Amos 3:1-6

[0:00] All right, so I hope you found it by now. Amos chapter 3. And I'm not going to do any reviewing here. We're just going to dive right in.

[0:12] But before we do that, let's seek the Lord a little bit here and ask His help as we open up His holy word. Father, we ask Your blessing. God, we need Your blessing upon Your word.

[0:22] We believe Your words are true, that they're powerful, that they're holy, that they're divine. They came from You. We are privileged to have them, to be able to each have our own copy.

[0:33] We're privileged to have them in our language and tongue and to be able to read and discern them. And Lord, for this purpose and for this truth, You've been very, very good to us. And so as we study now these words, please make them come alive to us.

[0:48] Help us to understand them. Make them applicable into our lives where we live today. Help us to submit to them and to revere them. And to place them above all other things in our lives.

[1:02] We pray that Jesus Christ would be magnified and that Your will would be accomplished in us. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. So you see the first word of the chapter here.

[1:14] Amos is calling them to hear this word that the Lord hath spoken. It's a phrase that Amos likes to use. And if you look at the next two chapters, the very fourth, the first phrase of chapter 4 as well as chapter 5.

[1:26] It's similar. Hear this word. And in chapter 5, hear this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation. And it's something that's definitely a phrase that Amos likes to use to call them to hear what he has to say.

[1:40] You'll notice it again in chapter 8 and verse number 4. He says, Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy. And so there's a few cases.

[1:51] It's in chapter 3 as well that we'll get to here at some point. In chapter 3 and verse 13, he says, Hear ye. So there's five references right there of this term that Amos uses.

[2:04] He's calling them to hear. And when you think of that, it's not just a fact of, I want you to catch what I'm saying in your ears. And then I can just say, see God, I told them.

[2:15] But Amos is calling for them to listen with intention and to observe his words, his message, to hear it, to receive it.

[2:26] He wants them to put their attention upon the message that he has for them from God. It's a negative message, but I'll show you in a little bit. That's not insurmountable.

[2:38] If they'll hear, if they'll open their hearts and receive this, then God could do something about that. And so he wants them to believe that his words are true, that they're from God, that it's in their best interest to listen to what he has to say.

[2:53] Now, we're going to come back, but find the Proverbs. Find the Proverbs, chapter number 1. Because the Proverbs, they are absolutely loaded with very identical content of what we're talking about to hear.

[3:07] Hear the words. You'll see it all over Proverbs, a call to hear, to receive instruction, to basically to listen up. That's what you yell at your kids or the teacher says to the students is, listen up, listen to me, listen.

[3:21] Stop talking. Stop being distracted. Stop thinking about other things. And focus on what I'm saying. Focus on the message. In Proverbs, chapter 1, we read these Proverbs.

[3:32] It's a plea from a father to a son, and he's calling him to hear his instruction. He's calling for his son to give ear to his wisdom and to his understanding.

[3:45] And when I read through these Proverbs 25 or 30 years ago, I could not. It was impossible for me to understand them the way I do today.

[3:56] Being a young man and just reading the words of God and the call to receive instruction and to hide my commandments with thee and to trust in the Lord.

[4:07] I understood all of that was true. All of it was from God. Yes, I understood I'm supposed to listen to the word of God. It all made sense in that vein. But I couldn't understand it the way I do today.

[4:22] And I don't mean deep, dark things in Bible knowledge. What I'm talking about is when I was a young man, when I read it now, I see myself as that son that a father tried to impart instruction to.

[4:36] And I see myself as that simple one or that foolish one that would not hear the reproofs, would not hear the instruction of life, did not have any interest in the truth, and the father in my life could not make me obey the word of God.

[4:53] He could only present it to me. He could instruct me in it. He could caution me and counsel me and try to get my attention. But he couldn't make me in my heart seek the Lord and desire him and want the truth.

