Amos 5
COMMENTARY:
: 6 Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. (1008 “Bethel” [Beyth-El] means house of God or an ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin – identified with Luz (former name).)
DEVOTION: The first time we read about this location is when Jacob is running from his brother heading for his uncle’s place. He sleeps with a pillow of rocks. In a dream he sees a ladder going to heaven with angels going back and forth to earth. God speaks to him in his dream and his seed were going to inherit the land. God promises to never leave Jacob.
He calls this place “house of God” or Beth-el. He makes a promise to the LORD that if HE gave him a safe journey, the LORD would be his God. He also promised to give the LORD a tenth or tithe of all he earned or raised. The LORD did go with him.
However, the children of Israel used the altar at Bethel to worship the false gods of the land. Bethel became a center for false worship. Idolatry had its center there.
One of two golden calves was located in this place. Jeroboam set them up, so that, the people from the ten tribes would not go to Jerusalem to worship. The LORD told the people he would not accept their sacrifices. They were trying to make “the house of God” into a place where all gods could be worshiped.
Can we make the house of God today a place to worship the false gods around us? We can turn our times of worship into rituals. We can get caught up in tradition rather than true worship of the LORD on Sundays. Can we turn the church into an entertainment center? Can we turn the church of God into a circus?
Are we walking into the presence of the LORD each Sunday in church? When we leave church do we appreciate being in HIS presence and in the presence of HIS servants? Too often we can come and go without really spending time in genuine worship. Remember our bodies are the temple of the LORD today. What are we worshipping on a daily basis?
CHALLENGE: Find a church where the LORD is worshiped. Remember that your body is a Temple of the Holy Ghost. Worship the LORD in the house of the LORD genuinely.)
: 10 They hate him that rebukes in the gate, and they abhor him that speaks uprightly. (8549 “uprightly” [tamiym] means without blemish, perfect, without spot, whole, sincerely, healthful, wholesome, innocent, or free of blemish.)
DEVOTION: No one seems to like someone who will speak up when a group is making fun of someone. They want everyone to agree to pick on someone who can’t defend themselves against the group.
There is usually someone in a group who knows that it is wrong to pick on people. However, most of the time that individual will keep quiet because they don’t want to be picked on or they want to be accepted in the group. This is not what a Christian should do. They should speak out if there are people picking on someone or gossiping about someone. A Christian will go to the individual and say what is right to their face. If there is a problem they will take it to the individual privately and confront them.
Doing things right is what being a Christian is all about. Gossip is always a sin. Making fun of others is always a sin.
Most people hate someone even if they are right in what they are doing. The one we answer to is the LORD not our fellow humans. If it is a choice between what is right to say and what is wrong to say – the genuine believer will try to always say what is right no matter what others think of them.
CHALLENGE: Are we upright in all of our speech concerning others?
: 14 Seek good, and not evil, that you may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as you have spoken. (1875 “seek” [darash] means to inquire, resort to, search, to consult, to investigate, examine or study.)
DEVOTION: Have you ever searched your house for something that you knew was in it but you couldn’t find it? You looked in very place that was the size of the object you were seeking but still didn’t find it. Then along comes another family member and finds it in a spot you had already looked. We sometimes look so hard and fast that we don’t really look right.
Here we find the children of Israel who were the chosen people of the Old Testament told to investigate good. In this chapter the word is used four times in the King James Version. Earlier it is used to inform the people to search for God while HE can be found and save their life. This is stated twice.
Next we find it used in relation to God as the Creator of the stars and all of the rest of creation. They are to realize that HE is all powerful as was demonstrated in the seven days of creation. HE spoke the word and the earth was created. It was not in millions of years but in seven twenty-four hour days that HE created the world.
Finally, the LORD wanted them to understand the difference between good and evil. They were doing evil but HE wanted them to investigate good. Why? It was because it was the only way they were going to avoid judgment and live. Death was at the door and they were going to open it.
CHALLENGE: We are given the same command today. We are to seek good with the help of the Holy Spirit. If we do this the LORD will be with us.
: 23 Take you away from me the noise of your songs; for I will not hear the melody of your viols. (2172 “melody” [zimrah] means psalm, music, song, playing, or instrumental music.)
DEVOTION: The LORD hates religious people. What is the difference between religious people and genuine Christians? Religious people go to church on Sunday and sing hymns of praise to the LORD and leave the church using HIS name in vain or swearing. Religious people put their money in the offering plate and then go out of church and steal from or mistreat the poor. Religious people think they are going to heaven but they are not. Religious people sound good but usually never read the Bible or listen to the preacher about how they should live their life. Religious people use Jesus name but their life looks just like all those who don’t go to church.
Genuine believers sing praises to the LORD with their whole heart because they want to really go into the presence of the LORD while they are singing praise to HIM. Genuine believers sing praise songs all week long. They are not just doing it in church it is on their heart each day to sing praise to the LORD because they are thankful for what HE has done for them. God wants there to be a song in our heart that says “thank you” for all HE has done for the genuine believer.
Anyone can say they are a believer but their actions in church and out of church show if it is true.
CHALLENGE: Is our singing real or just a making of noise?
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Burnt offeringsverse 22
Meat offeringsverse 22
Peace offeringsverse 22
Songsverse 23
Sacrificesverse 25
Offeringsverse 25
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Says the Lord GODverses 3, 4, 17
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Lord – Adonai (Master, Owner)verses 3, 16
GOD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verse 3
Lord GODverse 3
LORD – Jehovahverses 4, 6, 8, 14-18, 20, 27
Creator of stars: Orionverse 8
LORD God of hostsverse 15
Day of the LORDverses 18, 20
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name)verses 14-16, 27
God of hostsverses 14-16, 27
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Husbandmen to mourningverse 16
Skilful of lamentationverse 16
Damascusverse 27
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Worship of false godsverses 5, 26
Judgment to wormwoodverse 7
Leave off righteousnessverse 7
Hateverse 10
Abhor him that speaks uprightlyverse 10
Treading upon the poorverses 11, 12
Drink wineverse 11
Manifold transgressionsverse 12
Mighty sinsverse 12
Afflict the justverse 12
Take a bribeverse 12
Turn aside the poorverse 12
Evilverses 13-15
Feast days abusedverse 21
Unacceptable offeringsverse 22
Unacceptable songsverse 23
Tabernacle of Moloci and Chiunverse 26
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Hearverse 1
Seek the LORDverses 4, 6, 8
Lifeverse 4
Righteousnessverses 7, 24
Speaks uprightlyverse 10
Justverse 12
Prudentverse 13
Seek goodverses 14, 15
Hate the evilverse 15
Love goodverse 15
Establish judgmentverse 15
Graceverse 15
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
House of Israelverses 1-4, 25
Bethelverse 5, 6
Gilgalverse 5
Beershebaverse 5
House of Josephverse 6
Remnant of Josephverse 15
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Day of the LORDverse 18
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