Let's turn now to the book of Amos,
Amos chapter 1, verse 1.
This message was given to Amos, a shepherd
from the town of Tekoa in Judah.
He received this message in visions two years
before the earthquake when Uzziah was king of
Judah, and Jeroboam II, the son of Joash,
was king of Israel.
Now, most of these prophets, almost all of
these prophetic books, we know exactly when they
prophesied except Joel.
See, Joel, if you remember the first day
when I gave you a list of the
dates of all the prophets, if you were
observant, you probably discovered Joel was missing.
Well, that's because we don't know from Joel's
prophecy when he prophesied.
Some people say he could have been prophesying
the same time as Elisha.
I don't know.
It's difficult to say.
We can't predict.
But all these other people prophesied and they
told us the time.
And Amos was the first of all these
prophets who preached to Israel.
There are 16 prophetic books starting from Isaiah
going up to Malachi.
And one of those books, Jonah, he did
not preach to Israel.
He preached to Nineveh.
And Jonah is not essentially a book of
prophecy.
It's a book of history.
And Jonah lived immediately after Elisha.
But Amos was the first of all these
other 15 books of prophecy.
And he preached to Israel, the northern kingdom.
He was the first of the prophets.
All the others came after him.
And he had these great examples like Elijah
and Elisha before him.
He never knew any of them personally.
There was no written prophecy that Elijah and
Elisha left behind.
So we can say that Amos was the
first person to put down a written prophecy.
And keep that in mind.
And he was not a professional prophet.
He was a shepherd.
Just like the first apostles were fishermen, tax
collectors.
Like Elijah was also a farmer.
Elisha rather.
And Amos was a man who looked after
cattle and sheep and grew figs.
He, let me just show you a verse
in chapter 7, verse 14 to 15.
He says, Amos 7, 14 and 15, he
says, in reply to another priest, he says,
to a priest.
He says, I'm not one of your professional
prophets.
I certainly never got any training to be
a prophet.
I'm just a shepherd and I take care
of fig trees.
But the Lord called me away from my
flock and told me, go and prophesy to
my people in Israel.
Why did God pick on Amos to be
the first person to write down a prophetic
message?
He must have watched him like he watches
all people.
To see whether this man who's just an
ordinary shepherd, he's not a scholar, he's not
a priest.
But he's very faithful in his task.
He's God-fearing.
He goes to the temple.
He seeks to fear God and is kind
to the poor people and lives in a
good way.
And God had his eye on him and
encouraged him and spoke to his heart.
And one day picked him up and said,
you're going to be my servant.
You know that God watches you.
We can get a lot of training and
try to serve God like that.
But this is different.
This is where we are faithful in our
daily life.
Humbling ourselves before God, listening to him, studying
the scriptures, waiting upon him.
And faithful, faithful for years.
Perhaps Amos was faithful for 25 years.
I don't know.
I know that Jesus was faithful for 30
years in Nazareth before he was called to
preach.
He was faithful, faithful, Amos.
And you can be faithful, faithful, faithful, faithful
in the little things, wondering if something's going
to happen.
And one day God picks you up and
says, okay, you're going to be my servant.
So, God calls those who are faithful in
their secular work.
He did that before Christ came.
Jesus himself called people who were faithful in
their secular work to his service.
And one phrase that never occurs in the
book of Amos is the phrase, the God
of Israel.
It's the Holy One of Israel.
These type of phrases never occur in Amos
because Amos was so large hearted, he saw
God as the God of all nations.
Not just the God of Israel, even though
he prophesied to Israel.
And you see in Amos chapter 9 and
verse 7, the Lord says, it's a very
interesting verse for the first of the prophets
in that time to say.
Amos 9 verse 7.
Do you Israelites think that you are more
important to me than the Ethiopians?
Asks the Lord.
I brought you out of Egypt.
That's right.
But haven't I done as much for other
nations?
I brought the Philistines from Crete.
And I let the Arameans, the Assyrians, out
of Kir.
I brought you out of Egypt.
What's the difference between you and them?
That was Amos's vision.
He was a new covenant man who believed
that God would gather the Gentiles as much
as the Jews and make them one body.
It's interesting to see how even though these
people were in Israel, they had a large
heart for all of God's people.
They were not narrow like the other Israelites
were who felt, oh, we are the only
people.
Have you seen some Christians like that?
They sit in some denomination and they say,
ours is the only denomination that God has
accepted.
God has not accepted anybody else.
If you want to be with God, you
got to be with us.
There were people like that in Israel too.
Not the prophets.
They had a large heart.
And even today, a true servant of God
will have a large heart that accepts God's
people in every denomination.
Those who love the Lord.