[5:08] He couldn't make me hear it. And I read these Proverbs today, and I can see myself as a young man. I can see my father or any preacher or any man that tried to instruct me in the way of righteousness just pushing the truth toward me and me just having a closed heart toward it.

[5:26] But I can also see it from the side of a father. Because now that I have my own children and my own son and daughters, I can see how I can't make them want a relationship with God any more than my parents could make me want one.

[5:40] And all I can do is try to live it by example. All I can do is try to direct them to the scriptures and to the truth. But I can't make them want it. I can't make them receive it.

[5:50] And if you're a parent in here, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Your heart, you're so filled with compassion as well as concern over your children. You just want them to do right. You want them to be wise.

[6:02] You want them to make good decisions. You want them to be safe and protected and healthy. And you don't want them to go off and do something stupid. And so you instruct them and you guide them and you plead with them and you pray for them and you cry over them and you just want them to do what's right.

[6:19] I understand that now. When Solomon in the Proverbs calls for his son to hear his instruction, I can perceive the tone of compassion and concern that he has for his son.

[6:29] I can hear the love in his voice and in his pen to know that he just wants his boy to do what's right. To not get turned aside to the right hand or to the left. To not seek after vain, filthy lucre or riches that certainly make themselves wings.

[6:46] They fly away. Warning them against the evil man and against the seducing woman or the strange woman which flattereth with her word. Just all he can say to him, just desiring that he'd hear.

[7:00] But you can't make him hear. You can't force him to follow. Now throughout the Proverbs, I took you here because here's a constant call for a younger generation to hear.

[7:13] To open their ears and to receive wisdom that they did not earn from experience. To receive for free truth that can help them through life.

[7:24] That they don't have to catch the bumps and the bruises and the downfalls along the way. And what a blessing to have it handed to you. Everything you need to know and learn and do in life.

[7:37] If you'll just heed the words. If you'll hear them and receive them. And hearing in the Proverbs is the first step toward success or toward any achievement.

[7:49] Or even toward protecting yourself from pitfalls and dangers and destruction. Proverbs chapter 1. And there's an introductory verse. The Proverbs of Solomon.

[8:00] There's this three verses given of kind of introduction of what the purpose of all of this is. What the intention is to impart all of this to the young man.

[8:11] And now notice the very first thing. This is probably the most concentrated wisdom in the word of God. In these 31 chapters.

[8:23] And right out of the gate. The first thing it has to say is verse 5. A wise man will hear. It starts with you opening your ears.

[8:35] Which opens your heart to receive. A wise man will hear. And increase learning. Look over. There's too much to cover here. But I'll just catch a little bit.

[8:46] Look at chapter 4. Proverbs 4. And at the end of this. You're probably familiar with these verses. Verse 20 to the end. Where he says, My son, attend to my words.

[9:00] Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes. He's calling him to incline his ear first. And what follows a little bit later, you get into verse 24, you get the mouth and the lips.

[9:16] In verse 25, the eyes and the eyelids. In verse 26, the feet. But the first one is the ear. It's incline thine ear unto my saying.

[9:29] It's not going to guide your feet. Your feet are going to go the wrong way if you don't open your ears and listen to the instruction that's offered to you. Look at chapter 5 and verse 1.

[9:39] My son, attend unto my wisdom and bow thine ear to my understanding. I love the King James Bible. I love the way it words things.

[9:51] It's not telling you to put your ear on the ground and listen to see if buffalo are coming. Bow thine ear. It's a note of humility. The very wording suggests it. That's your intent upon receiving instruction in a humble manner.

[10:07] You're saying, I don't know everything. I don't have all the answers. I need some wisdom. And I'm going to listen. I'm going to open up. I'm going to bow my ear to receive the instruction.

[10:20] It's a whole lot different than in Acts chapter 7 when Stephen was preaching. They got so furious with him. The Bible says that they stopped their ears. You see them little baby kids putting their hands over their head saying, I'm not listening to you.

