12/15/17 The Lord Has Spoken

READING: Amos 1-3, Revelation 6

“The Lord has spoken.”

Amos 1:5

Damascus will be judged, Amos wrote, and “the Lord has spoken” (Amos 1:5). Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, too, will face judgment; “the Lord has spoken” (Amos 1:8). Tyre, Edom, and the Ammonites will deal with the same, for “the Lord has spoken” (Amos 1:15). The Lord would also not relent from punishing Moab; “the Lord has spoken” such truth (Amos 2:3). And, even Israel and Judah would not escape God’s wrath—“this is the Lord’s declaration” (Amos 2:11, 2:16, 3:15). Each of these peoples would be judged for “three crimes, even four” (Amos 1:3)—a poetic way of saying they would be judged for all their sin.

The Lord has spoken—and the word He has spoken is a word of accountability and judgment. It is a reminder that all people will answer to God for their lives. Moreover, it’s possible that Amos started with judgment on the foreign nations—a word the Hebrews probably would have welcomed—to draw his readers in, get their attention, and pave the way for his announcement of judgment of God’s people themselves. They who would have delighted in judgment on their enemies would have to see themselves as guilty, too.

I’m reminded today that all of us will answer to our Creator for the way we live. None of us will escape standing before Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Others are guilty, but we are, too.

The Lord has spoken. 

ACTION STEPS: 

  • Assume you may stand before Christ today, and live accordingly.
  • If you are a Christian, thank God that Christ has already paid the penalty for your sin.

PRAYER: “God, help me to live a life that pleases You today.” 

TOMORROW’S READING:  Amos 4-6, Revelation 7

 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.