GOD WILL NEVER FORGET

Transcription

1 Page 1 of 15 June 28 Lesson 4 GOD WILL NEVER FORGET DEVOTIONAL READING: Hosea 11:1-7 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Amos 8 1 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. 2 What do you see, Amos? he asked. A basket of ripe fruit, I answered. Then the LORD said to me, The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. AMOS 8:1-6, 9, 10 3 In that day, declares the Photo: istockphoto / Thinkstock Sovereign LORD, the songs in the temple will turn to wailing. Many, many bodies flung everywhere! Silence! 4 Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, 5 saying, When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, 1 1

2 Page 2 of 15 and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat? skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, 6 buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. 9 In that day, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. 10 I will turn your religious festivals into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day. KEY VERSE Then the LORD said to me, The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. Amos 8:2 LESSON AIMS After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to: 1. List reasons for God s condemnation of Israel. 2. Compare and contrast the behaviors and attitudes of the Israelites with those of people today. 3. Resolve to lead or encourage in correcting social abuses that are harmful to the needy. Introduction A. Exploiting Others LESSON OUTLINE 2 2

3 Page 3 of 15 B. Lesson Background: Amos the Man C. Lesson Background: Amos the Book I. Basket of Fruit (AMOS 8:1-3) A. Vision Seen (vv. 1, 2a) B. Verdict Pronounced (vv. 2b, 3) Choosing the Path II. Sins of Israel (AMOS 8:4-6) A. Abuse of the Poor (v. 4) B. Abuse of Righteousness (vv. 5, 6) III. Punishment for Israel (AMOS 8:9, 10) A. Darkness (v. 9) God s View B. Suffering (v. 10) Conclusion A. Accentuate the Positive! B. Thought to Remember C. Prayer Introduction A. Exploiting Others An unemployed man was able to find a job, but he needed a car to fulfill travel needs that were part of the new employment. One dealer seemed eager to help, and the payments proposed were reasonable. Not mentioned verbally was the fact that the payments were to be made semimonthly, and the buyer discovered this fact too late. Making two payments per month was impossible for the purchaser if he were also to provide basic necessities for his family. The results were that he had to return the car, he lost his new job, and he forfeited his down payment. Many Old Testament issues and practices seem far removed from our twenty-first-century experience, but not that of exploitation of others. It still happens often. Acts of greedy exploitation make themselves known by both individuals and corporations. Such acts are committed by the rich, the poor, and those in between; the victims are in the same categories. It is all too easy to wring our hands and develop a mere Isn t it awful! outlook when we see exploitation. Today s lesson helps us move beyond that. B. Lesson Background: Amos the Man Since we are still in the book of Amos, the Lesson Backgrounds of the three previous lessons still apply, and that information need not be repeated here. Even so, a bit more can be said 3 3

4 Page 4 of 15 about Amos the man himself. The opening words of the book of Amos reveal only a few facts about him. No ancestors are named, but the prophet stated his residence to be Tekoa, a town about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. Tekoa s elevation of 2,280 feet above sea level is a factor regarding one of his three occupations. Amos 1:1 states that he was a shepherd, but it is not the usual Hebrew word for that occupation. The word indicates that he cared for a special type of sheep, smaller animals that produced excellent wool. There is evidence that this type of wool was desired by royalty. Mesha, a king of Moab, paid his annual tax or tribute to the kings of Israel with wool from such sheep (2 Kings 3:4). The dry season each summer caused Amos to move his sheep west, toward the Mediterranean Sea, in order to have pasture for his flocks in the lower regions. This relates to his second occupation involving sycamore trees, which produce figs (Amos 7:14). Such trees grow only in lower areas. Amos may have been a seasonal worker who gathered the figs; or he may have worked to cut, pierce, or pinch the ends of the figs, which hastened ripening, added to the sweetness, and allowed an insect in it to escape. These figs grew in the western foothills of Judah (1 Chronicles 27:28), but also in Egypt and southern Africa. Amos 7:14 also mentions his career as shepherd, but a different word is used from that translated the same way in Amos 1:1. The word in 7:14 may refer to caring for cattle or oxen. A similar word is used for the oxen cited in 6:12 (lesson 3), so it is sometimes assumed that Amos cared for such animals as well as sheep. Opinions are divided on whether Amos owned these enterprises, or if he scrambled among all three as a laborer to make a living. By going annually to the west where a major trade route existed, he had opportunities to talk with travelers and other shepherds, thereby learning about the conditions in other nations. This enhanced his ability to speak authoritatively about them. C. Lesson Background: Amos the Book A suggested outline of the book of Amos is that of three major sections: chapters 1, 2; chapters 3-6; and chapters 7-9. The first section features eight messages to eight nations and cities (see lesson 1). The second section has five sermons that announce God s pending judgments on Israel; these are marked by the phrases Hear this word (Amos 3:1; 4:1; 5:1) and Woe (5:18; 6:1). The third section contains five scenes of divine revelation to Amos (7:1-3; 7:4-6; 7:7-9; 8:1-3; 9:1-4); we might call these visions, although that specific word is not used. In addition, there is a dramatic, historical interlude in the last part of chapter 7. Each of the first three visions features a promise of destruction for Israel. The first vision is that of an invasion of locusts; Amos besought God that this would not happen, and God relented. The second vision was that of a ravaging fire; again Amos prayed that it might not come to pass, and the judgment was averted. The third vision was that of testing Israel against God s plumb line, and Amos was convinced: God s judgment was just. The destruction of Israel would reach to the palaces and the sanctuaries of Israel. It was at that point in Amos s prophesying that Amaziah the priest of Bethel told him to shut up and go home, back to Judah 4 4