[10:36] They weren't acting like babies. They were acting like murderers, matter of fact. But that's a whole lot different. Bowing your ear to hear versus stopping your ears or versus just straight up refusing instruction and reproof.

[10:52] Now, come back to Amos chapter 3. I told you to keep your place. I should take my own advice. Amos chapter 3.

[11:09] Amos is famous for telling them to hear, to hear, to hear. And I'll get to something about that in a moment, how that can work for them. But for now, notice it says, Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth.

[11:32] Therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities. You notice that his word is against them. The children of Israel, the family, the nation.

[11:46] God's word has come against them. Almighty God is speaking. And what he's speaking is against somebody. Like what a horrible, horrible place to be.

[11:59] A position to be in this world that God, the creator, is speaking against you. You know how you get when somebody reproves you or somebody accuses you and says you did something wrong or that was you or I think that was that.

[12:17] You know how you get, how defensive you get? Like I didn't do that. That's not me. That was Sarah. You just like immediately inside of you doesn't want to take blame. Even if you're guilty, you still want to just downplay it.

[12:28] Well, I was. And you give excuses, you know, because it wasn't. You don't want to just receive it. Because something's coming against you. It's harming you. It's hurting your feelings. Or it's harming your reputation.

[12:40] And nobody wants to have a bad reputation or be looked down upon by others. And yet here's God. God. Not just the nations of the Ammonites or the Philistines.

[12:52] This is God in heaven saying, I got something against you. This is the worst place you could possibly be in. To have the word of God coming against you.

[13:02] It's an unstoppable, it's an all-powerful word. The Bible says the word of God is like a hammer that breaketh a rock in pieces. They will not be able to stand up against the word of God if it's against them.

[13:16] But what I want you to understand about this is that it doesn't have to be against them. But right here it is. I want to show you something though that God's word is first.

[13:26] It's always first for you. Meaning it's there to help you. It's there to guide you and to steer you. If you reject it, well then it's against you.

[13:40] And these people had the word of God given to them. For them. Pointing them in the way they should go. Guiding them in all the pure commandments of the Lord.

[13:50] Holy precepts and righteous. And it's such a great law. It set them apart from every other nation. And they rejected it. And so now the word of God, it's not for them anymore.

[14:03] It's coming against them. Now take a look back at Deuteronomy chapter 6. And let's take a look at something here that God, how he shows them that this is for your good.

[14:14] I'm going to give you my word. It's going to be good if you'll hear me. Chapter 1.

[14:25] We'll read the first five verses. And notice how first the word of God is for you. Verse 1 says, Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you.

[14:38] That you might do them in the land where the ego to possess it. That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God to keep all his statutes and his commandments which I command thee. Thou and thy son and thy son's sons all the days of thy life.

[14:51] And that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it, that it may be well with thee. And that ye may increase mightily as the Lord God of thy fathers has promised thee.

[15:05] In the land that floweth with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart.

[15:16] And with all thy soul and with all thy might. It is for you. The word of God to them. It was for their good always. It was going to be their life.

[15:27] It was going to help them. It was going to sustain them. Increase them mightily. He was going to fulfill everything he promised. It is 100% God's intention. The word of God is for them.

[15:39] This book is the greatest advice. It is the greatest counsel. It is the greatest instruction in righteousness that you and I will ever in our lives in a thousand lifetimes ever lay eyes upon.

[15:56] The holy scriptures in the King James Bible. It shines so brightly. It is so clean and so pure.

[16:06] It is true and righteous all together. You have in your lap and probably multiple copies in your possession. You have the collection of the holy scriptures that God gave and men lost their lives for.

[16:25] But besides that, that God has given to you and placed in your lap. There is never, you turn on, push a button and watch a little box on your wall.

[16:36] There is nothing that's going to come out of that that's better than this. That's cleaner than this. That's wiser or has instruction and understanding that you'll gain from more than this.

