Today, I am reading and commenting on  Amos 1-5.

It was 23 years ago today that my beautiful wife married me. I thank God for her every day.

Happy Anniversary, Darling!

Amos primarily prophesies against Israel, the Northern Kingdom, but before he gets into that he points out that Israel is not alone in its sin.  After warning the surrounding nations that they will face God’s judgement in time, Amos begins his prophecy against Israel.  He tells them that God sent them prophets and those who dedicated themselves to serving God, but they forced those dedicated to God to violate their commitment and made it illegal for prophets to speak God’s word.  Amos tells us that those who store up the wealth they have looted from others do not know how to do right.  It seems to me that he directs this at those who, having acquired wealth through unethical means, seek to lecture others on ethical and moral behavior.  Amos goes on to condemn those who live comfortably while oppressing the poor.  They make sacrifices and offerings which they brag about to show how religious they are, but they refuse to turn to God.  Amos describes how God caused minor economic and ecologic destruction to fall upon the Israelites because of their sin (or, perhaps it would be better to say He allowed), but they did not turn to Him.  Amos warns the people of Israel, and us, to seek God and live, to seek good, not evil.  And he has one final warning for us.  He warns those who long for the day of the Lord that they will not like it when it comes.  I believe Amos directs that at those whose religion is superficial rather than being true worship of God.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.