LIFE MATTERS
Opening Prayer
God, draw my heart close to Yours so that I can feel the value of people.
Read Amos 1:11—2:5
11 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Edom,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword
and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
and his fury flamed unchecked,
12 I will send fire on Teman
that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.”
13 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Ammon,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
in order to extend his borders,
14 I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah
that will consume her fortresses
amid war cries on the day of battle,
amid violent winds on a stormy day.
15 Her king will go into exile,
he and his officials together,”
says the Lord.
2 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Moab,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he burned to ashes
the bones of Edom’s king,
2 I will send fire on Moab
that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.
Moab will go down in great tumult
amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet.
3 I will destroy her ruler
and kill all her officials with him,”
says the Lord.
4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Judah,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord
and have not kept his decrees,
because they have been led astray by false gods,
the gods their ancestors followed,
5 I will send fire on Judah
that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.”
Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
We live in a world where human life is cheap. In what ways can you see that?Imagine Amos proclaiming God’s judgment on the surrounding nations. The crowds would have loved it! Four directions, three immediate neighbors, seven in total—this was good preaching!
To the south-east he spoke against Edom (11,12). Then the target came closer to home: Ammon (13–15). The pattern continued, “for three sins of Ammon, even for four…” and again he only listed one or two specific sins. However, the sin described seems more horrific than before.
Number six was Moab (2:1–3), again disdain for human life was the focus. And finally, for number seven—the number of completion—Amos pointed south to Judah (2:4,5). This time the sin was overtly religious: Judah had rejected the Law of God to go after false gods.
The people of Israel would have enjoyed a critique of their near neighbors, but perhaps more was coming? God’s spotlight on the murderous evil of the other nations is now moving on to the spiritual adultery of God’s people. The list of seven felt complete, but even Judah didn’t have three or even four sins listed. Was Amos going to go one nation further and point to Israel too?
Apply
God values human life, whether a lowly slave, a pre-born child or people of another religion. How can you show that you value the “least of these” this week (Matt. 25:40)?
Closing prayer
Pray for your culture and for your faithfulness to God to be used by him for the good of others.
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