He realizes that Babylon is not in a
system.
Babylon is not this church or that church
or the other church.
It's a world system which can be found
in your heart.
And you can sit in the best church
in the world and be a part of
Babylon.
That's possible.
I've seen that through 25 years.
People who sit in the best church in
the world and they are 100% a
part of Babylon.
Because it's in their spirit.
They think that because they've come out of
a system, they are free from it.
No, you're not.
If you love money, whichever church in the
world you sit in, you're a part of
Babylon.
If you live according to the flesh, whichever
church in the world you sit in, you're
an adulteress.
You can glory over those other denominations saying,
oh, I don't worship Mary or things like
that.
Maybe you worship your sexual lusts.
What is the difference?
So much of deception in Christendom today.
Narrow minded approach thinking that God only cares
for this little group over here.
This is how cults are built.
The body of Christ is larger than any
denomination.
God's people are not found in any denomination
today.
God has got his people in the Roman
Catholic Church.
I believe that.
There are born again people there who love
the Lord.
I don't agree with the system.
I don't agree with many things in that
system.
But I don't deny the fact that God
has his people there.
And there are unbelievers in the separated churches.
In the best churches there are unbelievers sitting
there.
Particularly in the second and third generation.
People who don't know the Lord.
So, we must see something of Amos' vision.
God punishes all nations.
And he gathers people from all nations.
And when you look at Amos' illustrations.
His illustrations throughout the book come from his
shepherd life.
He talks about a bullock cart full of
sheaves of corn.
He talks about a shepherd trying to rescue
bits of a lamb from a lion's mouth.
He talks about caterpillars.
How plowing the fields and locusts and the
stars.
Showing that he sat observing the greatness of
God.
And God gives him a word where he
pronounces judgment on rich people.
And especially the rich.
The wives of the rich people.
Who lived in such luxury in those days.
You see, Amos was living at a time
when Jeroboam, like it says here, was ruling
over Israel.
And they did not have many wars in
those days at that particular time.
Even though Jeroboam was a man who lived
in evil.
And when Israel did not have many enemies,
what happened is.
It expanded its borders.
And people engaged in a lot of business.
There was not expense on war.
The result was people became very, very rich.
Some of the things you read in the
book of Amos.
Is that there were people who had many
houses.
The beautiful homes of the wealthy.
He says in chapter 3, verse 15.
They had winter mansions and summer houses.
Now only a very rich person can have
one house for the summer.
And another house for the winter.
Summer house in the mountains.
And winter house in the valleys.
Rich people.
They had very expensive furniture.
Ivory beds, chapter 6, verse 4.
Beds made of ivory.
And the same verse.
Eating the meat of tender lambs and choice
calves.
They were gluttons.
They were drinking as we read in chapter
4, verse 1.
And along with all this, they were also
exploiting poor people.
Chapter 2, verse 6.
They were selling honest people for silver.
And selling poor people as slaves.
Just for a pair of sandals.
So, you see this is the type of
atmosphere in which we can say.
Communism can breed.
You know for years and years before communism
came on the scene.
It was exactly like this in many many
countries.
The rich people, fantastically rich landlords.
And exploiting the poor people.
You need to get a little picture from
all these verses.
Of the type of situation in which Amos
lived.
You see for example.
People who were eager.
Chapter 8, verse 5.
For the Sabbath day to be over.
So that they could go and do business.
Very business minded.
Money, money, money.
As soon as the Sabbath is over.
Let me go and continue my business.
They were the wives of the rich people.
You read of in chapter 4, verse 1.
They are called the fat cows of Samaria.
They oppressed the poor.
And always asking their husbands for another drink.
This is the type of situation they lived
in.
And what about the rulers among God's people.
The rulers and the leaders.
Chapter 6, lived in luxury.
And thinking that they were secure.
At the same time.
They had a lot of religion.
We read for example in chapter 4.
And verse 4.
About their offering sacrifices in Bethel and Gilgal.
Of course they were offering to the idols.
But they were offering sacrifices in the morning.
And they were bringing their tithes every three
days.
And presenting their Thanksgiving offerings.
And voluntary offerings.
And all that.
Chapter 4, verse 4 and 5.
And many other verses like that.
Which show that they were a very very
religious people.
Chapter 5, verse 21.
They had solemn assemblies.
Special meetings.
Religious festivals.
Burnt offerings.
Verse 23.
Hymns of praise.
They had praise and worship.
And the Lord said, it is all a
noise in my ears.
I will not listen to your music.
Verse 5, 23.
No matter how lovely it is.
I will not listen to your music.
No matter how lovely it is.
So here is a picture of the type
of people to whom Amos was preaching.
Rich people.
Enjoying grand houses.