5 Page 5 of 15 (Amos 7:10, 12, 13). In response, Amos protested that he was not a prophet in any professional way. He then listed the ways he made a living (see above). Amos also responded with prophecies about Amaziah: he would die in a foreign land, his children would die by the sword, and his wife would become a prostitute in order to survive (Amos 7:14-17). Whether staying in Israel or leaving for Judah, Amos had two visions yet to be received. Today s lesson takes us to the first of those remaining two. I. Basket of Fruit (AMOS 8:1-3) A. Vision Seen (vv. 1, 2a) 1. This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. To illustrate his intentions, the Sovereign Lord uses imagery common to people of the day: locusts (Amos 7:1), fire (7:4), a plumb line (7:7), and, in the verse before us, a basket of ripe fruit. Amos is about to discover that the meaning is not in the basket but in the fruit. The ancients enjoy fruit as a source of something sweet, but this vision does not have an enjoyable outcome. What Do You Think? What has God used to get your attention? What has been the result when he has done so? Talking Points for Your Discussion A sermon A lesson from nature A setback Other 2a. What do you see, Amos? he asked. A basket of ripe fruit, I answered. The purpose of the Lord s question is to focus Amos s attention. This follows the same question-and-answer approach of the third vision (Amos 7:8). This is not a parable that has to be explained. It is a direct question, and Amos gives the obvious answer. B. Verdict Pronounced (vv. 2b, 3) 2b. Then the LORD said to me, The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 5 5

6 Page 6 of 15 The Lord s declaration features a play on the Hebrew words for ripe fruit of the first half of verse 2 and the time is ripe here. The original words look very similar when written and sound identical (or nearly so) when spoken. As the fruit in the basket is ripe, so the time is ripe for the end of Israel. The declaration I will spare them no longer signals no reprieve for those whom God calls my people. A few years later, the prophet Hosea will prefix a negative word to the latter phrase and use it as the name of his child: Lo-Ammi, meaning not my people (Hosea 1:9). The approaching calamity for Israel is definite and intended. Later there will be prophecies about the southern nation of Judah and its own forthcoming captivity, but the focus here is the northern nation of Israel. For Israel, this is the end. There is to be no reprieve. There is a limit in testing God s patience, and Israel has reached it. What Do You Think? How does God s reaching the end of his patience compare and contrast with ours? Why is this question important? Talking Points for Your Discussion God s dealing with national leaders vs. our impatience with them Considering God s foreknowledge and our lack in that regard Other CHOOSING THE PATH She whispered to me with intrigue about how the associate minister had flirted with her. Her a happily married woman! He also was married, yet found her compelling. She confessed that she found him attractive. They had set a time and place to meet privately. On the way, her well-maintained car failed. She knew in her spirit that the Lord had prevented the meeting. Although firmly believing the car malfunction to have been divine intervention, she asked me to keep her accountable as she planned again to meet in private with this man for the purpose of explaining to him why they could never be together! Questions bombarded my mind: How was it that this bright woman was not hearing her own conflict? How was my Christian friend not able to sense the dangers of her secret plan? I pointed out that although the Lord in his mercy had prevented the first rendezvous, future determined planning to continue down that path would eventually succeed. I encouraged her to share the whole account with her husband, and thankfully she did. That s not necessarily the best solution in all such cases, but it was for her. God is so good! He warns and waits and withholds judgment time and time again. But if we are set on rebellion, consequences are inevitable. God s greatest plans for us are delayed or derailed altogether when we choose the path of sin. V. E. 6 6

7 Page 7 of In that day, declares the Sovereign LORD, the songs in the temple will turn to wailing. Many, many bodies flung everywhere! Silence! Last week s lesson depicted the people of Israel as idly singing and making music on instruments while drinking bowl after bowl of wine (Amos 6:5, 6). That is going to change, and such songs will become loud lamentations (wailing). The cause for such grievous sounds is given: many, many bodies flung everywhere! As the realities of death and desolation register on the survivors, the final sound if we can call it that will be silence (see also 6:10). Since this prophecy is against northern Israel, the temple in view is not the one in Jerusalem but in Bethel (Amos 7:13). Amaziah Am-uh-zye-uh. Assyrian Uh-sear-e-un. caveat emptor kah-vee-ought emp-tur. Ezekiel Ee-zeek-ee-ul or Ee-zeek-yul. Hammurabi Ham-muh-rah-bee. Hosea Ho-zay-uh. Judah Joo-duh. Lamentations Lam-en-tay-shunz. Lo-Ammi Lo-Am-my. Mesha Me-shuh. Micah My-kuh. Moab Mo-ab. Tekoa Tih-ko-uh. HOW TO SAY IT II. Sins of Israel (AMOS 8:4-6) A. Abuse of the Poor (v. 4) 4. Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, The Lord continues by making general accusations (through Amos) against people who are 7 7

8 Page 8 of 15 smug as they exploit the needy in Israel. The Lord has already condemned such viciousness (Amos 2:6, 7; 4:1; 5:11, 12), but now he adds that this oppression is producing a sobering outcome: the poor of the land are perishing (which is the idea of do away with). The violation of the Law of Moses is quite brazen in this regard (see Deuteronomy 15:7-11; 24:14; etc.). What Do You Think? What is being done right now to prevent injustice to the most vulnerable? Why is such prevention ours to address? Talking Points for Your Discussion Regarding my church Regarding my Bible-study group Regarding my family Regarding myself B. Abuse of Righteousness (vv. 5, 6) 5, saying, When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat? skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. The recitation of sins continues with an exposure of the false piety of the Israelites. The New Moon celebration at the beginning of each month seems to be observed carefully (Numbers 10:10; 28:11), but it is also resented because it interferes with acquiring wealth. The people have the same attitude toward the Sabbath, the mandatory day of rest (Exodus 20:8; 23:12; 34:21). They would rather sell wheat than honor God s command. In addition, the merchandising practices are designed to cheat, whether buying or selling. The measure (literally, an ephah) should be about three-fifths of a bushel, but the one who sells wheat uses a measure smaller than what it is supposed to be. Neither are the balance-scale weights used in transactions correct. Moses had condemned such practices in his final exhortations (Deuteronomy 25:13-16). He included a blessing if the people obeyed: that their days in the land would be prolonged. But they have not obeyed, and the consequences loom 8 8

9 Page 9 of 15 (compare Leviticus 19:35, 36; Proverbs 11:1; 16:11; 20:23; Ezekiel 45:9-12). The shady practices seen here seem to be universal and constant. One of the codes of law from the time of Hammurabi (about 1750 BC) condemned such actions. The same charges are levied by Hosea, who prophesies in Israel only a few years after Amos (see Hosea 12:7). The same methods for cheating the poor are cited for Judah by Micah in about 740 BC (see Micah 6:11). Such practices continue to this day. The cheating is not only in terms of quantity but also quality. The sweepings refers to the worthless chaff that is left after the winnowing process (compare Matthew 3:12). Instead of being thrown out, some chaff is mixed back in with the wheat that is sold. The treatment of the poor also smacks of a slave trade (compare Deuteronomy 15:12-18). What Do You Think? As we participate in the free-enterprise system, in what ways are we tempted to divorce business ethics from biblical ethics? How do we prevent or correct this? Talking Points for Your Discussion Making a profit vs. profiteering Caveat emptor ( let the buyer beware") Other III. Punishment for Israel (AMOS 8:9, 10) A. Darkness (v. 9) 9. In that day, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. Amos 8:8 (not in today s text) tells of the beginning of God s judgment signs in terms of the land trembling. But his displeasure against Israel is to be demonstrated by signs that are usually taken figuratively. The famous Assyrian eclipse of the sun, dated June 15, 763 BC, may have already occurred as Amos prophesies. If so, the people of Israel have experienced a partial eclipse, and this would be in their collective memory. But a literal darkness, such as from an eclipse of the sun, is not in view here. Moses used darkness imagery in describing one of the curses for Israel s disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15, 29). Other prophets use the same language to describe punishments from God (see Isaiah 59:10; Jeremiah 13:16; Micah 3:6; etc.). This darkness represents God s judgment. 9 9

