Because the
people of Israel served false gods and were insolent against the LORD
and His commandments, Amos was charged to mockingly tell them to
“transgress” in Bethel and Gilgal and to offer their
“morning sacrifices and three month tithes” to them. They
were told to present “a
sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the
free offerings” which were backed by God giving them “cleanness
of teeth” and “want of bread” in their cities. In
chapter four and verse seven of his prophesy, Amos shared how the
LORD “withheld the rain” from certain cities among them
where we read:
And
also I have withheld the rain from you, when there
were yet three months to the harvest: and I
caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon
another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it
rained not withered.
The verse begins, “And also I
have withheld the rain from you, when there
were yet three months to the harvest:”
Amos began with the words, “And
also I have withheld” or “the LORD has
held back, kept back, refrained, denied and hindered” “the
rain from you” which means “heavy showers
and violent rain from Israel”, “when there
were yet three” or “a triad or thrice”
“months” which
refers to “the day new moons” “to the
harvest” or “crops that are reaped”. In
addition to giving the people of Israel “cleanness of teeth” and
“want of bread”, God kept the harvest “rains” from falling
upon their crops “three months” before the time of harvesting
began.
The
verse goes on to say, “and I caused it to rain upon one city,
and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained
upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.” Amos
continued, “and I caused it to rain” which means “God
caused showers to fall” “upon one city” or “in a
certain town, abode and places guarded by waking or a watch”, “and
caused it not to rain” which means “did not cause showers”
“upon another city” which refers to “another town, abode
or place guarded by waking or a watch”: “one piece” or
“each portion, parcel, plat or plot of land” “was rained
upon” which means “began to pour down and shower”, “and
the piece whereupon” or “the portion, parcel, plat or plot of
land” “it rained” which means “heavily showered and
poured violent rain” “not withered” or “dried up,
without moisture, confounded, disappointed and ashamed”. The LORD
was selective in His choice of cities that would receive His “rain”,
and the crops within the cities that received “rain” were
not “dried up”..
When
we consider these words of Amos, we discover the power of God and
selection for His use of it, we might remember Jesus' words how God
“sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew
5:45). The LORD chose certain cities that were to receive the
“harvest rains” and other cities that did not. This again
demonstrates His sovereignty and self-rule, and those who act wisely
will note God Almighty's abilities. Jesus Christ was sent to show us
“the Father”, and
when we align ourselves with His provision for our salvation, we do
not have to know the “withering” and “lack of rain” that is
destined for those like Israel who forsook the LORD and His ways.
Next
time Amos shares how
“two or three cities wandered unto one city”,
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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