Upper middle class.
People.
Exploiting poor people.
And not feeling bad about it.
And at the same time very religious.
These rich people were board members in their
churches.
And they were given honorable positions by the
pastors and the priests and leaders.
Very similar to what is happening in a
lot of cities in India today.
It is not popular to go and preach
to such people and tell them the truth.
Amos had a difficult ministry.
There were professional priests like we read in
chapter 7 of Amaziah.
Who confronted this Amos.
Amaziah versus Amos.
Amaziah the professional priest.
Hired by the rich establishment.
And paid a very good salary.
By all the rich members in the board.
Because he kept preaching things that would make
them happy.
Keep them happy.
And in comes this shepherd.
Prophet.
Untrained.
Man gets into the pulpit and thunders away
at all these rich people.
And the rich people must have got mad.
Get this fellow out of here.
Preaching false doctrine.
Preaching heresy.
Throw him out.
And Amaziah takes that job on himself.
To throw out Amos.
So you find that these Old Testament books
are very relevant to our time.
When we read all these verses.
It's all in here.
If you read it carefully.
It's all in here.
And what does he say.
Let's turn.
In chapter 1 and 2.
He's talking about judgment.
On a number of nations.
And then in chapters 3 to 6.
He gives Israel the reasons why they are
being judged.
And then like all the prophets.
In the last three chapters.
He gives a prophecy of restoration.
After judgment.
Now first of all.
He preaches in chapter 1.
And pronounces judgment on.
Verse 3.
On Damascus.
And on Gaza.
Verse 6.
On Tyre.
Verse 9.
On Edom.
And 11.
Verse 13.
Ammon.
Moab.
Chapter 2.
Verse 1.
So here are.
Six nations against which.
He.
Prophesies.
And I can imagine.
Of the Israelites.
When they were listening.
Amos thundering away in the pulpit.
Woe unto Damascus.
God is going to judge Gaza.
God is going to judge Tyre.
God is going to judge Edom.
They're all very happy.
They say Amen.
Praise the Lord.
It's going to be like that.
And then he says.
Woe unto Judah.
Woe unto Israel.
And then the Ammons become silent.
Because now he's preaching directly to them.
We always like to hear a preacher.
Who's telling us.
What's wrong with all the other churches.
Right?
You like to hear a preacher who tells
you.
What's wrong with all the other churches.
Except yours.
That's how.
Amos really.
He.
Sort of worked them up.
He got them to say their Ammons.
And then he honed in on them.
He was a wise man.
He said.
You're no different.
You fellows in Judah.
Chapter 2.
Verse 4.
All of you people in Israel.
Chapter 2.
Verse 6.
He uses this expression.
For three transgressions.
And for four.
Verse 3 onwards.
That means.
They have sinned again and again.
He.
That means.
God is saying.
I ignored three transgressions.
But I won't let you go the fourth
time.
Not literally the fourth time.
That means.
I let you go a number of times.
But now that's the end.
I'm not going to let you go anymore.
I've forgiven you enough number of times.
You're just taking advantage.
Of my goodness.
It's a word that we need to hear.
Are you one of those who take advantage
of God's goodness.
And what are the things which he condemns.
If you.
I don't have time to show it all
to you.
But you read it in chapter 1 and
chapter 2.
He condemns them for being cruel.
To.
For the.
The way they treated other human beings.
For example.
See verse 3.
The last part.
You beat down my people in Gilead.
As grain is threshed.
That means.
You took advantage of these poor people.
And you hammered them.
And verse 5.
And verse 6.
The other group.
Again.
It is their treatment of other poor people.
You sent my people into exile.
Verse 6.
Selling them.
As slaves.
Verse 9.
The other sin.
Again the treatment of other people.
They broke their covenant of brotherhood with Israel.
And sold whole villages.
As slaves to Edom.
Verse 11.
The sin of Edom is.
They chased down their relatives.
The Israelites.
The Israelites were their cousins.
Chased them down with swords.
Verse 13.
The people of Ammon.
They attacked Gilead.
And ripped open the pregnant women.
And Moab.
Chapter 2.
Verse 1.
Was so angry with the king of Edom.
That by the time they got there.
The king of Edom had died.
They dug up his grave.
Pulled out his bones.
And took revenge on his bones.
Burnt it to ashes.
Chapter 2.
Verse 1.
Now.
In all these.
Cases.
You find.
It is their anger.
Against other people.
It's one common thing.
They're all angry with other people.
And want to take revenge on them.
And be hard on other people.
What is the message to us?
For three transgressions and for four.
Meaning.
Okay.
You've done a lot of wrong things in
your life.
I'll let you go for all of them.
God says.
