Is there a message in the mess? Are disasters designed to declare dire warnings?
God gets personal with His people in Amos 4. As they stand on the brink of judgment and disaster because of their sin and disobedience, He appeals to them to repent. He declares that there is a purpose in famine, drought, disease, and natural disasters. The design is declared in a simple phrase repeated five times in this short chapter: "Yet you have not returned to me" (Amos 4:6,8,9,10,11).
Not every disaster is divinely appointed. In a fallen, sinful world, "time and chance" factor in to bad things happening to good people (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12). But, as the end of this present evil age approaches, it appears that purposeful calamities will increase (i.e, the plagues of Revelation). Sadly, the general response of the multitudes will be little different than the people of God in the days of Amos the prophet - "they did not repent of their deeds" (Revelation 16:11).
The message in the mess is that time is short and readiness to meet our Creator is an urgent priority - "Prepare to meet your God" (Amos 4:12). Knowing that a divine appointment is fixed on the calendar causes us to consider the God who describes Himself thusly: "For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, "Yahweh God is His name." (Amos 4:13)
In recent times the secular media has reported such things as all-time record high temperatures, floods of "biblical proportions", and unprecedented ice melting in polar regions. Rather than providing fodder for animated debate over global warming, these events should instead provoke thought and discussion concerning coming judgment and preparations for it.
For the people of God who are prepared, the message in the mess is one of assurance and hope as "redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28). When fear and panic prevail with the unprepared, the people of God "stay the course" in holy lifestyle as they urgently proclaim the good news of the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12).
May we be be both guided and encouraged in today's activities by the admonition to "Prepare to meet your God" (Amos 4:12).
Steve
© 2010, Steve Taylor
God gets personal with His people in Amos 4. As they stand on the brink of judgment and disaster because of their sin and disobedience, He appeals to them to repent. He declares that there is a purpose in famine, drought, disease, and natural disasters. The design is declared in a simple phrase repeated five times in this short chapter: "Yet you have not returned to me" (Amos 4:6,8,9,10,11).
Not every disaster is divinely appointed. In a fallen, sinful world, "time and chance" factor in to bad things happening to good people (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12). But, as the end of this present evil age approaches, it appears that purposeful calamities will increase (i.e, the plagues of Revelation). Sadly, the general response of the multitudes will be little different than the people of God in the days of Amos the prophet - "they did not repent of their deeds" (Revelation 16:11).
The message in the mess is that time is short and readiness to meet our Creator is an urgent priority - "Prepare to meet your God" (Amos 4:12). Knowing that a divine appointment is fixed on the calendar causes us to consider the God who describes Himself thusly: "For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, "Yahweh God is His name." (Amos 4:13)
In recent times the secular media has reported such things as all-time record high temperatures, floods of "biblical proportions", and unprecedented ice melting in polar regions. Rather than providing fodder for animated debate over global warming, these events should instead provoke thought and discussion concerning coming judgment and preparations for it.
For the people of God who are prepared, the message in the mess is one of assurance and hope as "redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28). When fear and panic prevail with the unprepared, the people of God "stay the course" in holy lifestyle as they urgently proclaim the good news of the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12).
May we be be both guided and encouraged in today's activities by the admonition to "Prepare to meet your God" (Amos 4:12).
Steve
© 2010, Steve Taylor
posted by steve @ 7:47 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home