The people of
Israel forsook the LORD and His ways and were destined to His
punishment and judgment for it. Though they expected the LORD to
bless them, they were actually under His curse. Whenever they “fled”
or “escaped” from a “lion”, a “bear” would
meet them, and when they leaned securely upon “a wall”, a
“serpent” or “snake” bit them. In chapter five and
verse twenty of his prophesy, Amos the prophet shared concerning “the
dark day of the LORD” that was imminent where we read:
even very
dark, and no brightness in it?
The
verse begins, “Shall
not the day of the LORD be
darkness, and not light?” Amos
began with the words, “Shall not the
day” which
refers to “a period or division of time” “of
the LORD”
which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the
proper name for the one true God” “be
darkness”
which means “obscurity, misery,
destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow and wickedness ”,
“and not light”
or “prosperous, happy, clear and bright”? Rather than being a day
that would bring “happiness and prosperity” upon the people of
Israel, “the day of the LORD” would be “tragic and filled with
death and destruction”.
The
verse goes on to say, “even very dark, and no brightness in it?”
Amos continued, “even very dark” which means
“extremely obscure and gloomy”, “and no brightness in it”
or “without brilliance, shining and glory”. Not only would
“the day of the LORD” be “miserable and destructive”, it
would be “gloomy” and without “glory and brilliance” as they
believed.
When
we meditate upon these words of Amos, we see how deceived the people
of Israel were concerning “the day of the LORD”. They
expected it to bring “prosperity and happiness” upon them, and
yet, it was to convey “destruction and misery”. They were deluded
in their thinking and expectations, and many people are so minded
today. Jesus Christ lived among men to demonstrate the holiness of
God, and He showed His resolution to offer to them salvation. He
declared, “I am the way, the truth and the life, and no man
comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), and there is no
other way to the Father than this. People believe “the day of
the LORD”, (when God comes for them), He will come with
prosperity and happiness, but if they have rejected His death and
resurrection as the remedy for their sin, they will be sorely
disappointed. Jesus came the first time to save, but He shall return
in judgment against those who have rejected Him. May all who read
Amos' words take heed, for “the day of the LORD” is upon
us.
Next
time Amos shares how God “hates”
and “despises”
Israel's “feast days“”,
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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