October 18, 2011
DO YOU MEASURE UP?
Amos 7
Rae Ann Martin
Central Truth
We are called to live according to HIS Word, because one day we will be judged.
Key Verse | Amos 7:7–8
Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. The LORD said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said,
"Behold I am about to put a plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel.
I will spare them no longer."
(Amos 7:7-8)
Amos 7
Warning Visions
1 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said,
“O Lord God, please forgive!
How can Jacob stand?
He is so small!”
3
The LORD relented concerning this:
“It shall not be,” said the LORD.
4 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, the Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said,
“O Lord God, please cease!
How can Jacob stand?
He is so small!”
6
The LORD relented concerning this:
“This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.
7 This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,
“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
in the midst of my people Israel;
I will never again pass by them;
9
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
Amos Accused
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said,
‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile
away from his land.’”
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was 1 7:14 Or am; twice in this verse no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore hear the word of the LORD.
You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’
17 Therefore thus says the LORD:
‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city,
and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword,
and your land shall be divided up with a measuring line;
you yourself shall die in an unclean land,
and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.’”
Dive Deeper | Amos 7
In Amos 7, there are three visions concerning Israel and her disobedient behavior. In the first two visions, the swarm of locust and the fire sent by God (Amos 7:1-6), Amos pleads for mercy, and God revokes the punishment. In the third vision, the plumb line of judgment, God's decision is final. Plumb lines are used to measure the straightness of a wall. In this case, it is evident that Israel is out-of-line and does not measure up to God's standards.
God requires our lives to be in line with His will. He wants the sin that makes us crooked to be removed before we collapse, so we can experience the blessings He has for us. If we confess our sins, He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Ultimately, we will receive true joy and peace. Many times, I have not claimed my sin. Either I didn't want to or I neglected to acknowledge it as sin. Sometimes, I think that one little ugly thought about a friend is no big deal. But God wants us to repent from all sin, not just the "big" ones.
True obedience is a reflection of our hearts. In the earlier stages of my Christian walk, I saw "obedience" as a negative word. There were definitely times when I did not want to obey God. I often thought I knew best. However, as I grew in my faith and learned about God's truths, I began to experience a deeper relationship with Him. His desires became my desires. We are not to conform to this world, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). When we spend time with Him, whether it is reading His Word or in prayer, obedience no longer becomes an obligation, it becomes a desire. In return, He shows up, and we get to experience the love He has for us, which is better than anything the world has to offer.
Discussion Questions
1. What does measuring up to God's standards look like?
2. How does your life align with God's standards?
3. Where in your life could you do a better job measuring up?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
AMOS 6-OBADIAH 1 (OCTOBER 17-21)
Read Obadiah.
History background needed: The people of the land of Edom are cousins to the people of Israel. When Abraham was the chosen family for God's blessings in the Old Testament, Esau (the father of the Edomites) and Jacob (the father of the Israelites) were twin sons of Isaac, the son of Abraham.
Did the people of Edom love the people of Israel? How does Obadiah describe their relationship?
Does God want us to love our enemies? How can you know the answer to this question? (Luke 6:35)
What were the consequences going to be for Edom's hatred/violence against Israel?
What will happen if we love our enemies?
ACTIVITY: Demonstrate active love to someone you are related to -- brother, sister, cousin, mom, dad, etc. -- remembering the story in Obadiah and Luke 6:35. Be creative!