But when you treat other people like this.
I'm really going to come down hard on
you.
I told you when we studied Genesis.
God never cursed Adam.
He sinned and destroyed himself.
But when Cain.
Hurt another human being.
He was cursed.
There are sins that affect us.
And there are sins that affect other people.
Let me repeat it.
When you get drunk.
You smoke a cigarette.
You hurt yourself.
That's a sin.
You'll be judged.
But it's not as serious.
As.
When you sin in a way that will
hurt other people.
When you gossip.
Speak evil about others.
Ruin their reputation.
When you hurt others.
When you molest a woman.
When you violate her purity.
Those are sins that hurt others.
They are very serious.
How would you like it if somebody did
that to your daughter?
Or your sister?
How would you like it if somebody lusted
after your daughter or your sister?
Any sin that violates another person's life.
Is very serious in God's eyes.
I believe that.
But it's very difficult to find a church.
Where people believe that gossiping is worse than
smoking cigarettes.
Because.
We haven't got prophets to tell us what
the God's word says.
See how hard God was on these people.
Now when it comes to Judah and Israel.
See what he says to them.
Chapter 2 verse 4.
You have rejected the laws of the Lord.
You have disobeyed God's word.
Those other fellows didn't have laws.
They just treated other people badly.
But you.
You had God's laws.
And therefore.
I will send fire on Judah.
And the people of Israel.
Verse 6.
They have sinned again and again and again.
And they have also hurt other people.
Selling poor people for a pair of sandals.
Denied trampled helpless people in the dust.
Verse 7.
Denied justice to those who are oppressed.
Living in adultery.
At their religious festivals.
They lounge around in clothing stolen from their
debtors.
And in the house of their God.
They present offerings of wine purchased with stolen
money.
It's like people who have cheated the income
tax.
And with that money.
They give it to God's work.
What did Jesus say?
First give to Caesar.
To the government.
What belongs to the government.
And then give to God.
What belongs to God.
That's the order.
So.
He warns all these people.
And condemns them for their attitude.
For selling their people as slaves.
Etc.
And now we come to chapter 3.
One more thing I want to show you
here is.
In verse 12.
Chapter 2 verse 12.
You.
Verse 11.
I chose some of your sons to be
prophets.
And I chose some of your sons to
be Nazarites.
Nazarites were those people who were set apart.
To be exclusively for God.
Like Samson.
But.
You caused the Nazarites to sin.
By making them drink wine.
That means.
You corrupted the few wholehearted believers.
They were in your church.
There were a few wholehearted believers in your
church.
And you spoiled them.
By your worldliness.
And your jesting.
And your fooling around.
And your joking.
And your immoral behavior.
And all that.
Even those few young wholehearted people got corrupted.
This is really true.
In India.
God calls some young man.
Some young woman.
Here and there to be a prophet.
Or a Nazarite.
Separated to God.
And they get corrupted.
By looking at the example.
Of older people.
Who are going in a wrong direction.
And the Lord says to those older people.
You have destroyed.
These budding prophets.
You have destroyed these Nazarites.
So what is my word to all of
you young people.
Don't look at these bad examples you have.
Who are older than you.
Follow the examples of Christ like leaders.
And ignore all the rest.
Even if their doctrines are correct.
Don't just think because a man's doctrines are
right.
He is a godly man.
It's character.
Christ likeness that makes a man a godly
man.
In chapter 3 to verse 6.
Chapter 6.
He says about why Israel is being judged.
He says can two people walk together.
Verse 3.
Without agreement.
The Lord is saying.
How can you and I walk together.
Unless we are in complete fellowship.
If there are things in your life.
With which I cannot agree.
And you don't set them right.
How can we walk together.
You want to walk with me.
Sure.
But we must be in agreement.
We must be in fellowship.
Take my yoke upon you.
You got to follow me.
You got to be righteous like me.
Does a lion ever roar in a thicket.
Without first finding a victim.
Does a young lion growl.
Without first catching his prey.
He says if I am roaring in judgment.
There is a reason for it.
There is sin.
When disaster comes to a city.
Verse 6.
When the war trumpet blares.
Shouldn't the people be alarmed.
When disaster comes to a city.
Isn't it because the Lord planned it.
In a few years after Amos preached.
Assyria would come and bring disaster upon.
Israel and Samaria.
And the Lord says.
Don't think I didn't plan it.
I planned it.
As a punishment.
To teach you fellows a lesson.
But before I do that.
Before I bring that nation to punish you.
I will always.
Verse 7.
Warn you through my prophets.
That's a wonderful word.
Even today.
In the church.
God warns his people.
Repeatedly through his prophets.
Saying turn from sin.
If you don't.