10 Page 10 of 15 What Do You Think? How does God warn people today of the need to repent? What cautions should be acknowledged in drawing conclusions here? Talking Points for Your Discussion Disasters, natural and otherwise (Luke 13:1-5) Personal productivity (Luke 13:6-8) Personal health (John 9:1-3) Timeless Scripture passages (Acts 2:38) Other GOD S VIEW In her book Walking on Water, Christian author Madeleine L Engle ( ) offered this poignant thought: I have a point of view. You have a point of view. But God has view (emphasis is original). Sadly, many history books and political commentaries that examine the rise and fall of nations are written without consideration of God s view. Such inquiries are not entirely without merit, however, in that thoughtful secular observers often will uncover valuable threads of truth. In an article on foreignpolicy.com, for example, Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson propose 10 reasons why countries fall apart. They attribute the failures of nations to factors such as use of forced labor, blocking of opportunities to people of certain races, and blocking of new technologies that threaten the entrenched status of economic elites. A common thread through much of their findings is that of greed. The secular observer can condemn greed by concluding that it simply doesn t work in pointing to example after example of nations that fail when greed predominates. The Christian should point out, however, that while we may not know God s view regarding any particular nation s rise or fall today (since he has not told us), we know his view in general: his heart is with society s most vulnerable. God still sees the suffering of the poor, and he still detests abuses by those of power and privilege. God s view doesn t change. V. E. B. Suffering (v. 10) 10. I will turn your religious festivals into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son 10 10

11 Page 11 of 15 and the end of it like a bitter day. The three occurrences of I will point to emphatic promises. These are promises that a person or a nation does not wish to hear. The Israelites know that their ancestor Joseph became second only to Pharaoh after he (Joseph) experienced dramatic reversals in his life; his status went from bad to good (Genesis 39:1-41:40). The reverse will be true for Israel: they will go from experiencing lives of luxury to nothing. The Lord pronounces this judgment with vivid examples that contrast with the Israelites current lifestyle. The sumptuous eating at religious festivals (see Amos 6:4, lesson 3) will be turned into mourning. The carefree music that accompanies such indulgences (6:5, lesson 3) will become weeping. Dressing for the change will mean wearing coarse, crude sackcloth, a sign of grief (compare Isaiah 22:12; Joel 1:8, 13; Jonah 3:5). Care of one s hair will change from that of careful grooming to shaving it off, also a sign of grief (compare Job 1:20; Jeremiah 48:37). Mourning will be so intense that it will be like grief expressed at the death of an only son, since the loss of such a one imperils family lineage. That will be a bitter day indeed (compare Ruth 1:3-5, 20). Those who ignore or deliberately violate the terms of the covenant will experience all this. God will not forget sin unless nations and individuals come to him in genuine faith, repentance, and obedience. Conclusion A. Accentuate the Positive! Destruction! Desolation! Doom! These concepts dominate the book of Amos. Would his preaching have produced the desired result of repentance if he had toned down the harshness of his message? That is extremely doubtful, for nothing was going to change the people at that point. That, however, did not mean that there was no room for a positive aspect to the message. Most prophets blended messages of doom and hope. Amos, for his part, offered a very positive outcome in Amos 9: Two of these positive verses are cited by James at the famous conference in Jerusalem (Acts 15:16, 17). James made the point that God was concerned that Gentiles be included for honoring his name and that the prophets had foretold that that was to happen. God loves the world, and the prophets revealed that even Gentiles would be included in God s plan