[16:47] Nothing, not a thing is going to come out of that box that can instruct you and guide you. You're never going to see it. And you're never going to improve on what God has written to you.

[17:00] It's for you. It's to keep you from destruction. It's to keep you from chasing after money. Which will cause you to err from the faith.

[17:12] And pierce yourself through with many sorrows. This book is given to you to keep you from the strange woman which flattereth with her words. Lust not after her beauty.

[17:22] Because you're going to be the thing that falls and gets hurt. It's here to alert you about evil men and seducers and deceivers and vain talkers. The word of God is for you and on so many more levels.

[17:35] It'll protect you. It's for your good. It warns you about the way God operates with his children.

[17:46] It warns you to be sober. It warns you to beware. This Bible warns you to... What's the one I'm trying to think of?

[17:57] In Galatians 6. Duh. It's the most obvious. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he...

[18:09] The Bible tells you that beforehand. It's not just trying to beat you down. It's for your good. To keep you from messing around with stuff you shouldn't mess around with.

[18:20] Bringing things in that shouldn't come in. I've... Man, when I was a little kid, got some things that came in these eyes. That never should have came in these eyes. And destructive.

[18:31] Destructive. I've had things come through these ears as a child. That never should have came in these ears. And destructive. They destroyed. The corruption is still inside between those ears.

[18:43] And it got in. The Bible warned me about it. That book there is to lift you up. It's to direct your way and to direct your conduct away from what comes natural to you.

[18:56] Which is just selfishness. Me first. It tells you to put others in front of yourself. It tells you to seek the well-being of others. It tells you to put down those carnal lusts.

[19:08] Which war against the soul. Your fleshly lust. It directs you away from your natural proclivities to sin. That's what the book does for you.

[19:20] It leads you to eternal life. And it teaches you how to walk in newness of life. And so it's for you. It's for you. It's for you.

[19:31] It's for you. It's for you. But if you refuse it. And if you stop your ears. Then it's going to be against you. And the word of God is going to come against you.

[19:42] And it is not going to let up. You will reap what you sow. While you're in Deuteronomy. Look at chapter 28. I know we've come to this passage several times over the years.

[19:54] This is one you ought to be familiar with. This is the big chapter in Deuteronomy. It goes 68 verses. And in this chapter you've got the blessings and the curses.

[20:08] And the blessings only go 14 verses. And then the curses go four times that long. But I want you to get here. Look at verse number 1. And it shall come to pass. If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice.

[20:21] Hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God. To observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day. That the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth.

[20:34] It is for your good. All these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee. If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. And you can skim the blessings.

[20:44] One after the other after the other after the other. Down to verse 14. But verse 15 it changes its tone. And it does not relent.

[20:55] But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Then here come the curses. And those things get ugly.

[21:06] And I'm not going to cover this at all. But you get the gist here. The word of God is for you first. But if you despise the word.

[21:16] If you reject the word. If you would none of his counsels. Then hear ye this word that the Lord hath spoken against you.

[21:27] Because then that's the one that's coming. So Amos calls for them to hear the word. And he says hear the word that the Lord hath spoken against you.

[21:37] Why is it so important for them to give attention to this now? This isn't the blessing. This is the bad stuff. This is the curse. On this time they're giving attention to the accusation of all of their guilt.

[21:52] And the declaration of their judgment. So why is it important now that they listen to Amos' message. About how guilty they are. What God's going to do. Well my answer to that is because their response is everything.

[22:08] And it always has been with God. I want to show you this. Let me show you a few illustrations of this. Find 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Even when they have deserved the wrath of God.

[22:26] When he brings his preacher by and says here it's time. Here it comes. They can still hear it. And they can still receive it.

[22:37] And if they'll hear and receive. It ought to produce humility in them. And it ought to drop them to their knees. And cause them to repent.

