As Amos the
prophet continued to share concerning the judgment that was to come
upon Israel, God's chosen people, he challenged them with the idea of
“two walking together, except they be agreed”. In chapter
three and verse four of his prophesy, Amos used the illustration of
the “roar” of a “lion” and the “crying
out” of the “young lion” to describe the reason
Israel was to be punished. We read:
Will a
lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?
will a
young lion cry out of his den, if he has taken nothing?
The
verse begins, “Will a lion roar in the forest, when he
has no prey?” Amos began with
the words, “Will a lion”
or “a valiant and young lion” “roar” which
means “to rumble or moan loudly and mightily” “in the
forest” or “woods, thicket
and wooded height”, “when he has no prey” which
means “food, leaf or meat”. The “lion roars” when
it has found “food” to eat in “the forest”.
The
verse goes on to say, “will a young lion cry out of his
den, if he has taken nothing?” Amos
continued, “will a young lion” or
“a youthful lion as covered with a mane” “cry”
which means “give or put forth a loud voice, sound or noise” “out
of his den” which means “from
it's dwelling, habitation, refuge and lair”, “if he has
taken” or “captured or
seized” “nothing”
which refers to “negation, as not, an account of not or because and
until not”. When the “lion roars”
its “young lions”
will “sound out and make a noise” so they can take part in the
feeding.
When
we think through these words of Amos, we see the example given of an
older, mature lion which has caught some “food”. The young lion
rests quietly in the “lair” and has no reason to “cry
out” except when “food” is
caught and it believes it can receive some of it. So it is with the
prophet Amos. There would be no reason to “cry out”
against Israel if there were no cause for doing so. Thus it is with
those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Because the
LORD Jesus as our mediator and intercessor paid the penalty and
punishment for our sins, we have no reason to be out of sync with
God. Otherwise, we stand on our own and have no reason for “the
lion of the tribe of Judah” to
“cry out” against
us.
Next
time we Amos shares about “birds”
and a “snare”,
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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