Wed.’s Devo - Amos -

Read: Amos 1:1-3:15; Revelation 2:1-17; Psalm 129:1-8; Proverbs 29:19-20 Amos was a shepherd in Tekoa which is 5 miles south of Bethlehem. He prophesied when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam II was the king of Israel. *** Amos spoke first to the people of Damascus in Syria. God was not happy with them because they beat down his people. God would break down their gates and kill their people. He would destroy their ruler and take them captive to Kir. This prophecy became true when Tiglath-pileser carried the Syrians captive after he had taken the city of Damascus (2 Kings 16:9). *** Amos spoke to the people of Tyre and they would be burned to the ground because they broke their treaty of peace with Israel. *** The people of Edom would also be destroyed with fire because they chased down their Israelite relatives with swords and showed them no mercy. *** The people of Ammon would go to battle and be taken into exile because they attacked Gilead to take its land. They also ripped open the pregnant women with their swords. *** The people of Moab desecrated the bones of Edom’s king so they would be destroyed in war. *** The people of Judah rejected God’s laws and refused to obey him. They let themselves be deceived by lies of their ancestors so they would be destroyed with fire. *** The people of Israel sold their rich people for money and sold their poor in exchange for sandals. They oppressed the poor and showed total disregard for others possessions. *** God reminded them of the giants he delivered them from, and how he was with them 40 years through the desert. He gave them the land for their possession and chose some their sons to be prophets and others to be Nazarites. But, they made the Nazarites drink wine and told the prophets to shut their mouths. So they would not be able to save themselves from what was coming. The strongest among them would run in fear. *** God uses his prophets to warn the people what he is about to do. This cause and effect was because of their sin. Israel would be punished and its pagan altars in Bethel destroyed. The mansions of the wealthy who got their money extorting others would be destroyed. *** In Revelation, John writes a letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. They were commended for their discernment and labor for the gospel. They hated the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans just like God did. But, God had one thing against them - they had lost their first love. If they don’t turn back and repent, their lamp stand would be removed. Those who were victorious would be given fruit from the tree of life in God’s paradise. *** The next letter was written to the angel of the church in Smyrna. Their suffering had given them many spiritual riches. They had suffered the persecution of the ones who claimed to be Jews, yet they were not. These imposters had thrown believers into jail and God tested them there. Those who remained faithful through the testing would be given the crown of life. *** The third letter was to the angel of the church in Pergamum. Pergamum was the city where the Throne of Satan was. They were commended for their faith even when one of them, Antipas, was martyred. *** There were teachers who had the same spirit Balaam had who showed Balak how to penetrate the Israelites by enticing them to worship idols. These were the same teaching of the Nicolaitans. Those who made it through all these roadblocks and remained faithful would receive a white stone with a new name engraved on it. *** Lord, thank you for being a God of Justice and punishing the evil and bringing mercy, grace and salvation to your faithful. May we remain faithful to you through all our trials and persecutions. Thank you for your promises of a better day.