[22:48] And to cry out to God for mercy. And watch how this plays out. Look at 2 Chronicles chapter 12. It's Corinthians. Chronicles. Chronicles. Definitely Chronicles.

[22:59] Have I said the other? Verse 1. And it came to pass. When Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself. He forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him.

[23:12] And it came to pass that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam. Shyshak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. Because they had transgressed against the Lord. With 1200 chariots and three score thousand horsemen.

[23:25] And the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt. The Lubims, the Sukkims, and the Ethiopians. And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah. And came to Jerusalem. Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam.

[23:40] And to the princes of Judah that were gathered together in Jerusalem. Because of Shyshak said unto them. Thus saith the Lord. You have forsaken me. And therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shyshak. Whereupon.

[23:52] Listen here. Listen. Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves. And they said. The Lord is righteous. And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves.

[24:05] The word of the Lord came to Shemaiah again. Came to him saying. They have humbled themselves. Therefore I will not destroy them. But I will grant them some deliverance.

[24:17] And my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem. But they deserve it. But when they hear the negative. They hear the words against them.

[24:28] They hit their face. And God says. Do you see what he said? He says they have humbled themselves. Maybe he's surprised. Whatever he's pleased.

[24:40] Because he responds to that. He responds to it with mercy. I'll show you another case. Look at chapter 32. God will show mercy.

[24:53] If a man will humble himself. 32. And look at verse 24. King Hezekiah.

[25:06] Verse 24 says. In those days. Hezekiah was sick to the death. And prayed unto the Lord. And he spake unto him. And he gave him a sign. But Hezekiah rendered not again.

[25:17] According to the benefit done unto him. For his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath upon him. And upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding. Hezekiah humbled himself.

[25:30] For the pride of his heart. Both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. So that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them. In the days of Hezekiah. Another case in point.

[25:41] That even when you messed up. And the word comes against you. You humble yourself. You seek the Lord. He'll turn from that wrath. And He'll show some mercy.

[25:51] Look at the last chapter of this book. Chapter 36. 2 Chronicles 36.

[26:04] And here's a different king. And this is beyond the years of Amos now. Verse 11. Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign.

[26:15] He reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord as God. And humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet. Speaking from the mouth of the Lord.

[26:27] He's got the witness. The word of God. And he will not humble himself. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Whom he had made him swear by God. But he stiffened his neck.

[26:37] And hardened his heart. From turning unto the Lord God of Israel. Moreover all the chief of the priests. And the people. Transgressed very much. After all the abominations of the heathen. And polluted the house of the Lord. Which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

[26:49] And the Lord God of their fathers. Sent to them by his messengers. Rising up betimes. And sending. Because he had compassion. On his people. And on his dwelling place.

[26:59] But they mocked the messengers of God. And despised his words. And misused his prophets. Until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people. Till there was no remedy. And they're done.

[27:13] But he sent them messengers didn't he? He sent them warning. He sent his word. It was against them. And they could have humbled themselves. And found some mercy from God.

[27:25] God's word is for you. But if you reject it. And if you imagine in your heart. That you'll get away with it. And it won't happen to you. And it's true for others. But not for you.

[27:36] And you're wiser than that. Or if you imagine these things. The word of God will come. And it will be against you. But. His mercy. His mercy can turn aside his wrath.

[27:49] And his mercy is triggered. When you humble yourself. In his sight. When you say. Lord. You're right. The Lord is righteous.

[28:00] I have sinned. I'm a fool. I deserve it. Whatever you choose to do. You're right. I'm wrong.

[28:11] Please be merciful. The Lord says. He hath humbled himself. Well I'll show him mercy then. Because the Bible says. God delights in mercy.

[28:22] And that you. I don't believe you can exhaust his mercy. As long as you can stay humble. But it's going to be up to you to humble yourself. So back in Amos chapter 3.

[28:35] The word comes against them. If they'll hear. If they'll humble themselves. God will show mercy. In verse number 2.

