Project 119: Amos 5:18-27
| Project 119
Today's devotion is written by Colton Taylor, who serves in our Christian Life Center. Colton is a student at Beeson Divinity School.
“The Day of the Lord”
The following phrases from these beloved songs may sound familiar: “Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds rolled away as a scroll, the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend even so it is well with my soul.” “I’ll fly away oh glory, I’ll fly away, to my home where glory will never end.” “In the sweet by and by we shall meet on that beautiful shore.” As Christians, we hold tight to the hope we have in spending eternity with Christ. It is the hope of heaven that helps us persevere through this world.
In Scripture the phrase “the day of the Lord” is a reference for the day of judgment and the day that Christ will return. The Israelites in the time that Amos prophesied were waiting for the day of judgment on their enemies. Judgment was coming for the enemies of God, but little did the Israelites realize that their constant wandering from the Lord and His law caused them to be enemies of the Lord. Amos cries out a woe to the enemies of God. The day of judgement will be nothing but darkness for those who do not belong to God. The sad part is, the Israelites still claimed to be God’s people even though their lives did not show it. Their worship and their sacrifices were for show. The people were not loving God with all their hearts, souls, and minds and God’s judgment would soon fall as he would give the land into the hand of the Assyrians. Many people we know today label themselves as “Christians” with their mouths, but their actions never show it. Rather their actions show they have other gods whom they serve. Sadly, but justly, the day of the Lord will be very dark for them.
On the day of the Lord, God’s justice will roll down like waters and His righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Even the Christian will stand before God in judgment. Thankfully, as a child of God, the judgment for our sins has fallen on Christ and in exchange His righteousness has been placed on us. As believers, we can boldly look forward to the day of the Lord because it is the Lord in whom our hope is secure.
Amos 5:18-27 (ESV):
Let Justice Roll Down
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!
Why would you have the day of the LORD?
It is darkness, and not light,
19 as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 “Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.