Amos 3:1-15 (NASB)

1 Hear this word which the Lord has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire family which He brought up from the land of Egypt:

2 “You only have I known among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your wrongdoing.”
3 Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
Does a young lion growl from his den unless he has captured something?
5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no device in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
6 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will the people not tremble?
If a disaster occurs in a city, has the Lord not brought it about?
7 Certainly the Lord God does nothing
Unless He reveals His secret plan
To His servants the prophets.
8 A lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken! Who can do anything but prophesy?

9 Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see the great panic within her and the oppressions in her midst. 10 But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares the Lord, “these who store up violence and devastation in their citadels.”

11 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

“An enemy, one surrounding the land,
Will take down your fortifications from you,
And your citadels will be looted.”

12 This is what the Lord says:

“Just as the shepherd snatches from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear,
So will the sons of Israel living in Samaria be snatched away—
With the corner of a bed and the cover of a couch!
13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”
Declares the Lord God, the God of armies.
14 “For on the day that I punish Israel’s offenses,
I will also punish the altars of Bethel;
The horns of the altar will be cut off,
And will fall to the ground.
15 I will also strike the winter house together with the summer house;
The houses of ivory will also perish,
And the great houses will come to an end,”
Declares the Lord.

Theme: God’s people must be and do what God has called them to, lest they face disastrous consequences.

Two Privileges & Two Consequences for God’s People

2 Privileges

1) God’s Calling of His People (3:1-2a)

2) God Calls His Prophets to Warn (3:3-8)

2 Consequences

1) God’s Calling of Witnesses (3:9-10)

2) God’s Call for Judgment (3:2b, 11-15)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Amos 2:4-16 (NASB)

4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Judah, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they rejected the Law of the Lord
And have not kept His statutes;
Their lies also have led them astray,
Those which their fathers followed.
5 So I will send fire upon Judah,
And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they sell the righteous for money,
And the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 These who trample the head of the helpless to the dust of the earth
Also divert the way of the humble;
And a man and his father resort to the same girl
So as to profane My holy name.
8 And on garments seized as pledges they stretch out beside every altar,
And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
Though his height was like the height of cedars
And he was as strong as the oaks;
I also destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.
10 And it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,
And led you in the wilderness for forty years
So that you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.
11 Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets,
And some of your young men to be Nazirites.
Is this not so, you sons of Israel?” declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
And you commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!’
13 Behold, I am making a rut in the ground beneath you,
Just as a wagon makes a rut when filled with sheaves.
14 Refuge will be lost from the swift,
And the strong will not strengthen his power,
Nor the warrior save his life.
15 The one who grasps the bow will not stand his ground,
The swift of foot will not escape,
Nor will the one who rides the horse save his [h]life.
16 Even the bravest among the warriors will flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Amos 1:1-2:3 (NASB)

1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he saw in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

2 And he said,
“The Lord roars from Zion,
And from Jerusalem He utters His voice;
And the shepherds’ pasture grounds mourn,
And the summit of Carmel dries up.”

3 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Damascus, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they threshed Gilead with iron sledges.
4 So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael,
And it will consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.
5 I will also break the gate bar of Damascus,
And eliminate every inhabitant from the Valley of Aven,
As well as him who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden;
So the people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,”
Says the Lord.

6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Gaza, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they led into exile an entire population
To turn them over to Edom.
7 So I will send fire on the wall of Gaza
And it will consume her citadels.
8 I will also eliminate every inhabitant from Ashdod,
As well as him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon;
And I will direct My power against Ekron,
And the remnant of the Philistines will perish,”
Says the Lord God.

9 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Tyre, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they turned an entire population over to Edom
And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 So I will send fire on the wall of Tyre,
And it will consume her citadels.”

11 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of Edom, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because he pursued his brother with the sword
And stifled his compassion;
His anger also tore continually,
And he maintained his fury forever.
12 So I will send fire upon Teman
And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.”

