As we continue
to read the prophesy of Amos, we see the LORD's imploring of the
people of Israel to “seek” Him and He would give them
“life” and “life more prosperously”. In chapter five and
verse six of his prophesy, Amos repeats the LORD's desire as He warns
about “a break of like fire” against them if they do not
“seek” Him. We read:
Seek the
LORD, and you shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of
Joseph,
The
verse begins, “Seek the LORD, and you shall live; lest he
break out like fire in the house of Joseph,...” Amos
began with the word, “Seek”
which means “resort to, inquire, consult and require of” “the
LORD”
or “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name
for the one true God”, “and
you shall live”
or “have life, remain alive, live prosperously and restored”;
“lest he break
out”
or “be advanced, brought to success and effected” “like
fire”
which means “flames or supernatural fire” “in
the house”
which means “dwelling, habitation, shelter and abode” “of
Joseph”
whose name means “Jehovah has added” and refers to “the kingdom
of Israel of which the tribe of Ephraim, Joseph's son, was the chief
tribe”. The LORD's warning to Israel again was to “seek”
Him, however, the result of not doing so would be consuming “fire”
to break out upon them.
The verse goes on to
say, “...and
devour it,
and there be
none to quench it
in Bethel.” Amos
continued, “and devour it”
which means “burn up, consume and destroy”, “and
there be none to quench it”
which is all one Hebrew word that means “to put out or extinguish”
“in Bethel”
which means “house of God” and was “an ancient place and seat
of worship in Ephraim on the border of Benjamin which was identified
with Luz”. The result of the “fire”
which would break out upon Israel would be “destruction” without
any remedy for putting it out in “Bethel”.
When
we think through these words of Amos, we see the LORD inviting and
encouraging the people of Israel to “seek”
Him. This would provide not only “life” but “prosperous life”
for the people, however, if they chose otherwise, a consuming “fire”
would come upon them which no one would be able to stop. Today God
Almighty invites and encourages people to receive His Son Jesus
Christ as their Savior and LORD lest an “eternal consuming fire”
come upon them which no one will “quench”. John the baptist
speaking of Jesus said it this way, “Whose
fan is
in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather
the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire
unquenchable.” Let
all who read take heed to the LORD's words.
Next
time Amos shares
how God will “turn judgment
to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth”,
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment