Amos - The God Of Justice - Preach The Word

THE GOD OF JUSTICE
David Legge
The God Of Justice - Chapter 4
"The Third Charge: Apathy"
Copyright 2011
by David Legge
G
ood evening, wonderful to be here again tonight to preach the word of God and
to join in fellowship with one another around His truth. We're turning again
tonight - if it's your first time, we're in the book of Amos, which is three books
away past the book of Daniel, the prophecy of Daniel - a little book of nine chapters
that we're seeking to work through these nights. Not primarily preaching the Gospel,
although the Gospel application is through the message, but primarily bringing the
word of God to all - and much of it has been applicable to those of us who would
consider ourselves Christians, because this is a prophecy that comes to God's ancient
people, Israel. Tonight we're looking at chapters 5 and 6. Now, if you were here on
Monday night we looked at 'The Accused', that was six Gentile nations that God was
pronouncing judgement upon, and then the southern kingdom of Judah and the
northern kingdom of Israel - and that made it up to eight. God was judging His own
people because their sins were the same sins, and indeed worse than the nations
roundabout.
Then on Tuesday night we looked at God's first charge to Israel, and that was the sin
of 'Aimlessness' - can two walk together except they be agreed? Then last night we
looked at God's second charge, which was 'Affluence', and how they were valuing the
valueless. Tonight we're looking at the third charge, which is 'Apathy', and how the
God of justice - and that's the theme we've taken throughout the week - the God of
justice brings this third charge of apathy to God's people, Israel. We'll not read both
chapters in total, but a number of verses from each.
Chapter 5 then, and reading from verses 1 to 9 first of all: "Hear this word which I
take up against you, a lamentation, O house of Israel: the virgin of Israel has fallen;
she will rise no more. She lies forsaken on her land; there is no one to raise her up.
For thus says the Lord GOD: 'The city that goes out by a thousand shall have a
hundred left, and that which goes out by a hundred shall have ten left to the house of
Israel'. For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: 'Seek Me and live; but do not
seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go
into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing. Seek the LORD and live, lest He
break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in
Bethel; you who turn justice to wormwood, and lay righteousness to rest in the
earth!'. He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning
and makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them
out on the face of the earth; the LORD is His name. He rains ruin upon the strong, so
that fury comes upon the fortress".
We'll look down now, please, to verse 14: "Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
so the LORD God of hosts will be with you, as you have spoken. Hate evil, love good;
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