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Text: Amos 3:1-8
Amos 3 is a complete sermon preached by Amos. We’re going to cover the first half of it this morning: verses 1-8.
Privileges enjoyed by Israel (vss 1-2)
- Privilege of redemption
- …brought up from the land of Egypt…
- Redemption
- Birth of the nation was miraculous in Exodus 12:2
- Israel has a spiritual, godly heritage that no other nation has.
- Just a note, in Romans 9 where God talks about choosing Jacob over Esau before the children had done good or evil, this is what God is talking about. He chose His nation to come out of Jacob, not Esau. Not that He chose Jacob to be saved but Esau to be damned to Hell.
- Privilege of God knowing them
- …you only have I known of all the families of the earth…
- This is why the Old Testament doesn’t record the history of China. God’s relationship is with Israel when it comes to nations.
- Romans 9:4-5 …to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
- Privilege of God knowing them as a nation. As an individual Paul would say it this way in Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God… Jesus saying in Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Israel abandons their blessings (vs 3)
- Can two walk together…? Rhetorical. Answer is no.
- Institutionalizing sin
- Take revealed truth from God. Then directly go against that revealed truth with your administration of public policy.
- Jeroboam lays the religious snare in Israel in 1 Kings 12:25-33. This sin (1 Kings 12:30) shows up another 18 times until the northern tribes of Israel are destroyed by Assyria. God says Jeroboam made Israel to sin. It was institutionalized. It became their culture for generation after generation.
- Religious snares
- Mohamed is the Jeroboam of Islam and Mecca is its Bethel.
- Pope is the Jeroboam of Roman Catholicism and Rome is its Bethel.
- Guatama Buddha is the Jeroboam of Buddism and Gaya is its Bethel.
- Israel in the north had not walked with God for 200 years since Jeroboam snared them in false religion.
- Symbolism over substance
- Israel loved to CLAIM God, but didn’t like the reality of being God’s people.
- Israel loved the temple, but not the responsibilities that came with the house of God.
- Israel loved the idea of having the scriptures, but were not interested in the words of the scriptures.
- Israel loved the idea of going somewhere with God, but not actually going anywhere with God.
- Israel loved the idea of God being their shepherd, but they weren’t interested in being His sheep.
- Some of you love the symbolism of Christianity, but not the reality of it. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. They loved the form of godliness, but denied any of the power of God’s involvement.
Clear evidence of God’s opposition (vss 4-8)
- Because Israel abused their privileges, Israel lost protection from God. The enemy crept in under religious, institutional, and cultural mask. And now, it’s too late. The only thing left is for the sin you’ve invited in to finish its work. And a nation that has been hollowed out by contradicting God’s revealed truth simply waits to be carried off by the enemy.
- Evidence of the lion’s voice (vs 4)
- Lion is roaring so he has his prey. Young lions are making noise so they are being fed.
- Evidence is you can hear the pride. Romans 1:21-24.
- When Amos preaches this, Israel is enjoying a time of prosperity.
- 1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
- Evidence of snared people (vs 5)
- Fowler is coming for his trap because he has caught his bird.
- Bird was drawn away of his lusts into the net, but now he is entangled. The bird found out that his wants led him to unwise obligations.
- The tragedy is the people are simply waiting for their time to expire.
- You don’t see any changes coming in your life because you don’t want God to change any part of your life. You don’t see any hope of God’s intervention. You’re simply waiting for your time to expire in this life.
- Eat, drink, for tomorrow we die is the philosophy of dead people.
- Evidence of the alarm (vs 6)
- Evidence of preachers (vss 7-8)
- Amos testimony of his own call is here. This is a great description of a preacher’s call to preach. Within yourself you say God has spoken, what else is there to do?
- Matthew 3:1, 7 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, … 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
- People won’t endure sound doctrine because they won’t see sound doctrine as God’s attempt to rescue them out of the world.
Conclusion
God has made an investment in you, therefore, as the people of God, you have a responsibility. His investment wasn’t a few hundred dollars. He invested His own blood (Acts 20:28) in you. On top of the purchase of blood, the Lord began to pour Himself into the vessel.
- Given the scriptures
- Given opportunity before God’s throne
- Given provision
- Given mercy
- Given righteousness
- The Lord has made you a part of himself.
- Purchase a house and you begin to fill it, so too does the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now the Lord has made an investment in those that are saved by His blood.