[28:48] He says. You only have I known. Of all the families of the earth. Now. The reference here is. About a relationship. With them. Saying that.

[28:59] I've only known you. It's not at all. Suggesting God doesn't know. The other nations. Of the earth. He knows their kings. He knows their populations. He knows the hairs of their head. Bible says that God is perfect.

[29:09] In knowledge. So. It's referring to a relationship. That he has. A covenant. That he's entered into. With this nation. I'm reminded of Pharaoh.

[29:20] In Exodus chapter 5. In verse 2. Where Moses approaches him. Says. Let my people go. They may serve me. And he says. Who is the Lord? I know not the Lord. There's another example.

[29:31] If you want to catch it. It's in. Isaiah 65. No. 45. That's better. I'm going to read it. When I get it. This guy is Cyrus.

[29:43] And he doesn't know the Lord either. Isaiah 45. In verse 1. Thus saith the Lord. To his anointed. To Cyrus. His anointed.

[29:54] God anointed him. Put him in that position. Thus saith the Lord. To Cyrus. Whose right hand. I have holden. To subdue nations. Before him. God's using.

[30:05] This Gentile. King of Persia. Let's skip through some of this. And he says. In verse 3.

[30:16] I will give thee. The treasures of darkness. Hidden riches. Of secret places. That thou mayest know. That I. The Lord. Which call thee by thy name. Am the God of Israel. For Jacob. My servant's sake.

[30:27] And Israel. Mine elect. I have even called thee. By thy name. I have surnamed thee. Though thou hast not known me. I am the Lord. And there is none else.

[30:37] There is no God beside thee. I girded thee. Though thou hast not known me. That's a Gentile king. He doesn't know the Lord. He knows his idols. He was raised up with. Those. There's gods of all the lands.

[30:48] And heathens around them. But the Lord says. Through Amos. To his people. You're the only ones. On the face of the families. Of the earth. That I have known.

[30:59] And I have revealed myself to you. And you know me. And you know my word. You know my laws. You know my ways. You know how I accept. What I don't accept.

[31:09] You know how to approach me. You have a priesthood. And I showed you. How you can. Through a holy priest. How he can be consecrated. Anointed. And he can come before me. And how to offer things.

[31:20] For this. And for that. And to atone for this. All of it. I gave the whole thing to you. Those other nations don't. You know what the other nations are doing? They're murdering their babies. On an altar. They don't know me.

[31:32] But you know me. And because you know me. In verse 2. He says. I will punish you. For all your iniquities. I suppose that.

[31:46] This shouldn't surprise us. That the severity of his voice. Toward them. Because of the expectations. That he has for them. Because of what he has done for them. We've already covered this.

[31:56] In his appeals. In chapter 2. Of all. Of just a glimpse of it. But what he's done for them. And bringing them out of bondage. To liberty. And from nothing. To riches. And from just being a nobody people.

[32:08] To having. Just on top of the world. With David. He. Man. He reigned over an empire. Not just Jerusalem. A little city. Just the whole region was his.

[32:19] Down to Egypt. All the way to forever. So he knew them. He blessed them. And they just rejected him. Now we're going to keep going here a little bit. Verse number 3. This begins.

[32:30] The next few verses. Seven questions. The next. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven rhetorical questions. That all demand an answer. In the negative.

[32:41] The answer for all of these is. Obviously no. And so watch as we read these. Can two walk together. Except they be agreed. Nope. Can't do it. Verse number 4.

[32:52] Will a lion roar in the forest. When he hath no prey. No. Why? A lion's not going to give up his position. He's. He's. Stealthful.

[33:02] He's seeking. He's going to devour something. It's not going to roar. And scare off all its prey. Will a young lion cry out of his den. If he hath taken nothing. Same concept. Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth.

[33:14] Where no gin is for him. A gin is a trap. Or a snare. And. Of course not. Shall one take up a snare from the earth. And have taken nothing at all. The answer again is obviously no.

