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JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE AMOS Day 1 Amos 1 Amos 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herd men of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. 2 And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. 3 Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. 5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holds the scepter from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, says the LORD. 6 Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: 7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holds the scepter from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, says the Lord GOD. 9 Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: 10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof. 11 Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever: 12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. 13 Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border: 14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: 15 And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, says the LORD. One thing everyone wants, is justice. With all the shootings we’ve seen in the past few weeks and months, we want to see justice done to the person who killed those innocent people. Amos was a shepherd. He wasn’t a priest as some prophets were, but lived among the people, and knew the problems facing them. Amos prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam II of Israel. With pinpoint accuracy, you also know it was two years before the great earthquake. God’s prophecy came to Amos concerning the nations surrounding Israel: Syria, Gaza, Philistia, Edom, and Ammon. Each country had been cruel to Israel and Judah, and God was about to bring his wrath against them for coming against his chosen people. Throughout scripture you see God’s promise to take care of his people, to come against their enemies, to go ahead of their armies for the purpose of destroying their enemies. God is about to bring his wrath on those countries who delighted in cruelty to his people. Justice. God would bring justice against the nations, and they would go into captivity to Kir. Kir was part of the empire of the Medes, of which Nebuchadnezzar ruled. As Christians, you know God kept his promise to come against the enemies of his chosen people. God’s promise is also to all those who accepted Jesus, God’s Son, as Savior and Lord. He will protect and defend you against your greatest enemy, Satan. Satan’s purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, and everyone who belongs to them. However, Jesus promised to give abundant life instead of destruction. John 10:10 The thief come not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. When you put your faith and trust in Jesus, you made an enemy of Satan, but a friend of God, and someone whom God protects. He will see justice done in your life. God had four charges against the countries surrounding Israel, for which they were punished. God has charges against Satan as well and already brought him up on those charges when Jesus rose from the dead for your salvation. He will sentence Satan to eternal banishment during the Tribulation, when Jesus will defeat him in the Battle of Armageddon and sentence him to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. It might seem like God is delaying his justice, with all that is happening in the world. However, God delays his justice for your salvation. He only wants to banish Satan to Hell for eternity. He doesn’t want to sentence those who have not yet accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord but gives them every opportunity to acknowledge him as their Savior. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (KJV) Just as our courts bring justice to those who bring death and destruction to innocent lives, so too, God will bring justice to all those who stand against him. Let’s pray: Father, help me stand on the promises of your Word for your protection against Satan when he seeks to destroy me and everyone I hold dear. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 4 March 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay