Amos - "Not Again"

What does repeated failure look like?  What does it look like in matters which really matter?

Abe Lincoln famously failed many times in his pursuit of elected public office on his way to finally winning the presidential election in 1860 at then-ripe-old-age of 51.

Sometimes it can feel like the Christian life is like this.  We try and we fail, we try and we fail. over and over again.  We begin to sound like a broken record.  Or worse, we just decide to give up.  Which of course, is un-American.  If you try and don’t succeed, what are you expected to do?

Today in our study of the Minor Prophets, we come to Amos, and quite frankly, God’s people are beginning to sound just like one of those broken records.  And God has something - some things - to say about it.  Let’s take a look…

Come back!  So far we’ve looked at Joel - and what did we see?  A swarm.  A swarm.  God at work trying to get His people’s attention.  And urging them, come back!  Next we looked at Jonah.  And we saw a fishy prophet - prideful, self-serving.  No compassion.  But the wicked people of Nineveh, those Assyrians, the filthy Gentiles, they did come back, in SPITE of Jonah.  Today we have Amos.  Amos, we read, was from Tekoa (south of Bethlehem).  So he is from what is now the southern portion of the divided kingdom of Israel (aka Judah).  He was a contemporary of Jonah.  He was a shepherd.  And God sends him to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (primarily the northern kingdom).  God is still trying to get His people’s attention…

“The Lord roars from Zion…”  Does that sound familiar?  He is quoting Joel!  Zion being the city on a hill, Jerusalem, where God’s house, the temple of Solomon was located and where God had caused His Name to dwell.  The Lord roars from Zion!  Utters His voice from Jerusalem.  That is of course from whence the people would expect God’s voice to originate.

But Amos begins by repeating the words of his predecessor (which incidentally is why we favor dating Joel before Amos…).  Joel was the first of the writing prophets whom the Lord sent to Israel to try and get their attention.  God sent a swarm, and Joel said, the Lord roars from Zion.  And Amos here says it again.  The Lord roars from Zion.  He’s trying to get their attention.  Yes, He sent Jonah to Nineveh, the hated, filthy Gentiles - but for the average spiritually-arrogant (northern) Israelite, those are the people who need to be judged.  They’re not circumcised.  They don’t have the law.  They don’t have the temple.  They’re not Jewish.  But we’re the chosen people.  And up here in the north, we now have a place of worship…! (More on that in a bit…)  But yeah, we’re good!  We are good to go.

The Lord roars from Zion.  He speaks from Jerusalem.   Have you ever heard a lion roar?  Anyone here ever heard a lion roar?  That sound which strikes terror into the heart of unsuspecting (and even suspecting) prey can be heard for miles around.

A lion roars from Zion (Amos repeats it, TWICE - 3.4, 3.8).  What we see is that while Amos - like Jonah - does prophesy against all the surrounding nations, that he is focusing on Israel.  By this, again we mean the northern 10 tribes.  If you recall, God’s chosen people had chosen to split up after the reign of Solomon.  A divided kingdom.  Two tribes in the south, Judah, and Benjamin, and the other 10 in the north.  And we see that Amos winds up spending most of his prophetic ministry bringing the Word of the Lord to what was now the northern kingdom of Israel.  And we learn one more interesting (and relevant) thing about his ministry, in chapter 7.  The official "prophet" for the northern kingdom, Amaziah, is clearly resentful and does not at all appreciate the message which Amos is bringing, which is a message of repentance.  Come back. 

Look at verses 7.9-15.  Amaziah tells Amos to go back home, prophet.  Go back and prophesy to your own people.   Go back to where you’re from… Scum, scum, scum… You don’t belong here.  I’m the professional prophet here.  Go back and "earn your bread", do your prophet job in your own country.  We don’t need you here.  We don’t want you here.  And Amos says, look, I’m not a prophet.  It’s not the family business.  I’m a herdsman.  And a fig picker.  In other words, I have a thriving livelihood.  I didn’t ask for this gig.

Turns out, Amos was a fig-picker.  What can we say about figs…? 

Figs are not only the main ingredient in a very popular cookie, the fig bar, but are a culinary delicacy par excellence. Part of the wonder of the fig comes from its unique taste and texture.  There is nothing like the unique taste and texture of fresh figs.  Figs are lusciously sweet and feature a complex texture that combines the chewiness of their flesh, the smoothness of their skin, and the crunchiness of their seeds. In addition, since fresh figs are so delicate and perishable, some of their mystique comes from their relative rarity.  Fresh figs are one of the most perishable fruits.  Figs at one point were held in such esteem by the Greeks that they created laws forbidding the export of the best quality figs.

Anyone here ever eaten a ripe fig?  They were number 2 on the list of most delectable delicacies of the land of Canaan.  The top three were grapes, figs, and pomegranates.  Figs - that’s what the 12 spies brought back to the people as evidence that the promised land was truly a land of promise.  Grapes get the top nod, of course, because they were the source of wine, but figs are right there in second place.  This is relevant, because what we see is God’s people living it up in His land of promise, people employed in the business of living it up, pursuing a life of relative luxury and ease, and God’s chosen people are forgetting the One Who chose them.  They are forgetting the Lord.  

Does that sound at all like life in the 21st century?  For some?  Living it up, a life of relative luxury and ease?  People actually employed in the business of luxury and ease, of excess?  Of that which is unnecessary?  Professional sports?  How many billions and billions of dollars being spent and made just on professional sports?  The perfection of the unnecessary?  I’ve quoted that before.  Sports Illustrated.  A magazine franchise whose livelihood depends on this very same perfection of the unnecessary.  

Avengers Endgame - how many have already seen it?  No spoilers!!!  How much money do you think people spent to go and see that movie just in this first weekend of its release?

Fastest to $100 million	17 hours[1]	Star Wars: The Force Awakens – 21 hours[1]
Fastest to $150 million	1 day[2]	Avengers: Infinity War – 2 days[2]
Highest single-day gross	$156 million[3]	Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $119 million[3]
Highest opening day gross	$156 million[4]	Star Wars: The Force Awakens – $119 million[4]

Living it up in the land of promise.  That’s what God’s people were doing.  And they were doing it at the expense of their relationship with the God Who made them and chose them and loved them.  It is the fulfillment of the warning which the Lord gave them before He led them into the promised land:

Deut. 8:7 “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. 11 Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; 12 otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Look at what God says in Amos 6.4-8:   Then look at 4.4-5.  Bethel.  Do you know what was going on at Bethel?  

It had been 170 years of again and again and again, with the nation of Israel.  The northern 10 tribes.  And do you know where it started?  Bethel.  Jeroboam.  The first king of the north, Jeroboam (the 1st) had actually built TWO golden calves.  JUST LIKE the one Israel had made back while fresh out of Egypt, camping at the mountain of God.  And now, this northern kingdom - they were pursuing this duplicitous idolatry with relish!  And proceeding like NOTHING WAS WRONG!  And God was trying to get their attention!

Look at 4.6-12.  The Lord sometimes sends the swarm, and the storm, and the drought and famine and disaster, in order to get the attention of His people.  The downside of blessing is that it greases the wheels of waywardness.  Luxury and ease can facilitate forgetfulness.  And then 5.21-24.  And then 3.11-14.

But let’s take a look at how Amos begins.  Back in chapter 1, verse 3.  He begins with the surrounding nations.  For three transgressions of Damascus and for four, I will not revoke its punishment.

I think there are two things going on here.  And what God is saying is, not again.

Not again.

Not again is the repeated sin.  You do the same thing over and over.  You are the dog who returns to its vomit.  You did it again.  To which the Lord says, “Not again”.  O Jacob, not again.  You have got to be kidding Me.  Really?  Are you kidding Me right now?  Not again.  You keep on doing the same thing, over and over again.

Please don’t tell Me you did the same thing again.  Not again.

I’m allowing all these things to happen to try and get your attention, but you still haven’t come back.  You’ve had drought.  You’ve had devastating fires.  You’ve had destroying swarms.  But you keep on doing the same things.  Three times, four times - you keep on doing the same thing over and over.  And maybe you promise you’ll do better the next time, but then you go right back to it.  Not again.  Years and years of again and again.  All you people.

So the Lord says, not again.  Not again also means, I’ve had enough.  Some commentators believe the use of three and four here is an allusion to the number seven.  Seven.  The number for completeness.  As if God is saying, your sins are completely filled up in My sight and I will pass over them - I will relent - no longer.  Not again will I relent.  Not again.  Not this time.

