Amos the
prophet shared how “the LORD of hosts” called upon the
people of Jacob to “hear and testify” as he pronounced
judgment against them. In chapter three and verse fourteen of his
prophesy, Amos proclaimed how God would “visit the
transgressions of Israel” where we read:
That in
the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I
will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar
shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.
The
verse begins, “That in the day that I shall visit the
transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of
Bethel:” Amos began with the
words, “That in the day”
or “in that division of time or period” “that I shall
visit” which means “to
attend to, muster, number, reckon, punish, appoint, look after and
care for” “the transgressions”
or “rebellions and sins both moral and religious” “of
Israel” which means “God
prevails” and was “the name of the descendants and the nation of
the descendants of Jacob and the name used and given to the northern
kingdom consisting of the 10 tribes under Jeroboam” “upon
him” or “upon Israel” “I
will also visit” which means
“attend to, muster, number, reckon, punish, appoint, look after and
care for” “the altars”
or “brazen places of worship” “of Bethel”
which means “house of God” and was “the ancient place and seat
of worship in Ephraim on the border of Benjamin whose former name was
Luz. It was where Jeroboam set up the worship of calves after the ten
tribes split from Judah and Benjamin after the death of Solomon”.
The LORD paid particular attention against Israel's places of cattle
worship.
The
verse goes on to say, “and the horns of the altar shall
be cut off, and fall to the ground.” Amos
continued, “and the horns” or
“the flask and cornet like unto an elephant tooth” “of
the altar” which refers to “a
brazen place of worship” “shall be cut off”
or “hewn, chopped, cut down and shaved off”, “and
fall” which means “be cast
down, lie and fail” “to the ground”
or “the land, earth, country, territory, district and region”.
The “horns of the altar”
were considered the symbols of “power” and “authority”, and
these would be “cut down and cast” to the “earth”.
When
we think through these words of Amos, we see how God brings judgment
upon the places of worship in which Israel relied. They were
following and giving honor to false gods, and the LORD would not
allow this practice to remain. The LORD God sent His Son Jesus Christ
to the earth that people would “turn to God from idols to
serve the living and true God”
(See 1 Thessalonians 1:9). If we do not turn to Him, He shall “cut
and cast down” every forma of worship that is not dedicated to Him.
Next
time Amos tells the people how the LORD, “will
smite the winter house with the summer house”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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