This is what's going to happen.
It won't happen tomorrow.
It happened about a hundred years after.
Amos prophesied perhaps.
But it came.
Noah preached a hundred years later.
The rain came.
It will come.
But God always warns people through his prophets.
Before the judgment comes.
So since the lion has roared.
Verse 8.
Tremble in fear.
The sovereign Lord has spoken.
I dare not refuse to proclaim his message.
What the Lord is saying here is.
Supposing there's a lion in front of you.
And he roars.
You would tremble there.
And the Lord says.
I'm speaking.
And you're not trembling.
I'm speaking about your.
Impurity.
In your thoughts.
In your eyes.
Your.
Unrighteousness in your financial dealings.
Your worship of other things other than me.
And you're more afraid of a lion that
I created.
Than of me.
Roaring and speaking in the pulpit.
You say.
Oh that's just Amos.
He's just an untrained shepherd.
Well.
He may have been an untrained shepherd.
But he was a prophet of God.
So he says.
Announce this to all the leaders.
Take your seats now.
And witness.
What is going to happen to Israel.
For their crimes.
My people have forgotten to do.
Forgotten what it means to do right.
Chapter 3.
Verse 10.
And in Chapter 4.
He speaks about the women.
And he calls them.
You fat cows.
You.
They were so fat.
Because they ate so much.
And they drank so much.
And they were.
Always asking their husbands for another drink.
Verse 1.
And he says.
The time will come.
When you cows.
Somebody will put a hook in your nose.
And.
Drag you away.
Verse 2.
All of you will be dragged with a
hook in your nose.
You fat cows.
See the Lord is.
Pretty.
Strong.
Sharp.
Sarcastic.
When he speaks.
To wake up these people.
Prophets.
Are usually sarcastic.
Because that's the only way to wake up
people.
Jesus.
Spoke with sarcasm.
And with strong language.
And these.
Prophets.
Also did that.
And.
He says.
You can keep on.
Offering all your sacrifices.
I couldn't care less for any of them.
And then the Lord says.
I tried to.
Teach you by.
Various calamities.
That I was.
Trying to.
That I was not happy with your life.
But you wouldn't listen.
I brought hunger to a city.
We're six.
Famine to another town.
But you wouldn't return.
I stopped the rain from falling.
In the place where you needed it the
most.
Ruining your crops.
I sent rain in one town.
Verse seven.
And withheld it from another.
Rain fell in one field.
And did not fall in the other.
And people staggered from town to town.
Verse eight.
For a drink of water.
And there wasn't enough.
But you still would not return to me.
We're six.
You still would not return to me.
I struck your farms and vineyards.
With blight.
You still would not return to me.
I sent sicknesses and plagues.
You still would not return to me.
Verse ten.
I destroyed some of your cities.
Verse eleven.
You still would not return to me.
After all this.
If you still don't return to me.
There is only one solution now.
Verse twelve.
Prepare to meet your God.
Prepare.
To meet.
Your God.
Because he's tried his best.
Through all the things that's happened in your
life.
To tell you that he's not happy with
you.
You have no fellowship.
You're not building.
The body of Christ.
You're just wandering.
But you don't seem to wake up.
Okay.
Then prepare to meet your God.
Because he's coming in judgment.
Okay.
Now in chapter five.
He talks about.
In verse five.
Don't go to worship in Bethel.
Gilgal.
Beersheba.
In these places.
These are places where.
God worked in the past.
In Bethel.
God met with Jacob.
In Beersheba was another place.
Where he met with Jacob.
Gilgal was the place where Joshua.
Circumcised people after coming through Jordan.
Places where God.
Met with people in the past.
And spoke to them.
He says.
Don't live in the past.
Don't say.
Oh.
The man who founded our assembly.
Our church 200 years ago.
Was a godly man.
Some of these godly people.
Who founded churches.
200 300 years ago.
If they came to earth today.
They would not join the churches they founded.
They would go somewhere else.
Because those churches are backslidden so much.
From the time then.
Those godly men.
He said.
Don't look back to the past.
That's what he's saying.
And.
But see where God is now.
Where is God moving now.
That's what we need to see.
But it says in verse 10.
How you hate.
Honest judges.
How you despise people.
Who tell you the truth.
You trample the poor.
You steal what little they have.
Through taxes and.
Through high rents.
When a believer.
Rents out his house to somebody.
Particularly if the other person is very poor.
Do you know that God is very interested
to see.
How much rent he charges.
For that man.
Do you believe that.
God is interested to see.
If one believer is exploiting another believer.
In little things like this.
And Amos says.
I know you fellas don't like somebody.
Who tells you the truth.
But this is the truth.
If you do all this.
One day God will punish you.