[33:27] You're going to leave it set. In its place. Until. It's. Tricked. Or triggered. Verse 6 says. Shall a trumpet be blown in the city. And the people not be afraid.

[33:39] You better believe they'll be afraid. If they hear that trumpet. That's a sound of war. Or of. Of an enemy approaching. Shall there be evil in a city. And the Lord hath not done it.

[33:51] And the answer again is no. That's not possible. If there's going to be evil in the city. And this is not a reference to wickedness or sin. And. We won't have time this week to cover that.

[34:02] It's a reference to destruction. And to. Punishment. Or judgment. And the Lord's going to take credit for it. And so the point with what he's getting at here. All these questions there.

[34:13] They call them parabolic. Like. These are little parables. That is. There's imagery here. To get you to think about something. And. The point in all of this. Is like a cause and effect.

[34:24] And meaning. Amos is coming on the scene. Preaching. Saying. I wouldn't be crying against this nation. If God wasn't behind me doing it. Sending me. To preach to you. Prepared.

[34:35] To execute judgment upon you. And none of this would be happening. Now. I want to end here tonight. With just coming back into verse number three. And just making a point here.

[34:47] Just. Just something for you to take home. Can two walk together. Except they be agreed. That's just question one out of seven. And he's.

[34:58] He's going to use that as the springboard. To get to the last. To the point. That the Lord's going to do this. The Lord's going to bring the judgment. And they should be walking together. They should be in agreement.

[35:08] But if God's coming against them. If his word is against them. Then they're not in agreement anymore. Can two walk together. Except they be. Agreed. One of. Before we go home.

[35:19] Address quickly. Your relationship. Or your walk. With the Lord. And in that verse. It's. Can apply to me. And it can apply to you.

[35:29] Can you and God walk together. If you're not in agreement. When you agreed with God. About your sin.

[35:41] When you agreed with God. About his son. Then. A relationship. Came out of that. What I mean is. You probably.

[35:52] Maybe some of you in here. Fought. For years. That. You were a sinner. Or a bad person. And maybe you fought. Against religion. Or against church.

[36:03] Or just anything to do with Bible. And maybe you were just deceived. Or maybe you just didn't care at all. But some of you rejected the truth. And you imagined that you were good. But when you agreed with the word of God.

[36:16] When you agreed with what he said about you. And you said. I am. A pathetic sinner. And I don't have any hope. Unless Jesus Christ will save me.

[36:29] When you came to agree with him. When the needle moved from what you thought. To what he said. And you agreed with him. You believed on his son. And said God. A relationship was formed.

[36:42] You became a child of God. By faith in Jesus Christ. But it didn't happen on your terms. Did it? You didn't decide. That this is the way it's going to be for me. I'll choose the path I want to get to heaven.

[36:54] You had to agree with God. And when you agreed with him. He saved your soul. And a walk began. And as that walk began.

[37:04] It didn't immediately just transform poof. Into the greatest Christian. You're predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son. But it hasn't happened yet.

[37:15] And it didn't magically just take place. The day you got saved. That all of a sudden. Everything in your life. Is just the way it should be. It still hasn't happened that way yet.

[37:26] But when you learn. When you have ears to hear. When you receive the word of God. When his Holy Spirit inside of you. Convicts you of a sin. Or of something that's against God.

[37:39] And when you bow your heart. And agree with God. And say. I'm sorry. I'm wrong. That needs to go. I shouldn't do that anymore.

[37:49] I want to please you. And when you agree with him. When you learn truth. When you learn his ways. You agree with him. And get things right. Your walk gets closer.

[38:01] And the more you agree with God. The closer you walk with God. And every area that's in your heart.

[38:12] That is not in agreement with the Lord. Everything in your flesh. Is something keeping you from knowing him more. Keeping you from experiencing. A Christian life of victory.

