Chapter 5
Seems Israel is to get yet another opportunity to repent. Amos is almost trying to scare them in to it as he talks about the power of God and the vengeance He is more than willing to send if things do not change. He indicts them for their treatment of the poor, for injustice, for taking bribes. This is a corrupt culture, with an oppressive upper class enriching themselves by taxing the poor. On this second reading, in 2020, I do see this as a lot more characteristic of the US. The poverty that results from accepted cultural failures like fatherless homes, crime, and antagonism toward law enforcement is being used to incite chaos designed to put those who would oppress in power against the wishes of the majority of the country. So many possible examples - exploitation of children, exploitation of those living in poverty, the powerful behaving as if they are above the law - Epstein and his island and all the rich and famous people who frequented that place...all examples of spiritual corruption in high places! It is that same old thing...the closer you are to prophecy being fulfilled, the more you begin to see that fulfillment in current circumstances. It becomes incredibly easy to recognize. I read this about prophecy in Revelations, but here it is in Amos, and I see the US being the country this prophecy is about. Though Amos was not writing about the US, the warnings, the escalation, the urging toward repentance...why would we think God would treat us any differently than he treated Israel? We are as apostate as they were.
Here is a description of God, of His power and his person. It reminds me very much of a passage in Proverbs...but I cannot put my finger on just where exactly it is. I need to find and put the reference in. Here is God:
8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name; [Amo 5:8 ESV]
Vss 10-13 talk about the fate coming to the soulless, to those who have enriched themselves on the backs of the poor, downtrodden, and helpless. How are to react when this comes? This amazing verse:
13 Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time. [Amo 5:13 ESV]
Possible FB Post
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light, [Amo 5:18 ESV]
This seems to be an admonition to the righteous who remain about the danger of wishing for God's vengeance. MSB says it is the wicked who are wishing for justice, and not rightfully so. But aren't we all wicked in the eyes of God? No one in their right mind wishes for the wrath of God to come down. Second reading, maybe this is a warning to those of us who pray for the downfall of the evil. Mightn't we end up caught in the same storm? Hmm...I think I'll go with MSB's interpretation...though I'm not so sure about it. Vs. 13 just warned us to be silent, because it is an evil time, and then it tells us to be careful about asking for the day of the Lord, because it is NOT a good time!)
Another good one for FB.
MSB says Damascus fell to Assyria in 732 BC, Israel 10 years later in 722 BC. So even after these warnings from Amos, Israel continued for quite a while. They would have no excuse for not repenting. They were given plenty of time. By human standards, they were given excessive time.
2022 - Vs 18, The "Day of the Lord" is darkness and not light. As in the sun is like sackcloth, moon turned to blood, and stars falling? That's going to be a pretty dark day. So this seems to be a near/far.
2024 - Look at this description of the day of the Lord:
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light, 19 as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. [Amo 5:18-19 ESV].
While it is most likely that Amos had the invasion of Assyria in mind here, I would expect the same description, the same metaphors, to apply in "the great and terrible day of the Lord" that is yet future. Look at it. The picture of normalcy, calm, routine, security, and confidence. The reality is that you will identify the enemy and run from that one, right into the jaws of a different enemy in another direction. Or you will go into your own house and lock the door, and die of snake bite. In both cases what is perceived as right action, or what is perceived as refuge, will be what kills us. There will be NO safety, NO refuge, NOWHERE to run. Every attempt to save ourselves will lead directly to our death. ALL DECISIONS WILL BE WRONG! No one wants to be caught in such a situation.
2022 - Vs 21, ""I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies." [Amo 5:21 ESV]
Would God EVER say this about saved people?
2022 - vs 22 - "Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them." [Amo 5:22 ESV]
I will not accept your offerings...from the saved? No way God says this to the saved!
2022 - vs 26 - "You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god--your images that you made for yourselves," [Amo 5:26 ESV]
"and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts." [Amo 5:27 ESV]
These are not God-worshipers. They worship idols! This is not "back slid" this is pagan!
(((I noticed yesterday that my notes have overlapped. I am on the second time through of note taking. I need to combine these. No need to do this over and over.
Or maybe I do. Just went back and looked at previous notes. They are far less involved. Maybe four sentences for a whole morning of reading.)))
((I really got a lot from these chapters in 2020. I decided to just give them the time, and not worry about other things on my agenda for today. I am so glad that I yielded to the word and not to the flesh - I can run my 5K any time!)