And he will take away these good houses.
That you are living in.
I know the vast number of your sins.
You oppress.
Verse 12.
Good people by taking bribes.
And you deprive the poor people.
Of justice in the courts.
So this is an evil time.
So he says.
Do what is good.
And run from evil.
Verse 14.
That you may live.
Now.
Chapter 6.
Verse 1.
How terrible it could be.
For all of you.
Who lounge in luxury.
And think that you are secure.
In verses 4 to 6.
It speaks about their living in luxury.
Eating tender food.
And singing a lot of songs.
To the sound of the harp.
And it says.
You fancy that you are great musicians.
Like King David.
It's quite sarcastic.
The Lord is there.
So you fellas think you can play music.
Like King David.
He had a good heart.
You fellas just have music.
And you play the cassettes.
That's all.
You drink wine by the bowl full.
And you got such a lot of perfume.
And fragrances.
And you care nothing.
That the church is in such a pathetic
state.
You are just happy that.
Everything is going well in your home.
You got your music.
And you got your nice house.
And your good food.
But how many of you are concerned about.
The condition of the nation.
In our time.
The condition of the church.
Joseph's affliction.
That's what it's called.
You are not concerned.
About the Joseph's affliction.
Joseph is a word representing Israel.
You are not concerned about that.
And the Lord says.
I despise verse 8.
The pride and the false glory of Israel.
I hate.
Their beautiful homes.
Do you think God hates beautiful homes?
He does hate it.
If such a person is not concerned.
That the church should be beautiful.
I don't mean the physical building of the
church.
I'm talking about the people.
If there is no.
If a person is not concerned for holiness
in the church.
However beautiful a home he may build.
God says I hate your beautiful home.
Now.
We come to visions of judgment.
And promises of restoration.
In chapter 7.
There's a vision of a fire.
Verse 4.
A great fire.
With which God was going to punish his
people.
The fire had burned up the depths of
the sea.
And was devouring the entire land.
And Amos prayed.
He said.
Oh sovereign Lord.
Please don't do it.
If you send a fire like this.
Nothing will be left.
And the Lord gave up the plan.
Verse 6.
See one man stood in the gap.
In Ezekiel 22.
Verse 30.
There's a verse which says.
I sought for a man to stand in
the gap.
But I didn't find one.
I did not find an intercessor.
Here was one man who stood in the
gap.
He saw this fire coming sweeping across.
Destroying Israel.
And he said Lord please.
Just like Moses.
When God wanted to destroy Israel.
He pleaded.
These prophets were people who prayed.
And though Israel did not value the prophets.
It was because of one prophet sometimes.
Israel was saved because of Amos.
They didn't know it.
Then the Lord gave him another vision.
And he says.
Here is a plumb line.
You know the plumb line which masons use.
When building a building.
To see if it's absolutely straight.
And he says.
I'm going to test people with this plumb
line.
Verse 8.
I will not ignore their sins.
And I will destroy them.
And then you see this confrontation.
Between the Babylonian priest.
And Jerusalem Amos.
Amosiah the priest of Bethel.
When he heard what Amos was saying.
He went to the king.
And he told a lie.
He said Amos is hatching a plot.
Against you.
You know these.
False preachers.
And false prophets.
They are always ready.
To spread lies.
About the true prophets of God.
Saying that he is preaching this.
And he is preaching that.
Against the true prophets.
It's happened in Amos time.
It's happened in the 2000 years of church
history.
He is preaching this.
This will lead to confusion.
If you listen to what he is preaching.
It will lead to confusion in your church.
And Amosiah came to Amos.
Verse 12.
He said get out of here you seer.
You came from Judah.
To Israel to preach here.
Go back to your country.
And preach over there.
With your prophecies.
We've got enough preachers here.
We don't want any of your preaching here.
But Amos said listen Amosiah.
Verse 14.
I'm not one of your professional prophets.
I didn't get any training to be a
prophet.
I'm just a shepherd.
I'm not a prophet.
I'm not a son of a prophet.
I take care of fig trees.
And I was looking after my flock and
the fig trees.
When God one day came to me and
said.
Go to the northern kingdom.
And prophesy to them.
That's why I came.
I didn't come here to make money or
any such thing.
Now the Lord says.
Listen to this.
Message Amosiah.
The Lord is saying.
You're telling me to stop prophesying to Israel.
You're telling me to stop preaching.
This is what the Lord says.
Because you oppose me.
And you refuse to listen.
Your wife will become a prostitute.
In this city.
And your sons and daughters will be killed
here.
Your land will be divided up.
And you yourself will die in a foreign
land.
It's a dangerous thing.
To fight against God's prophets.