13 This is what the Lord says:
“For three offenses of the sons of Ammon, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
In order to enlarge their borders.
14 So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah,
And it will consume her citadels
Amid war cries on the day of battle,
And amid a storm on the day of tempest.
15 Their king will go into exile,
He and his princes together,” says the Lord.

Chapter 2

1 This is what the Lord says:

“For three offenses of Moab, and for four,
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
2 So I will send fire upon Moab
And it will consume the citadels of Kerioth;
And Moab will die amid the panic of battle,
Amid war cries and the sound of a trumpet.
3 I will also eliminate the judge from her midst
And slay all her leaders with him,” says the Lord.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Titus 2:6 (NASB)

6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible;

Titus 2:12 (NASB)

12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age,

1 Peter 4:7 (NASB)

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

1 Timothy 3:2 (NASB)

2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching,

1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB)

7 But stay away from worthless stories that are typical of old women. Rather, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;

Proverbs 14:17 (NASB)

17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly, And a person of evil devices is hated.

Proverbs 16:32 (NASB)

32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.

Proverbs 19:11 (NASB)

11 A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Obadiah 10-21 (NASB)

10 “Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever.
11 “On the day that you stood aloof, On the day that strangers carried off his wealth, And foreigners entered his gate And cast lots for Jerusalem – You too were as one of them.
12 “Do not gloat over your brother’s day, The day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah In the day of their destruction; Yes, do not boast In the day of their distress.
13 “Do not enter the gate of My people In the day of their disaster. Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity In the day of their disaster. And do not loot their wealth In the day of their disaster.
14 “Do not stand at the fork of the road To cut down their fugitives; And do not imprison their survivors In the day of their distress.
The Day of the LORD and the Future
15 “For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.
16 “Because just as you drank on My holy mountain, All the nations will drink continually. They will drink and swallow And become as if they had never existed.
17 “But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, And it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
18 “Then the house of Jacob will be a fire And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau,” For the LORD has spoken.
19 Then those of the Negev will possess the mountain of Esau, And those of the Shephelah the Philistine plain; Also, possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, And Benjamin will possess Gilead.
20 And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel, Who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, And the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Will possess the cities of the Negev.
21 The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion To judge the mountain of Esau, And the kingdom will be the LORD’S.

Outline of Part 1 (2 weeks ago):
– Intro/background: A long family feud
– God’s assessment of Edom (Pride comes before a fall) (vv. 1:1‑9)
This week’s outline:
– Gods indictment of Edom (You are your brothers keeper) (vv. 1:10‑14)
– God’s judgment on all haters (Those who curse Israel will be cursed) (vv. 1:15‑21

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ephesians 6:1-3 (NASB)

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise ), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Obadiah 1-9 (NASB)

1 The vision of Obadiah.
Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom–
We have heard a report from the Lord,
And an envoy has been sent among the nations saying,
“Arise and let us go against her for battle”–
2 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
You are greatly despised.
3 “The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
You who live in the clefts of the rock,
In the loftiness of your dwelling place,
Who say in your heart,
‘Who will bring me down to earth?’
4 “Though you build high like the eagle,
Though you set your nest among the stars,
From there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord.
5 “If thieves came to you,
If robbers by night–
O how you will be ruined!–
Would they not steal only until they had enough?
If grape gatherers came to you,
Would they not leave some gleanings?
6  “O how Esau will be ransacked,
And his hidden treasures searched out!
7 “All the men allied with you
Will send you forth to the border,
And the men at peace with you
Will deceive you and overpower you.
They who eat your bread
Will set an ambush for you.
(There is no understanding in him.)
8 “Will I not on that day,” declares the Lord,
“Destroy wise men from Edom
And understanding from the mountain of Esau?
9 “Then your mighty men will be dismayed, O Teman,
So that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.

Themes:
– If you go against God’s people, you go against God, and you will lose
– If you take pride in your own power to secure yourself and your life you are going to be more than disappointed.
– Israel has troubles with God right now, but that is only temporary.