[38:24] People. I don't know if he's the charismatics. Like to say a fuller Christian life. I don't like the term. But it's true. In the sense. That if you could get rid of the sin. If you could just keep moving that needle.

[38:35] Toward agreeing with God. And everything in your heart and life. You'd be walking with him. Enoch walked with God. And he was not.

[38:47] Where'd he go? Because God took him. That's a guy that agreed with God. And everything. I don't know. I don't know the man.

[38:58] But. There must not have been much at all in him. That God didn't agree with. Because he said. I don't just want to keep walking with you. I want you with me. Can two walk together.

[39:09] Except they be agreed. But do you know why some Christians. Fall out of the Christian walk. While they quit walking with God. They quit coming to church.

[39:19] They get burned. They just get bitter. You know why some Christians. Not all. Some Christians. Because something happened in their life. Something took place.

[39:30] Some painful things. Some big things. Something they expected. And it didn't work out the way they had prayed. The way they had planned. And they don't agree with God.

[39:43] How that worked out. They don't agree. That God allowed this to happen. And that he's still righteous. And they get angry. And they compare themselves to the wicked around them.

[39:56] And say. Why me? And why not them? And they don't agree with God. And it hurts. And they can't get over it. And so they walk away.

[40:08] And it happens all the time. More than it should. But do you remember Job? Do you remember what Job said in chapter 1. After he lost all of his possessions.

[40:19] All of his wealth. Just gone in a day. And he's down to nothing. And Job said this. The Lord giveth. He lost his children. The Lord giveth.

[40:31] And the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Do you know what Job was doing? He was agreeing with God. He was agreeing that you took my children.

[40:45] You're righteous. You took all my wealth. And all my substance. And cattle. And servants. And I'm down to nothing. Back to zero. He didn't charge God foolishly.

[40:58] Did he? He didn't sin with his lips. He agreed with God. And they can continue walking together. And yeah. It's going to hurt.

[41:09] And God will have to uphold. And carry. And strengthen. And you have to learn to depend on God. Once again. Instead of on how good it's been. And that's just the way it is.

[41:20] God's right. God puts his children through things. And he's calling them to trust him. To learn. To depend upon him. To not get too confident.

[41:31] In their own arm of flesh. In their own wealth. And status. And position. And experience. And ability. And God knocks you down. Not saying you're full of pride.

[41:43] Just saying God says. You need to walk with me more. And to do that. You got to agree with him. And sometimes that's going to be hard. Especially when it hurts.

[41:55] Especially when it just invokes all the emotion. And the sorrow. But let Job. That's in there for you. Let Job be your example. To say. The Lord giveth. And the Lord taketh away.

[42:07] Blessed be the name of the Lord. I deserve nothing. Except to suffer in hell. For my sins. And he hasn't put me there. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

[42:18] And the more you agree with God. The closer you'll walk with him. And the more you'll learn of him. And the more. The more you'll do for him. And the more victory you'll get.

[42:29] In things in your life. But it's all about that. Agreeing with him. No matter what it is. So. That's where we'll stop tonight. I hope you. Can take something from that.

[42:41] And. We'll come back. Lord willing. Next week. And continue on. In the chapter. So let's be dismissed. And let's pray. And then we'll go. Father. Father. It's been a good time tonight. To get with your people.

[42:51] And to be in the word of God. Again. Thank you for that book. Thank you for directing us. Thank you for not leaving us. To our own imaginations. Our own evil thoughts. And selves.

[43:02] Lord. We'd make a mess of this life. Thank you for the word of God. Thank you for my brothers. For my sisters here tonight. And for their desire to be here. On a Wednesday night. I pray that you fill their cup.

[43:13] That you'll strengthen them. By your spirit. With might in the inner man. And as we go out of here. Give us joy in the Holy Ghost. And give us strength. To live another day. To serve you.

[43:24] Give us ears to hear your voice. And help us to be obedient. We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You're dismissed.