As Amos the
“herdsman” prophet shared the manner in which the people
of Israel worshiped God while worshiping false images of other gods,
he pronounced the LORD's disapproval of them. Rather than accept the
people's offerings, songs and musical worship, God rejected them and
pronounced judgment upon them for it. In chapter five and verse
twenty-seven of his prophesy, Amos shared the “captivity beyond
Damascus” Israel would incur because of their abominable acts
of adulterous worship where we read:
Therefore
will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus,
The
verse begins, “Therefore will I cause you to go into
captivity beyond Damascus,...” Amos
began with the word, “Therefore”
which is a conclusion word that means “since, on account of and
where fore” “will I cause you to go into captivity”
which is all one Hebrew word
“galah” that means “God will uncover, remove, depart from and
make Israel go into exile” “beyond” or
“out there further, yonder and onwards to the distance far away
from” “Damascus”
which means “silent is the sackcloth weaver” and was “an
ancient trading city, capital of Syria, located in the plain east of
Mount Hermon and one hundred and thirty (130) (205 km) miles
northeast of Jerusalem”. Because the people of Israel forsook the
LORD and worshiped false gods, He would make them go into “exile”
in a place far away from their natural home.
The
verse goes on to say, “...says
the LORD, whose name is
The God of hosts.” Amos
continued, “says”
or “utters, proclaims and declares” “the
LORD”
which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the
proper name for the one true God”, “whose name” or “reputation,
fame, glory, memorial and monument” “is
The God”
or “divine ruler, judge and true God” “of
hosts” or
“those angels who go forth as an army for war and service”. This
declaration of judgment was pronounced by none other than the
Almighty “LORD God of hosts” who
cannot lie.
When
we think through these words of Amos, we see the end result of Israel
worshiping other gods while conducting religious practices at the
same time with the only true God. Rather than being in a close
relationship with the LORD, the people of Israel would suffer exile
in a foreign land. Those who reject God's offering of His Son Jesus
are doomed in a similar manner, however, that punishment shall be
eternal. The Bible says that God will say, “Depart from
me you workers of iniquity” to
those who have refused to receive His Son Jesus as Savior and Lord.
(Luke 13:27) May all who read Amos' words take heed to the “exile”
that was promised Israel, and may this lead them to understand the
ultimate “deportation” that awaits those who do not accept the
offer of Almighty God.
Next
time we
begin a new chapter and see Amos declare, “woe
to them that are at ease in Zion”,
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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