Read: Amos 7:1-9:15; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 29:23
God showed Amos his choices of judgment on Israel: locusts or fire. Each time Amos cried out that it was too harsh and Jacob would not survive, so God relented. God showed Amos a plumb line. The plumb line stood for God’s standard. He told Amos to tell Israel that their high places would be destroyed and their sanctuaries ruined and that God was going to move against the house of Jeroboam.
One of the priests of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam about what Amos was prophesying. The priest ordered Amos to leave Israel and go prophesy in Judah. Amos explained that it wasn’t his desire or family lineage to be a prophet; he was a shepherd. But, God had chosen him to prophesy to Israel, then he went on to tell them that Jeroboam’s wife would be reduced to having to prostitute herself on the streets for money. Jeroboam would be taken to a pagan country where he would die and the land of Israel would be divided and its people scattered.
Amos went on to prophesy the dark ages where it would be so dark and there would be no revelation or word from the Lord. Then God would restore the tabernacle of David - the real worship of the Lord. He prophesied into the day Israel would come back to their land and God’s spirit would be poured out on his people.
The last two churches of Revelation were Philadelphia and Laodicea. Philadelphia means “brotherly love” and it was the missionary church and spanned from 1750-1900. During this time many dictators ruled the world who took authority over the church and every other aspect of people’s lives. They were mostly atheists and used organized religion to control the people. The true church went to homes and the simplicity of the gospel. God raised up great men during this time like Adoniram Judson, David Livingstone, Jonathan Goforth, John and Charles Wesley, Charles Finney, Jonathan Edwards and many other missionaries who spread the gospel across the world. There were two great factors which caused a great move of God during this time. The first was the invention of the printing press where the Bible was put into the hands of the people. The other was the fact that they took the Bible literally - they believed what it said. God gave them an open door and gave this church no rebuke only encouragement and applaud.
The next church was the total opposite: Laodicea. This church is the Apostate Church or the People’s Church. It started in 1900 and ended a few years ago… maybe 2012. At the beginning of this age, God poured out his spirit in a little church in Los Angeles, California. It began the Charismatic movement which swept across the United States. It was a revival of the gifts of the spirit. This was happening to the true church. At the same time anti-christs were springing up like Adolf Hitler who waged a holy war against God’s people the Jews. There has always been a false church and the true church. The false church has programs and activities, but no power. God’s recommendation to them was to repent and buy the true gold of wisdom and godly treasures from God.
Lord, help us not to be distracted by things that don’t matter and stay true to what is eternally worthy.
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