Then the Lord gave him another vision of
ripe fruit.
He said.
What do you see?
A basket full of ripe fruit.
And the Lord said.
This fruit means Israel is ripe.
For punishment.
And then we see this verse in 11
and 12.
There's going to be a famine of the
word of God.
In the last days.
Not a famine of bread and water.
Amos 8, 11 and 12.
But people will go here and there.
Here and there.
Looking for the word of the Lord.
I believe we are living in such a
time today.
Not the word of God.
The word of God is an expression for
the Bible.
This is the word of God.
But when it says the word of the
Lord.
The word of the covenant Jehovah.
That means a prophetic word.
Which comes from a prophet's mouth.
That word of the Lord will be rare.
The Bible society will make sure.
That the Bibles are distributed.
But the word of the Lord.
The prophetic word will still be rare.
And people will wander here and there.
To hear a prophet.
And they will not find it.
They will go from sea to sea.
And beautiful girls and fine young women.
Will grow faint and weary.
Thirsting for the Lord's word.
So what is the answer?
When you get an opportunity to hear such
a word.
Listen to it carefully.
Listen to what God is saying to your
heart.
Take it seriously.
And in chapter 9.
The Lord says in verse 11.
I'll restore the fallen kingdom of David.
It's now like a house in ruins.
The tabernacle of David.
That's the verse that's quoted.
In Acts chapter 15.
Verse 16 and 17.
James quotes this verse.
To refer to the building of the church.
So we know that this is referring to
the church.
It's referring to the building of the church.
The tabernacle of David.
Which is going to be restored.
Now it's like a house in ruins.
I will rebuild its walls.
And if the church.
Is in a ruined condition in many places.
The Lord says I will rebuild it.
And Israel will possess what is left of
Edom.
A picture of the flesh.
And all the nations.
I the Lord have spoken it and I
will do it.
And the time will come.
When the plow man verse 13 will overtake
the reaper.
What does that mean?
We have sowed many wrong things in the
past.
And we are reaping, reaping, reaping, reaping.
But the Lord says the time will come.
When the plow man will overtake the reaper.
That means.
The new things that you are sowing in
your life.
After you're converted.
After you've decided to be wholehearted.
Will wipe out.
The things that you're reaping from your old
life.
This will overtake that.
The dirty thoughts that plague your mind.
Because you read such a lot of pornographic
filthy literature in the past.
And which is causing you such a lot
of filthy dreams.
Gradually the reaping of that will be replaced
by.
What you're going to reap because now you're
filling your mind with the word of God.
And those dirty dreams will become less and
less and less frequent.
And gradually disappear.
Think of that.
Because now you're sowing good seed.
Not the bad seed like the old days.
That's the end of Amos.
Obadiah.
It's just one chapter.
And we can just look at it.
Obadiah was a man who preached.
During the same period.
As Jeremiah.
And have you ever wondered why.
Obadiah.
Just wrote a small chapter.
Of 21 verses.
Very small.
Just about one page.
I thought about that.
And.
I got this answer.
If you had gone to Obadiah and said
well Obadiah.
Why did you write such a small one
page.
Prophecy.
He had said well brother.
Jeremiah is here and he's been preaching for
30 years.
And he's a godly man.
And he has said so much.
I don't want to speak too much.
In the presence of such a godly man.
I see the humility there.
In Obadiah.
When you understand that he was preaching at
the same time.
As Jeremiah.
You know.
Like in a church where there's freedom for
ministry.
And a godly older brother has got up.
And spoken for a long time.
Ministry of God's word.
And then you get up.
And you add just a few sentences.
Because you respect.
The godliness of this older man.
This is Obadiah.
I want you to have a little respect
for him.
So that when you meet him in heaven.
And he asks you did you read my
book.
You'll be able to say yes.
I did read it.
I never read it till we had those
special meetings.
But after that I did read it.
And that's one advantage of going through this
Bible study.
When you meet all these people in heaven.
You say yes at least we spent a
half an hour.
Reading what you had to write about.
You won't be embarrassed when you meet these
people.
Okay.
Obadiah is speaking about the judgment of Edom.
Edom is a picture of the flesh.
And it's a picture of the destruction of
the flesh.
And it says here.
About their pride.
You are proud verse 3.
Because you live in a rock.
Like an eagle in a fortress.
Up there.
You see it's verse 4.
Though you soar as high as eagles.
And build your nest among the stars.
You see.
The flesh tries to exalt itself like an
eagle.
And it thinks it's got a security.
Like the nest of an eagle up there.
But God says I'll bring it all down.
It's a prophecy of the destruction of the
flesh.
And we praise God.
That the flesh that we have.
Is going to be destroyed completely by the
Holy Spirit.