Outline this week:
– Intro/background: A long family feud (v. 1)
– God’s assessment of Edom (pride comes before a fall (vv. 1-9)
Coming in two weeks after Mother’s Day:
– God’s indictment of Edom (you are your brother’s keeper (vv. 10-14)
– God’s judgement on all haters (those who curse Israel will be cursed (vv. 15-21)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ephesians 1:18-23 (NASB)

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ephesians 1:18-23 (NASB)

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Joel 2:18-3:21 (NASB)

18 Then the Lord will be zealous for His land,
And will have compassion for His people.
19 The Lord will answer and say to His people,
“Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil,
And you will be satisfied in full with them;
And I will never again make you a disgrace among the nations.
20 But I will remove the northern army far from you,
And I will drive it into a dry and desolate land,
Its advance guard into the eastern sea,
And its rear guard into the western sea.
And its stench will ascend and its odor of decay will come up,
Because it has done great things.”

21 Do not fear, land; shout for joy and rejoice,
For the Lord has done great things.
22 Do not fear, animals of the field,
For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green,
For the tree has produced its fruit,
The fig tree and the vine have yielded in full.
23 So shout for joy, you sons of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the early rain for your vindication.
And He has brought down for you the rain,
The early and latter rain as before.
24 The threshing floors will be full of grain,
And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.
25 “Then I will compensate you for the years
That the swarming locust has eaten,
The creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust—
My great army which I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied,
And you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
Then My people will never be put to shame.
27 So you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the Lord your God
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame.

28 “It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will have dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29 And even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
32 And it will come about that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
Will be saved;
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
There will be those who escape,
Just as the Lord has said,
Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

Chapter 3
1 “For behold, in those days and at that time,
When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will gather all the nations
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
Then I will enter into judgment with them there
On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
And they have divided up My land.
3 They have also cast lots for My people,
Traded a boy for a prostitute,
And sold a girl for wine so that they may drink.

4 Moreover, what are you to Me, Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you repaying Me with retribution? But if you are showing Me retribution, swiftly and speedily I will return your retribution on your head! 5 Since you have taken My silver and My gold, brought My precious treasures to your temples, 6 and sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their territory, 7 behold, I am going to stir them up from the place where you have sold them, and return your retribution on your head. 8 I will also sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a distant nation,” for the Lord has spoken.

9 Proclaim this among the nations:
Prepare for holy war; stir up the warriors!
Have all the soldiers come forward, have them come up!
10 Beat your plowshares into swords,
And your pruning hooks into spears;
Let the weak man say, “I am a warrior.”
11 Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations,
And gather yourselves there.
Bring down, Lord, Your warriors.
12 Let the nations be awakened
And come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
For there I will sit to judge
All the surrounding nations.
13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.
Come, tread the grapes, for the wine press is full;
The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and moon have become dark,
And the stars have lost their brightness.
16 The Lord roars from Zion
And utters His voice from Jerusalem,
And the heavens and the earth quake.
But the Lord is a refuge for His people,
And a stronghold for the sons of Israel.
17 Then you will know that I am the Lord your God,
Dwelling on Zion, My holy mountain.
So Jerusalem will be holy,
And strangers will no longer pass through it.

18 And on that day
The mountains will drip with sweet wine,
And the hills will flow with milk,
And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water;
And a spring will go out from the house of the Lord
And water the Valley of Shittim.
19 Egypt will become a wasteland,
And Edom will become a desolate wilderness,
Because of the violence done to the sons of Judah,
In whose land they have shed innocent blood.
20 But Judah will be inhabited forever,
And Jerusalem for all generations.
21 And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged,
For the Lord dwells in Zion.

Looking forward to the blessings of True Repentance

1) Material Replenishment (2:18-27)

2) Spiritual Renewal (2:28-32)

3) National Restoration (3:1-21)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download