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13 Page 13 of 15 Visual for Lesson 4 & 10. Point to this as you ask, How is an hourglass better than a clock for illustrating the coming judgment? Amos 8:7 is not included in today s lesson text, but the title for this lesson comes from there: God will never forget. Yet God wants to forget sins! This is affirmed in Isaiah 43:25, a verse that has been termed the high point of grace in the Old Testament. Jeremiah 31:34 also affirms as much. That verse is a part of the promise of the new covenant; included in Hebrews 8:8-12, it forms part of the longest quotation of the Old Testament in the New. The outcomes of the current ungodly trends and megatrends are important to contemplate. But the Christian must not become so enamored with how bad things are (or can be) that he or she forgets the glorious blessings that God has planned for his people. Thus while we acknowledge the reality of sin, we also accentuate the positive of forgiveness that is available in Christ alone. The church must determine to do what it can to care for the needy, but the spiritual dimensions concerning sin, righteousness, and forgiveness must be shared as primary. May it be so until Christ returns! B. Prayer Almighty God, may the ancient words of Amos not fall on deaf ears today! Grant us compassionate lives as examples of faith, hope, and love to an unbelieving world. In Jesus name, amen. C. Thought to Remember God forgets the sins of those who are in Christ! INVOLVEMENT LEARNING Some of the activities below are also found in the helpful student book, NIV Bible Student. Don t forget to download the free reproducible page from to enhance your lesson! Into the Lesson Display a basket having several kinds of ripe fruit. Next to it have a basket with some fruit that is obviously not ripe (green bananas would be a good choice). Ask, What do you see? as you gesture toward the baskets. Responses can range from the generalized baskets of fruit to naming of the specific fruits present

14 Page 14 of 15 If no one mentions the ripe/unripe distinction, lead learners to that observation yourself. As you do, affix on the first basket a sign that reads Ripe for consumption! (Option: use pictures instead of actual fruit.) Say, The people of Israel were becoming ever more sinful by the time of Amos. Finally, God had had enough. His warnings had fallen on deaf ears one too many times, and the time was right for the consuming wrath of his anger to be felt. Turn to Amos 8 and we ll see why. Option. Before doing the above, place in chairs copies of the Visions activity from the reproducible page, which you can download. Learners can begin working on this as they arrive. This will help (1) sketch a wider context of divine revelation to some of God s chosen recipients and (2) distinguish between Bible and modern uses of the term vision. Use learners discoveries to compare and contrast the nature of the divine communication to Amos. Into the Word After learners turn to Amos 8, read the first two verses aloud and use the commentary on verse 2 to explain the play on words between ripe fruit and the time is ripe. Next, distribute 12 pieces of yellow paper that are cut to look like bananas. Each banana is to have written on it one of the following verse references of today s text: 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 9, 10a, 10b, 10c. If you have fewer than 12 learners, some will have more than one banana; if you anticipate having more than 12 learners, use the commentary to determine how best to use smaller segments of the lesson text to create more bananas. Say to all, First read to yourself all eight verses of today s text. Then focus on your verse or portion of verse and write either cause or effect on your banana. You will write cause if your segment is talking about a sinful action or attitude on the part of the Israelites; you will write effect if your segment is talking about a judgmental action of God that is prompted by sinful actions. After learners finish, work through the text segment by segment. Disagreements will offer a chance for deeper study. (Expected identifications: cause verses 4, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b; effect verses 2b, 3a, 3b, 9, 10a, 10b, 10c.) Into Life Say, Let s see if we can find reports of abuses of the most vulnerable that have parallels with those Amos describes. Distribute relevant newspapers and magazines for quick research in that regard; learners who have mobile devices with Internet access can be encouraged to use those instead. Encourage mention of abuses that are both illegal (human trafficking, etc.) and legal (high interest rates on payday loans, etc.). Ask learners to explain the parallels they discover. Wrap up by asking the class, What can we as individuals and as a group do to stop these abuses? Allow free response, but try to focus on one specific activity the class can implement. If learners need a thinking stimulus, ask, What Christian ministries are already doing this kind of work, and how can we partner with 14 14

15 Page 15 of 15 them? (Come prepared with examples of such ministries.) Option. If your learners would benefit from a review of this month s four lessons from Amos, distribute copies of the God s Call and Declaration activity from the reproducible page. This exercise is ideal for small groups