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Warning Old Testament Reflection

Read

The Work of a Prophet

3Can two people walk together

without agreeing to meet?

4Does a lion roar in the forest

unless it has caught

a victim?

Does it growl in its den

unless it is eating?

5How can anyone catch a bird

without using a net?

Does a trap spring shut

unless something is caught?

6Isn't the whole city frightened

when the trumpet

signals an attack?

Isn't the Lord the one who brings

disaster on a city?

7Whatever the Lord God

plans to do,

he tells his servants,

the prophets.

8Everyone is terrified

when a lion roars—

and ordinary people

become prophets

when the Lord God speaks.

Samaria Is Doomed

9Here is a message

for the leaders

of Philistia and Egypt—

tell everyone to come together

on the hills of Samaria.

Let them see the injustice

and the lawlessness

in that city.

10The Lord has said

that they don't even know how

to do right.

They have become rich

from violence and robbery.

11And so the Lord God has sworn

that they will be surrounded.

Enemies will break through

their defenses

and steal their treasures.

12The Lord has promised

that only a few from Samaria

will escape with their lives

and with some broken pieces

of their beds and couches.

It will be like when a shepherd

rescues two leg bones

and part of a sheep's ear

from the jaws of a lion.

The Altars at Bethel

13The Lord God All-Powerful

told me to speak this message

against Jacob's descendants:

14 When I, the Lord, punish Israel

for their sins,

I will destroy the altars

at Bethel.

Even the corners of the altar

will be left in the dirt.

15I will tear down winter homes

and summer homes.

Houses decorated with ivory

and all other mansions

will be gone forever.

I, the Lord, have spoken!

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
See this passage in other languages or Bible versions

Reflect

Why did he not warn us the banks would fail and the stock market crash? Why did he not warn us that we would not be able to finish the war we started?

Which crash, which war? That’s the point: there is nothing new under the sun. Greed begets poverty and violence begets violence.

If God does not do anything without telling us first, why do disasters engulf us? He did warn, he is warning, he will keep warning – but he does not need to say another word. Amos has said it all. As night follows day: “Does a trap spring shut unless something is caught?” “They have become rich from violence and robbery” but enemies will “steal their treasures.” The bigger the mansion the bigger the pile of rubble. “Isn’t it the LORD who brings disaster on a city?”

Are we embarrassed by that idea? Why? Is love not justice? Amos invites Israel’s enemies, the Philistines and Egyptians, to visit her cities, to observe their lawlessness and injustice, riches built on the suffering of others. For God will invite them again, to invade, to conquer, to punish. Only a few will escape, clutching fragments of their wealth. He has counted. He has done the math.

“Everyone is terrified when a lion roars – and ordinary people become prophets when the LORD God speaks.” Amos is that ordinary. A shepherd, a man for animals, not people. “It will be like when a shepherd rescues two leg bones” he says, “and part of a sheep’s ear from the jaws of a lion.” He remembered bringing proof of death to the owners of the sheep he tended, lest they think he stole it. Amos could not save the sheep but he must save a remnant. He is reaching into the Lion’s mouth, in Israel’s cities, trying to rescue some, if their ears will just hear his master’s voice.

When we hear Him roar, do we stay ordinary?

Respond

You roar and we hide. You roar again and we listen. You roar again, and we take courage. Roar your words into our hearts. Give us courage by their fierce love. Make us fearless.

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Alexander Best

Alexander cultivated a network of Christian leaders, OneMission, to promote collaboration, including service to the 15,000 new students arriving at University of Toronto each fall, under the umbrella, ServeToronto. He helped foster the same at the PanAm Games in Toronto and is the former Canadian Director of the Lausanne Movement Canada. He publishes THisToronto, a social media platform promoting & connecting the activities of over 300 ministries and churches in the city."

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