September 16th, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

God's Patience Runs Out

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Opening Prayer

Ever-loving Lord, to You I bring an offering of praise. You hear my cry, and You bring forth new life.

Read Amos 7:1-17

[1] This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the late crops were coming up. [2] When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” [3] So the LORD relented. “This will not happen,” the LORD said. [4] This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. [5] Then I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” [6] So the LORD relented. “This will not happen either,” the Sovereign LORD said. [7] This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. [8] And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. [9] “The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.” [10] Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. [11] For this is what Amos is saying: “‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.'” [12] Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. [13] Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.” [14] Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. [15] But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ [16] Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, “‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’ [17] “Therefore this is what the LORD says: “‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan country. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.'”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

We do not expect God’s love or goodness ever to run out. So, why should it be any different with his patience?

Think Further

These visions may have been Amos’s call to prophesy. If not, they probably came early in his ministry. His response to the judgment depicted in the first two visions shows that he was reluctant to prophesy judgment. As a Judean he might have taken some pleasure in the judgment of Israel, but he did not. Instead, he interceded for the sinful nation and God responded, postponing judgment. This is an example for us to follow, instead of just bemoaning the state of the nation. The respite was temporary. There is no doubt that the plumb line in the third vision is the justice and righteousness of the covenant–a prominent theme in Amos. Finally, God decides that the people have gotten too far out of truth and judgment must fall. He will destroy the sanctuaries with their hateful worship and the leaders who pervert justice and righteousness. God is patient, allowing time for repentance, but his patience is not endless (2 Pet. 3:8-10). If it were, God would not be a good and holy God because he would endlessly condone evil.

Amos states in verse 14: “No prophet am I and no son of a prophet am I, a herdsman am I …” The phrase “son of a prophet” (NIV, “disciple of a prophet”) referred to a member of a group of prophets who lived together and made a living by prophesying (2 Kings 2:1-7; 4:1,38). Amos declares he is not that kind of prophet. When Amaziah orders him out of Bethel, Amos replies, “I’m not one of the sanctuary prophets that you can order around. I’m sent by the Lord on a special prophetic mission.” His word against Amaziah may seem severe, but so are Jesus’ words against those who lead others into sin (Matt. 18:6).

Apply

Has God given you a specific task to do? Has it become hard going? Ask God for the determination and courage to keep going.

Closing prayer

Heavenly Father, forgive me that my desire to be liked can override my faithfulness to You. I ask for courage to stand strong for You.

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