Welcome to another week of Lectionary meditations! Today we will look into the Prophet Amos.
Once in awhile a teacher may have to leave the room for a short while, and she will pick a student to keep order in the class. A supervisor at work may need to be gone for a day, which may lead him to pick a worker to take over the responsibilities for the day. If that teacher or supervisor doesn’t want any problems the ones they pick will not be selected just because they are special “pets”. They will be picked because the teacher or supervisor respects the student or worker, and importantly feels they are capable of handling the responsibility and job.
Now what if, when the teacher stepped out, the child joined the class in causing trouble; or perhaps the worker acted wrongly, or mistreated co-workers. There will be trouble for them when the bosses get back!
Focusing on verse 2, many of the Jewish people felt they were God’s special pets, feeling they were chosen because of how wonderful they were. Many felt that God only loved them, and hated all of the Gentiles. They would not accept that God had chosen them for a purpose, and that was to bring His message to the Gentiles, and to be His light to the world. The Jewish people had basically failed in this, and God stated that they would be punished.
Not only had they failed to spread His love and message to the Gentiles, but many had embraced the false gods of the neighboring nations, and were worshipping them.
In verses 3 thru 6 we see some examples of cause and effect. Certain activities will bring certain results. If God’s people fail to obey His Word, He will send warnings through His prophets, and in modern times His Word and preachers. Then if there is no repentance and turning back to Him, He will bring judgment.
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