And verse 49.
The Lord says he's going to.
Use the very things.
That Edom trusted in.
To destroy him.
If thieves came at night.
Verse 5.
And robbed you.
They would not take everything.
And even those who harvest grapes.
Will always leave a few for the poor.
But your enemies will wipe you out completely.
And the head and cranny of Edom.
Will be searched and looted.
Every treasure will be found and taken.
Spiritually the meaning of this is.
Every little corner.
That is called flesh.
In our life.
Every lust of the flesh.
Is going to be destroyed completely.
And overcome by the power of the spirit.
All your allies will turn against you.
They'll have to chase you from your land.
And so on.
Now in actual terms.
Why Edom was punished.
Verse 10.
That they did to their close relatives Israel.
Because.
In the time of Israel's greatest need.
Verse 11.
When they were being taken captive.
You stood aloof.
And you refused to lift a finger.
To help them.
When foreign invaders carried off their wealth.
You acted as though.
You were one of Israel's enemies.
You shouldn't have done this.
You know there are sins of commission.
And sins of omission.
And not only of sins.
That are committed.
Let me ask you.
In the story of the good Samaritan.
You know the story of the man who
was going from Jerusalem.
Jericho and was beaten up.
And it was falling fallen by the wayside.
What sin.
Did the priest do.
Who walked by.
What sin did the Levite commit.
Who walked by.
Did they go and hammer up that man
some more.
No.
Their sin was.
You did not lift a finger.
To help that needy man.
How many of you believe.
That when you don't lift a finger.
To help a person whom you can help.
That that is a sin.
You don't have to slap him.
The very fact like it says here.
You just stood aloof.
Verse 11.
You did not lift a finger.
To help that person.
That's a sin.
It's a sin of omission.
And the Lord takes it seriously.
You shouldn't have done this.
And the other is.
You gloated.
That means when something bad happened.
To something somebody whom you did not like.
You felt a little happy.
Have you felt a little happy when something
bad happened.
To somebody you did not like.
That's the sin mentioned here.
You should not have rejoiced.
Because somebody else is suffering misfortune.
You should not have.
And they did something more.
They fought against these people.
And cut them down at the crossroads.
Verse 14.
They cooperated with their enemies.
And finally the Lord says.
Restoration again.
All these prophets speak about restoration.
But Jerusalem.
Will become a refuge for those who escape
one day.
Verse 17.
It will be a holy place.
And the people of Israel will come back.
To reclaim their inheritance.
At that time.
Israel will be a flaming fire for the
Lord.
And Edom a field of dry stubble.
And.
The exiles.
Verse 20 of Israel will come back.
And deliverers.
Will go up to Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
To rule over the mountains of Edom.
And the Lord himself will be king.
Today God has called us.
To be those deliverers.
Who go and proclaim.
To people.
Behold your king.
And invite people to come back.
I want to show you one more verse.
Before I close.
And that is.
It says here.
In.
Verse 3 and 4.
The pride of your heart.
Has deceived you.
Why is it many believers.
Are deceived.
What is the reason for deception.
Here is the answer.
Pride.
When we are proud.
We open ourselves up.
To spiritual deception.
Because.
Pride is the very nature of Satan.
The deceiver.
The moment we become proud of something.
Maybe you are proud of your good looks.
Proud of your intelligence.
Proud of your spirituality.
Proud of Bible knowledge.
Proud of anything.
The moment you have pride of any sort.
Immediately the devil holds your hand and says.
Wonderful you and I are in fellowship now.
Any type of pride.
There is not an atom of pride in
Jesus Christ.
He was the humblest man that walked on
the earth.
The moment you humble yourself.
You are in fellowship with Jesus.
And Jesus says you and I are in
fellowship now.
It's a very dangerous thing to be proud.
I would say pride is more dangerous than
adultery.
Because adultery is a sin.
Which is evident.
And sins which are evident.
Are not as serious.
As sins which are not evident.
Pride.
Obadiah is preaching against pride.
Like an eagle.
Living up in its nest.
He says here.
You think you are secure.
You think you are so great.
That is why you are deceived.
Let's learn a lesson.
From this one page that this man wrote.
This brief exhortation.
And let us go as deliverers.
Like it says in verse 21.
To proclaim.
That Jesus is king.
And let's lift our fingers.
At least.
Or our hands.
To help others who are in need.
And if we do that.
Obadiah would not have written.
That one page.
In vain.
Let's pray.
Heavenly father.
Thank you for the faithfulness of these prophets.
Who spoke fearlessly.
Words that come to us.
2500 years later.
And challenge us today.
Help us.
In the light of your word.
To honor you.
We pray in Jesus name.