Sun.’s Devo - Judgment and Rewards

Read: Amos 1:1-3:15; Revelation 2:1-17; Psalm 129:1-8; Proverbs 29:19-20 Amos prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah or Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel. His name means “Burdern-Bearer”. He was a shepherd and only prophesied for two years. It was a time of great expansion and prosperity for both Israel and Judah but spiritually it was a tie of all-time low. Idolatry was rampant and immorality was widespread plus the judicial system was corrupt. The people thought that their prosperity was a sign of God’s blessing but Amos was sent to tell them it was not. God was not pleased and punishment was coming unless the nation changed their hearts and turned back to him.It was two years before the earthquake which would shake them all. *** Amos, being a shephard himself began by saying the God would turn the lush pastures into dry grass. I guess he wanted to let them know that their sins was going to affect him greatly. Then, he began to specifically called the people out. He started with the people of Damascus. This was where King Hazael and King Ben-hadad lived. They would be slaughtered and be taken captives to Kit. *** The Philistines of Gaza would be burned and slaughtered. They had taken whole villages into exile but few of them would survive God’s judgment. *** The people of Edom had chased down the Israelis and shown no mercy so God would snd down fire on Team and the fortresses of Bosrah. *** The people of Ammon attacked Gilead and ripped open pregnant women with their swords. God would send down fire on Rabat and its fortresses. Their king and his princes would go into exile. *** The people of Moab desecrated the bones of Edom’s king bringing them to ashes. SO God would send down fire on their land and Kerioth would be destroyed. Their kings and princes would be destroyed. *** The people of Judah rejected the instruction of the Lord and refused to obey his decrees. They had followed the same lies that deceived their ancestors. Their fortresses in Jerusalem would be destroyed. *** Ans lastly, Israel had sinned by trafficking their own children and sexual perversion. Their worship was defiled and evil. They had seen how God destroyed the Amorites for them and rescued them from Egypt. God had raised up prophets and Nazarite from among them but they had not listened to them. They made the Nazarites drink wine and told the prophets to shut up. They would not escape what was coming. *** God reminded Israel how he chose them among all the families on the earth to be his own people. They didn’t agree on God’s way and chose their own. God doesn’t do anything he doesn’t first tell his prophets so they can encourage or warn the people. They refused to listen. They had forgotten how to do right. They were wealthy from theft and violence. The enemy was coming and he would surround them and shatter all their defenses. *** On the day God punishes Israel, he will destroy the pagan altars in Bethel and the horns of the altar would be cut off and fall to the ground. (The horns were a symbol of mercy.) The homes of the wealthy would all fall to the ground. *** In Revelation, John was told to write a letter to the church in Ephesus. God had seen all their hard work and patient endurance. They had discerned the false apostles and had nothing to do with them. They also hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. God’s complaint against them was that they had lost the love for God and others that they first had. God told them to repent and go ack to doing good works or their lamp stand would be removed. The victorious ones would be given fruit from the tree of life. *** The letter to the crush in Smyrna stated that God knew about their suffering and lack. There were those among them that claimed to be Jews, but were not. They belonged to the synagogue of Satan. Many of them would become martyrs but they would receive the crown of life. *** The letter to the church in Pergamum said that God knew that Satan’s throne was there and yet they had not bowed to it. They refused to deny God even when their leader Antipas was martyred. God’s complaint against them was that they tolerated the false teachings of the day that led to idolatry. *** Great promises were given to those who remained faithful. *** Lord, thank you that your promises of faithfulness still remain. Our rewards far exceed any suffering we could endure on earth. Help us to keep our eyes on eternity.