We all know of people whose speech is filled with nice, religious sounding words. They can quote Bible verses with the best of them. They use all sorts of Christian-sounding vocabulary. However, their life doesn’t line up with what they are saying. They can fool many, but they can’t fool God. This is some of what the Prophet Amos faced, and spoke against.
Today’s Old Testament Scripture passage from this week’s Lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer brings us to the prophet Amos. Amos was from the southern Kingdom of Judah, but his message was primarily to the northern Kingdom of Israel, and the years of his ministry were between 760 - 755 BC. Many of the Old Testament prophets were of the priestly class, such as Jeremiah, or even related to the royal family, such as Isaiah and Daniel. However, this was not the case with Amos. He was a shepherd and a farmer of sycamore figs. Though all Jewish boys were taught to read, write, and do basic arithmetic, Amos was not from the intelligentsia or an intellectual like the others. He was a shepherd and farmer.
Amos was hearing many people throughout the land speaking of how they wanted the “Day of the Lord” to come. They liked to talk with religious sounding words, but they didn’t really understand exactly what the term meant. In their mind they were thinking of God coming and obliterating their enemies. These people were calling for the Day of the Lord, thinking it would bring an end to their troubles. The Day of the Lord, in reality, is when God will bring judgment and wrath on all who oppose Him and have not turned to Him in repentance, for both Jewish and Gentile people. No one will be excluded, as they were believing they would be. It will bring justice, and God’s justice will bring the punishment the people deserve for their sins. For the faithful, “the Day of the Lord” will be glorious. For the lost, it will be a day of darkness and gloom.
These people that Amos preached to were still having their religious festivals, religious meetings, and singing hymns (vs. 21-23), but they had rejected God’s Word. They were worshipping pagan idols in addition to their insincere worship of Yahweh. They oppressed the poor and denied justice to others. Amos preached to them that they needed to start living like they truly were Yahweh’s people as they claimed.
We see the same today, people who speak “Christian-sounding” words and phrases, people who claim to be God’s children, but who have not repented from their sins. They do not follow or obey the Word of God that they like to quote. They believe that God is on their side, but like Amos said, if they aren’t obeying Him, God hates all of their false worship services, their offerings, their hymns and worship songs (vs. 21-23). Religious activity without a sincere heart is repugnant to God. It is empty formalism, and angers God. It does not please Him!
If performed with a corrupt heart, even religious festivals, rituals, and offerings are despised by the Lord. He hates false worship by people who go through the motions out of pretense or for show. If we are living sinful lives, but using religious rituals, attending church services, and singing so many “worship songs”, it might make ourselves feel good and holy, but that’s all it will do. God will despise our worship, and not accept our offerings. God wants sincere hearts. This is the message that Amos brought the people.
At the Day of the Lord, God will show Himself the victor over the world. He will vindicate His claims to be the Lord over all of the earth. It will be a day of judgment, punishment, wrath, and justice to the sinner. Hypocrites believe it will be terrible for others, but not for themselves. Believers in the Lord Jesus, those who have asked Him to be their personal Savior, do not need to fear that day. Jesus took the wrath we deserved upon Himself on the cross. We can look with anticipation for the day when the Lord will return, but the lost should fear that day. With that in mind, believers should be all the more active in telling their friends and loved ones about the Savior.
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