Too Confident 09.23.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we will complete our studies on the book of Amos and also study the book of Obadiah. Please read Amos Chapters 6-9 in your Bible or Click Here to read it online. Or you can cut and paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos%206-9&version=9

Today we will read and learn about grasshoppers; fire; and a plumbline; and a famine of God's Word. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that no matter how badly we are treated we can not return evil for evil. We must seek God and continue to live as Jesus did while He was on the earth.

Amaziah, the paid non-Levitical priest of King Jeroboam II, heard the prophecy of Amos, "And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." (Amos 7:8-9). He misinterpreted his words and went to the king telling him that he would die by the sword. "Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land." (7:10-11).

The prophecy against the house of Jeroboam was fulfilled when Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, was assassinated by Shallum after reigning only six months. Shallum took his place, but he only reigned for one month before he, in turn, was murdered by Menahem (See II Kings 15:8-10,13-14).

Click Here to read Obadiah Chapter 1 or cut & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Obadiah%201&version=9

The book of Obadiah is the 31st book of the Old Testament and contains only 1 chapter. The book was written by Obadiah to the nation of Edom to warn them of God's punishment for their sins. What we are to learn from the book is that God punished those who have been glorified through their sins.

The nation of Edom had been hostile toward the nation of Israel since the time of Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel). Esau, who was the older of the twins sold his birthright over food, (See Genesis 25:25-34). God through Obadiah foretold of Edom's triumph over Israel as well as the complete destruction of the nation. "The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD." (Obadiah 1:1-4).

Their self-sufficiency and disinterest in the will of God led them to ignore Obadiah's warning, but within four years after they assisted Babylon in helping them destroy the nation of Jerusalem, Edom themselves was destoyed by Babylon. "In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress." (1:11-14).

The nation of Edom is a lesson for all of us to learn, we can not be over confident in what we do ourselves nor of what our friends do for us. In an instant anyone can turn on you and if we are not careful we can turn on ourselves. Often pride plays a big part in the way we approach God, if we are too proud we will reject God's Word all together. This often leads to backsliding and falling into the hands of sin.

We Christian's have one thing going for us, we are saved by the blood of Christ and all who call on Him shall be saved. That however, does not mean that we can continue to sin and get away with it, just as God judges our fellow nations we are judged. The absolute justice of God and our assurance of His faithfulness should encourage us to know that the principles of His right and wrong never change and that we need to obey His laws.

Jesus expressed an inevitable spiritual law of life for everyone, "Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." (Luke 6:30-36).

In today's reading Jesus Christ is revealed through the Plumbline (Amos 7:7-8). A plumb line is used to indicate an absolutely straight vertical line, Christ alone is qualified to walk in the midst of His people, measuring and exposing good and bad, true and false. (Revelation 2 and 3).

Have a wonderfully blessed day!
God Bless You,
Christina

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P.S. Sorry for the delay in the posts, I had server problems for a couple of days.