We conclude Amos.

In Amos' 9th chapter, we still have a few questions to settle, viz.

1. From last time: Which is the greater trouble, earthquake or famine of God's word?
2. The LORD denied the promised land an entire generation of Israelites after they exited Egypt. How does Israel's murmuring in Amos 9:10 compare to their attitude in Exodus?
3. In v. 11, we see the word "breaches" in a wall. What would be the breaches in the Church?
4. Is the nation of Israel doomed?
5. How is the prophecy of Amos applicable to our present situation?

Let's sort these out and dive into the perfect Law of freedom this morning.

Amos 8 requires some questions.

When you read the 8th chapter of Amos, you will be faced with some interesting questions:

1. Does the fruit mentioned here stand for the northern kingdom of Israel?
2. Compare the nature of songs mentioned in Amos with Psalm 119:54. How would you describe the difference?
3. In present day Israel, where is Dan in relation to Beer-Sheba?
4. After reading v. 7, one has to ask, does God ever forget our sins? Is this good or bad?
5. Which is the greater trouble, earthquake or famine of God's word?

Amos proclaims a message concerning Israel's fidelity to the perfect law of freedom. It is a deep river and wide, but these questions get us at least to dip our toes into the stream.

Earthquake, forest fire, volcano, trouble.

Which is the greater trouble?

1. Earthquake, fire, volcano in Amos 8:8-9, or
2. famine of God's word, v. 11?

One question

This chapter has a slough of familiar things: locusts, bargaining, fire. We can all think back into the Old Testament and forward into the New Testament to recall famous instances of locusts, bargaining with God and fire.

But there is one study question that is all we need to think about, because it is God's question to Amos.

1. "What do you see, Amos?" And we can ask ourselves the same thing, what is the plumb line that God is setting up in the midst of His people?

That should occupy us for at least an hour on Thursday morning!

Findings

In our examination of Amos chapter 6, we had a slough of insights from the men, especially concerning this question:

5. Why would God use a shepherd -- as opposed to a Levite, for example -- to prophesy to these people?

Some of the comments showed excellent insight.

1. Joe: God likes to use the lowly.
2. Len: The lowly are closer to the victims of injustice.
3. Bob: Jesus lowered Himself to wash feet etc.
4. German: If you listen to the rich and powerful, it might be from envy of riches or the compulsion by power. If you listen to the lowly, however, it is a true response from the heart.

I especially like the answer from German.

Study questions for Amos, chapter 6

There are several streams of meaning in this part of the message of Amos. Here are some questions to help you dip into it.

1. What is the evil day that Israel would like to postpone? What is it that they fear?
2. In chapter 3, Amos wrote some questions of the type we refer to as "Is the pope Catholic?" Here in chapter 6, he uses the opposite type of rhetorical question, an oxymoron, e.g., "Can a horse run across a cliff?" What contradiction in terms does Amos see in Israel?
3. Count the number of references to housing of various types. What kind of housing would a shepherd like Amos have?
4. Count the number of references to luxury furnishings and provisions. What kind of provision would a shepherd like Amos have?
5. Why would God use a shepherd -- as opposed to a Levite, for example -- to prophesy to these people?
6. What is the word you would use to identify the sin of Israel that God condemns in this prophecy?
7. What would God's prescription be for countering that sin?

Let's be ready to gaze into this message and let the Holy Ghost work it down into our bones where it will do some good.

Origins

Where does evil come from? The Church teaches a simple, unusual answer:

We must therefore approach the question of the origin of evil by fixing the eyes of our faith on him who alone is its conqueror.
CCC 385

Calneh to Hamath to Gath

Archaeologists are not 100% certain of the locations of Calneh, Hamath and Philistine Gath. But they figure these three cities were, respectively,

1. somewhere near Azaz in Syria, by the border with Turkey;
2. near the foot of Mt. Hermon, maybe near Bet Jen, Syria;
3. Tell es-Safi, near the Revadim kibbutz in Israel, in the foothills above Ashkelon.

The following images click out to show the approximate crow-flying path from Calneh to Hamath and then on to Gath.

This also means Calneh was about 340 miles due west from Nineveh, for which the ruins are just outside Mosul, Iraq.

What the Lord says and why.

Last Thursday, we had the question, Why does the Creator of the universe instill woes for those who cast justice to the ground?

One of the men had a fine answer. Len answered, "It is because God made us in His image. He expects us to be just."