As Amos the
prophet continued to share the manner in which “the LORD”
provided and protected “Israel”, he included ways “Israel”
rebelled against Him. They were so wicked they influenced the
“Nazarites” and the “prophets” among them to
stray from their original sacred designations. Their behavior felt to
“the LORD” like “a cart” that “is pressed
full of sheaves”, and in chapter two and verse fourteen of his
prophesy, Amos declared how God would affect “the swift, the
strong and the mighty” among them where we read:
Therefore
the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong
shall not
strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:
The
verse begins, “Therefore the flight shall perish from the
swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force,...” Amos
began with the word, “Therefore”
which means “in conclusion, that being so and supposed” “the
flight” or “refuge, place of
escape and fleeing” “shall perish”
which means “vanish, go away, die, be exterminated, lost and
strayed” “from the swift”
or “light and fleet of foot”, “and the strong”
which means “stout, mighty, sever, sharp, hot, firm and hard”
“shall not strengthen”
or “be alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, hard and
secure” “his force”
or “strength, power and might”. Because the people of “Israel”
were so wicked, the LORD would cause the “refuge” of the “fleet
of foot” and the “power” of the “mighty” among them to
fail in their normal abilities.
The
verse goes on to say, “...
neither shall the mighty deliver himself:” Amos
continued, “neither shall the mighty”
which refers to “strong, brave and valiant” “deliver
himself” or “slip away,
escape and be saved”. In addition to the “swift” and
the “strong” being
diminished by “the LORD”,
those who were “valiant” among them would be unable to escape
from His judgment.
When
we consider these words of Amos, we see how the physical traits which
are valued among people are as nothing before the power of “the
LORD”. Because the people of “Israel” proudly
rejected the principles of God, they were diminished in their
abilities when judged by God. We have no greater “swiftness,
strength or might” than when aligned with Jesus Christ, and we
should be humble and weak before “the LORD” so we may be
strong, and those who are wise will not trust in any of the abilities
physically given to us.
Next
time we see
Amos write about the person who “handles
the bow, is swift of foot and rides the horse”,
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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