AMOS 9:1-4 IS THERE ANY HOPE?

1 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Bring them down on the heads of all the people; those who are left I will kill with the sword. Not one will get away, none will escape. 2 Though they dig down to the depths of the grave, from there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to the heavens, from there I will bring them down. 3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them. Though they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them. 4 Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them. I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good.”

God is sovereign and his judgment is inescapable. Through the prophet, God tells the people of Israel that they are deluded if they think they can avoid the consequences of their disobedience. Whether they run to the temple they built to God, hide in the obscurest corner of creation, or even are swallowed up by an enemy nation, God’s judgment will still be visited upon them.

Like Israel, these are not the words we expect to hear from God. We come to church to receive fellowship, encouragement, comfort and forgiveness. We love to hear the stories of God’s choosing and working in and through a people. We concentrate on God’s deliverance and provision for the small and insignificant. We cheer when the enemies of God are brought down. We are uncomfortable with the harsh words of the prophets and forget Jesus’ tirade in the Temple, cursing of the fig tree and prophecy of the destruction of the Temple. And what about Jesus’ words as record by St. John?

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me…

6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned (John 15:1-2,4,6).

All the rationalizations we have constructed in order to escape God’s judgment will not protect us. But there is a God-given fail-safe shelter. God has sent the Son and if we remain in him, the judgment we deserve has already been executed on him and his righteousness given to us.

Lord Jesus, convict me of the reality of God’s judgment so that I might truly appreciate the extent of your act of love for me on the cross and show my gratitude by following your will. Amen.