Discover the Bible Sunday Faculty Lesson for September 4

By Robert Olsen, Ph. D.
Affiliate Professor of Christian Research, College of Cell

LISTEN TO GOD

Amos 2:4–16

The e book of Amos matches squarely within the checklist of the minor prophets — minor not due to significance however due to the dimensions. Amos was born within the southern kingdom of Judah in an obscure village referred to as Tekoa, the place he was a shepherd and farmer of figs. Regardless of his stature as a farmer, God referred to as him to be a prophet and to ship a message to the northern kingdom of Israel.

Wrongs reviewed (4–8)

The primary a part of Amos considerations God’s judgment towards the nations all through the area that sometimes warred towards the Hebrews — Moab, Ammon, Edom and others. In verse 4, Amos turns his consideration to Judah and God’s coming judgment upon Judah for not holding God’s statutes. At this level, the Israelite hearers had been most likely happy at Amos’ message — God was going to punish all of their historic enemies, together with Judah, their neighbor to the south who Israel break up from after the loss of life of Solomon. Nonetheless, Amos then turns his consideration to Israel itself, revealing God’s anger at His viewers for idolatry and benefiting from the poor.

We’ve got to watch out to not fall into the entice of others and judging them but paying no consideration to the sins in our lives. After we go searching at a lot sin in our world, we will lose sight of our personal guilt. Whereas we’re capable of decide the world by way of the lens of Scripture, we will take no pleasure on this as a result of we are also responsible earlier than God. We will stand towards sin solely by the grace God has given us by way of Christ’s atonement and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We will by no means be prideful in our conduct as a result of it’s Christ who saves us (Eph. 2:8–9). As a substitute of wanting on with haughtiness on the world round us, we have to pray God would grant others the identical freedom in Christ He has given us.

Historical past relived (9–11)

By Amos, God takes the Israelites on a tour of all He has completed of their historical past. The Israelites had forgotten in regards to the God of Israel, and so they had begun to observe and worship international gods.

We frequently look again on the figures within the Outdated Testomony and scoff at their foolishness and poor choices. We all know there aren’t any things like false gods who we will pray to through idols. We all know there is just one God who deserves worship. And but typically our conduct says in any other case. Whereas I don’t know any Christians who worship little idols made by palms, all of us are responsible of idolatry regularly.

The truth is, it was John Calvin who, in his e book “Institutes of the Christian Faith,” stated the human thoughts is “a perpetual forge of idols.” Due to sin, people are at all times turning away from God and towards one thing else. Something that takes the place of God is an idol. Whereas it’s straightforward to look again on the Israelites and see their folly by taking part in international religions, we have to you’ll want to test ourselves and see in what areas of our lives we’re failing to place God first.

Judgment reckoned (12–16)

God is holy and He can not permit sin to go unpunished. This was true then and it’s nonetheless true as we speak. Nonetheless, the answer is present in Christ, who took God’s punishment for us. For individuals who have embraced Christ as Savior, the punishment is happy by way of Christ’s loss of life. Second Corinthians 5:21 sums it up this manner: “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, in order that in Him we’d change into the righteousness of God.”

Christ’s righteousness is transferred to us so the Father sees Christ’s righteousness as a substitute of our sinfulness. As a result of we are actually “in Christ,” we don’t face God’s wrath. However for many who have no idea Christ, God’s wrath rests on them. This motivates us to inform others about Christ to allow them to have everlasting life and never face God’s punishment by spending eternity separated from Him in hell.