Thurs.’s Devo - Many Visions

Read: Amos 7-9:15; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 29:23 Amos was shown a vision of a swarm of locusts which would eat every green plant in sight. Amos cried out to the Lord that Israel would not survive it and the Lord relented. Next, Amos saw that God was planning to punish his people with a great fire which would devour the whole land. Amos prayed and God relented. Lastly, Amos was shown the Lord standing beside a wall that had been made using a plumb line. The Lord was using a plumb line to see if the wall was still straight. The Lord would use this plumb line to measure the sins of the people. He would measure their pagan shrines and temples. It would bring Jeroboam’s kingdom to an end since he was the one who had set up the golden calves and instituted his own way of worship in the land of Israel. *** God told Amos to go and tell the people of Israel who complained that he prophesied against them that their wives would become prostitutes in Israel, their sons and daughters would be killed and their land would be divided. They would be exiled to a foreign land. *** The Lord showed Amos another vision of a basket of ripe fruit. Israel was like this fruit - ripe for punishment. The day was coming when singing would be turned to wailing. Many would die in the streets and the living would be carried out of the city in silence. The reason why this was coming was that they robbed the poor, trampled the needed, cheated the helpless, cheated in the market place, and enslaved the poor for money. When the Lord was through with them, they would never forget the wicked things they had done. *** In that day, the Lord would make the sun go down at noon and turn their singing into weeping. they will live in a state of sorrow and sadness over all the death. The hearing of the Word of the Lord would become so scarce. People would search everywhere just to hear a word from God, but not able to find one. The young would thirst for the Lord. Those who trusted in idols will fall, never to rise again. *** Amos saw a vision of the Lord standing beside the altar. God called down the destruction of the Temple. Those who destroyed the fall would be killed by the sword. There would be no escape for anyone. God would destroy the sinful from the face of the earth but would not completely destroy the family of Israel. *** God will restore the fallen house of David. He would repair the walls and rebuild it and restore its former glory. God will bring his people back to Israel and they will rebuild their cities and living in them again. They will plant and reap and never be uprooted from the land again. *** In Revelation the angel spoke to the angel in Philadelphia. Philadelphia was the missionary age which spanned from 1517-1790. It was commended for its perseverance in the faith. God had no criticism for them. He instructed them to keep the faith and promised them a place in God’s presence, a new name and the New Jerusalem. *** Laodicea was known as the apostate church. It began in 1790 and has continued. It was not commended for anything but criticized for being indifferent and deceived. God advised them to desire truth, humility, and to see with spiritual eyes. *** Lord, may we have spiritual eyes to see and be a part of your rebuilding process. We put our hope in You, Lord.