Amos
6 reminds me of the proverb, “Pride
goes before destruction, a
haughty spirit before a fall”
(Proverbs 16:18). Almost universally, the biggest errors we make in
life happen as a result of overestimating our ability or
underestimating our vulnerability. Arrogance can blind us to dangers
and often leads to complacency. In today’s chapter the Hebrew
people trusted their wit, their wealth and their walls, instead of
the God that protected and provided. Over time, thanksgiving to God
was replaced with celebrating self. Amos begins, “Woe
to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on
Mount Samaria“. Zion here
refers to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, within the southern nation
of Judah. Certainly they took pride in knowing God dwelt with them.
Amos calls them, “notable men
of the foremost nation to whom the people of Israel come!”
Likely that is how they felt about themselves. But Amos points to
the surrounding pagan nations and asks, “Are
they better off than your two kingdoms?”
This is exactly what we do today. We look at the car someone
drives, or their handbag or their neighborhood and we make
conclusions about the person. Whatever you notice about others is
probably a source of pride for you.
Amos
next berates the attitude of the affluent, “You
put off the day of disaster and
bring near a reign of terror“.
What were they doing with the abundance God had given them? “You
lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches… You
dine… You strum away… drink wine by the bowlful… finest
lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph“.
They were purely self-indulgent and exhibited little concern for the
things of God, or the children of God. Amos concludes, “Therefore
you will be among the first to go
into exile; your feasting and lounging will end“.
Friend, do you trust in your wealth?
The
chapter concludes with the last stumbling block for many, “I
abhor the pride of Jacob and
detest his fortresses“. We
live in gated communities and put deadbolts on our doors and create
an illusion of security for ourselves. A wise man once told me, they
put locks on doors to keep honest people out. Amos warned these
folks that God “will deliver up
the city and everything in it“.
Do not misunderstand, God is not against wealth. 1 Timothy 6:10
says, “For
the love of money is a root of
all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from
the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs“.
The nation had turned from God and begun to practice self-worship.
After they rejected God, God removed His hand of protection for the
rich and the poor, “He will
smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits“.
Amos asks a question to highlight the fact that God cares for us too
much to allow us to foolishly ruin our life, “Do
horses run on the rocky crags?”
Many times God, knowing complete destruction is ahead, forces Israel
into a detour. He concludes, “you
have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into
bitterness… I will stir up a nation against you“.
The apostle Peter has an antidote for those of us that have been
trusting in our wit or wealth or walls; “Humble
yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift
you up in due time.
Cast all your anxiety
on Him because He cares for you”
(1 Peter 5:6). Here is a great start; is there one thing you can
thank God for today?