People often talk about the haves and the have nots, and in this fallen world, there are those that take what they want because they can. But in Amos 4:2 My Lord Yahweh has sworn by his holiness that, “Behold, the days are coming upon you when they will take you away with hooks”. This world was created with more than enough. It was created for righteousness and justice to rule and the Lord asks us to, in Amos 5:15 “Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be gracious”. But we know there are those, self-indulgent, who oppress and abuse others that are described in Amos 6:3 “You that put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of violence!” and we have seen the pain of political unrest as it has happened even in our own lifetimes.
Behold The Days Are Coming
Amos 4:1–5
There are those that live at ease, but they do it at the expense of others as in
Amos 4:1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who live on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the powerless, who crush the poor, who say to their husbands, “Bring something so that we may drink!”
but this will not go on forever. The Lord declares that the days are coming when they will be removed, but they will not go willingly in
Amos 4:2 My Lord Yahweh has sworn by his holiness that, “Behold, the days are coming upon you when they will take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishing hooks.
These are also the ones that have the appearance of religion. They bring their sacrifices and tithes and offerings and “love to” in Amos 4:2 but this is not to please the Lord, it is so they are seen by others.
Prepare to Meet Your God!
Amos 4:6–13
Seek Yahweh so That You May Live
Hate Evil and Love Good and Establish Justice
Amos 5:8–17
The Lord is the one that has made the earth and the heavens in
Amos 5:8 The one who made the Pleiades and Orion and who turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens day into night, the one who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, Yahweh is his name!
He also knows all there is to know about us, whether good, and he is with us as in
Amos 5:14 Seek good and not bad in order that you may live, and so Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said.
or evil and they will be cut off as in
Amos 5:10–11 They hate the one who reproves in the gate and they abhor the one who speaks honestly. 11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor and you take a grain tax from them, you built houses of dressed stone, but you will not live in them. You built vineyards of delightfulness, but you will not drink their wine.
This is the will of the Lord in
Amos 5:15 Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Yet, for all who have done evil, “In all of the public squares there will be wailing, and in all of the streets they will say, ‘Alas, alas!’” in Amos 5:16 when the day of the Lord comes.
Let Justice Roll on Like the Water
You That Put Off the Day of Disaster
Amos 6:1–7
The word of the Lord through Amos is to the leaders, to “those who feel secure”, to “the notables of the best of the nations”, to the ones “the House of Israel resorts to” in Amos 6:1. Israel has put themselves in their hands but the Lord asks are they better than you or are you better then they are in
Amos 6:2 Cross over to Calneh and see, and go from there to Hamath Rabbah and go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms, or is their territory greater than your territory?
then he makes this statement in
Amos 6:3 You that put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of violence!
If they undertake any effort, it is to “persuade yourselves that “the evil day” foretold by the prophets is “far off,” though they declare it near (Ez 12:22, 27). Ye in your imagination put it far off, and therefore bring near violent oppression, suffering it to sit enthroned, as it were, among you (Ps 94:20). The notion of judgment being far off has always been an incentive to the sinner’s recklessness of living (Ec 8:12, 13; Mt 24:48)”.1
but it is their very self-indulgence and oppression of others that will result in an overthrow “and bring near a reign of violence”.
They make every effort to continue as they are described in Amos 6:4-6 “on beds of ivory … eating (the best) … sing to the tune … who drink … and anoint themselves … and are not grieved”. This can only end one way, and the harder they try to put it off, the surer the result in
Amos 6:7 Therefore, they shall now go into exile at the head of the exiles and the feast of lounging shall pass away.
and it never occurs to them to do good and seek justice.
I Abhor the Pride of Jacob
Amos 6:8–14
Study Verses
- Amos 4:1–5 Behold The Days Are Coming
- Amos 5:8–17 Hate Evil and Love Good and Establish Justice
- Amos 6:1–7 You That Put Off the Day of Disaster
Today’s Reading
- Amos 4:1-13
- Amos 5:1-27
- Amos 6:1-14
References
- 1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 676). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
