old Testament - Amos 3-4 - November 15

 11/15/2022 – Amos 3-4

The chapter synopsis is sadly plain as it describes the Israelites current status: “The Lord revealeth his secrets unto his servants, the prophets—Because of Israel’s rejection of prophets, and espousal of evil, the nation is overwhelmed by an adversary.”

The first verse of this chapter is a plea for His children to listen to, and to hear, His word. And in v 2 He warns them once again that “I will punish you for all your iniquities”.  It’s not that the Israelites don’t know the way back to God, it’s that they won’t listen, or respond, to God’s prophets. The Lord gives them many examples of ‘hearing’: “Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? ….  “The lion hath roared, who will not fear?” (v’s 6 & 8) And then He tells them exactly what to listen to, and what to respond to: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (v 7)

The Lord explains where they have placed themselves by not following His commandments. “…As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.” (v 12)  The Lord explains that He will take the Israelites away from the dangerous people and places that they have become to terribly attached to.

The synopsis of chapter 4 is very descriptive of what the Lord does to get the attention of the Israelites, and to bring them back to the safety of the Lord’s commandments: “The Lord withholds rain, sends famine and pestilence, and destroys gardens and vineyards as judgments upon his people, yet they do not return to the Lord.”  By being so slow to listen to the Lord, He has to do much just to get their attention. The thing that strikes me as I read this chapter, I feel the Lord is trying to teach us all one thing: WHEN PROBLEMS COME, SEEK THE LORD.

In Amos’s day the people did not want the prophets to speak about the consequences of sin. And I feel there are many of us today that feel the same way.

In verse 2 we are taught that we are not to “oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.”

The Lord has sent a famine upon them, and as He does so, He tells them to come back to Him. And in v 7 we learn that since they aren’t changing their ways, He will try to get their attention with a 2nd problem: no more rain will come.  V 8 tells that the drought didn’t catch their attention: “So two or three cities wondered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.” He tells them in v 9 exactly how He has tried to get their attention: “I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.” And then in v 12, He goes on to tell exactly why he is doing this: “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” The Lord made this earth to help us learn and grow and come back to Him with greater knowledge and skills. The Israelites were throwing away this glorious opportunity.

Not only is He teaching them, but because the scriptures have been saved for us in our day, He’s teaching us too.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pearl of Great Price - Moses 6:24-52 - January 19, 2022

 1/19/2022 – Moses 6:24-52 The Old Testament tells us just a little about Enoch, but the Book of Moses greatly increases our understanding of his life, his ministry and his teachings. Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam. In those seven generations, many had left the teachings of the Lord. It was when Enoch “journeyed in the land among the people” (v 26) that “He heard a voice from heaven, saying, Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people, and say unto them—Repent, for thus saith the Lord: I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against them; for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off.” (v 27). I read this and I feel the warning to us that we are not to rely only on our ‘earthly vision’. The Lords rewards are not always immediate. But if we keep the commandments, keeping our eyes focused on the ultimate reward that the Lord holds in store for us, THEN we will be able to “see afar off”.  In v...
Read more

Pearl of Great Price - Moses 7:16-47 - January 29, 2022

  1/29/2022 - Moses 7:16-47 I didn’t realize I was repeating Moses 6 until I was finished with it the 2nd time. But what was beautiful to me is that studying the same scriptures a second time simply brought more thoughts and understanding and desires to be sure to return to my Father in Heaven….to finish my earthly life with the same goals that I started it. I LOVE studying the scriptures! There were now so many people on earth who had chosen not to follow the ways of the Lord. V 16: And from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness.”  V 18: “And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” V 19: “And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion.”  Zion was est...
Read more

Pearl of Great Price - Moses 6:40-56 - January 27, 2022

 1/27/2022 – Moses 6:40-59 [I’m still in Moses 6—haven’t figure out I’m reading this again) Enoch has seen and spoken with the Lord, and he follows the Lord’s instructions no matter what they entail.  President Monson once said: “It’s not enough to wish, it’s not enough to dream, it’s not enough to promise. We must do.”  And that’s just what Enoch did! He is going into areas where there is much evil. When the people there ask about him, he tells simply and honestly: “I came out of the land of Cainan, the land of my fathers, a land of righteousness unto this day. And my father taught me all the ways of God.” (v 41) Enoch answers their questions, he teaches them many things about God, but he keeps the profound spiritual things the Lord has revealed unto him to himself. The people he is teaching, are not ready to receive a higher law or standard. In v 46 Enoch tells them that his people keep a “book of remembrance” that they have written, according to the pattern given by th...
Read more