I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. Yesterday was my 16th anniversary. It has been a wonderful 16 years and I look forward to many more.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Amos 6-9 and Obadiah.

    As I read the beginning of today’s passage it sounds so much like our society. Amos uses phrases which so accurately describe our society: “What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury”…”You are famous and popular”…”You push away every thought of coming disaster”…”You sing trivial songs…and fancy yourselves to be great musicians”…”You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.” All of those sound so much like the elites of today, but not just like the elites, it sounds like so many of the people in our society. They spend their time entertaining themselves with no thought for taking care of those who are suffering. Amos warns them that their parties will suddenly end and they will experience the misery they have so long ignored, or worse, used for political gain. Amos circles back a little later to talk about those who put on a pretense of doing what is right, while eagerly waiting the opportunity to take advantage of others. When I read the passage about enslaving the poor, I was reminded of our complex financial systems which are structured to lure people in and capture their little bits of wealth for the truly wealthy.

    Unless we as a people, from the least to the greatest among us, learn to care for our fellows and work to meet our own needs, God’s judgment is going to fall on this nation. Amos’ prophecy was not unique to Israel, and its application today is not unique to the United States. I see the peoples of many other countries living as those Amos condemns in this passage. We, each and everyone of us, need to repent of our sins and cry out to God for forgiveness. The key is that we must repent, we must turn from our sins. Amos pointed out to the Israelites that they were no more important to God than the Ethiopians, or the Philistines, or the Arameans. We are no more important to God than the Venezuelans, or those who live in Somalia. If they are suffering today, what makes us think that we cannot suffer the same fate. Let us repent of our sins.