And God begins by saying this to Israel’s neighbors.  Damascus.  Gaza.  Tyre.  Edom.  Ammon.  Moab.  Even Judah.  And that’s "no worries" for Israel.  It’s easy for me to compare myself to my neighbor and think, I’m not so bad off.  See, they’re no better than me.  See, they’re getting in trouble.  Nah nah na-nah nah.  The first 18 verses God is pointing the finger at Israel’s neighbors.  And then He brings the hammer down on Israel.  The whole rest of the book He is speaking to the northern kingdom of Israel.  Not again.

Look at 3.1-2.

It’s interesting what we see happening in the first part of chapter seven…  Note that twice Amos intercedes for Israel, and the Lord relents (7.1-3, 7.4-6).  And then, finally, the Lord has had enough.  He says, not again (7.8, 8.2).

I will spare them no longer.  Not again.  Time’s up.  Look at 6.1.  Then look at 5.1-6.  At this point, it is a question of whether or not even their lives will be spared.  Judgment is certain.  Exile is certain.  Look at 8.1-2…

Jeroboam set up a false image.  And in the midst of all their blessings, they began to forget the Lord.  This is where it all begins, really.  We begin to relate to the God of the universe based on a false image.  Based on faulty knowledge.  We re-create Him in other forms, on our own terms.  We concoct a god more to our own liking.  We forget Who He is, what He is really like.  We begin to focus on and enjoy the blessings almost to the exclusion of the One Who is the Source of all goodness and blessing.

And so it is no coincidence that the Lord is reminding His people (AND us!!) through Amos.  Generously placed throughout this book are clear reminders of Who God is and what He is like…

Observations about Who God is… Who is the Lord?

-The LORD Who roars

• My name is holy
• I destroyed the Amorites
• I brought you up from Egypt
• I led you in the wilderness
• I sent prophets/messengers and spiritual leaders to you
• I am the God Who speaks and reveals My secret counsel to you
• I am weighted down beneath you
• I chose you.  Only you.  Out of all the families on earth
• The God of hosts…
• I am holy
• I form the mountains.  I create the wind
• I make My thoughts known to man
• I make dawn into darkness
• I tread on the high places of the earth
• I made the stars
• I change deep darkness into morning
• I call for the waters of the sea and pour them out on the surface of the earth
• I flash forth destruction upon the strong
• I hate, I reject your festivals
• I loathe your arrogance
• The name of the Lord is not to be mentioned (i.e. profaned by imperfect lips)
• No one can flee from My presence
• I touch the land so that it melts
• I build My upper chambers in the heavens
• My eyes are on the sinful kingdom

Don’t forget!  Never forget!  Not again!  Not again means don’t forget!  Don’t lose sight of Who I am, of what I am like.  I am the God of hosts.  I made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.  Very good!  Breathtakingly good I made them.  I am the Source of life and all goodness.  All this stuff you think you are looking for, all this stuff you are giving your heart to, for sure enjoy it with gratitude but know for sure that it can never fill the God-shaped hole in your heart, that infinite abyss.  Come to Me.  Come back to Me.

And He says it on a different level.  Not again.  Take up your pallet and sin no more, Jesus said to the paralytic as He healed him.  Not again means sin no more.  Get up off the floor, leave those filthy rags behind you, and don’t do it again.  Just don’t do it.  But ours is not a message of try harder.  We are not supposed to be like the little engine who could.  I think I can, I think I can - and slowly we dig deep for our last ounce of strength and finally pull ourselves up that hill.  

Yes, Jesus says, go and sin no more.  Not again.  But we need to learn the lesson of Paul.  Paul was dealing with a thorn in the flesh.  It was most likely some kind of hardship, but it could have been a source of weakness, a temptation which Paul found hard to resist.  Something which kept coming back.  And Paul is praying and asking God to take it away, and you know what God says, right?  My power is perfected in your weakness.  Your powerlessness.  MY Spirit, MY power in you, manifested for all to see.  God wants to bring us to the end of ourselves, so that we will begin with Him.  So that we will truly trust in Him.  Every day.  For forgiveness and salvation, yes, but also for grace and strength every day.  To say no to temptation and to self and me-first, to say yes to Him - and to our neighbors and enemies, to say yes to love and to truth and to mercy and justice.  Yes to service.  Walking in gratitude.  Not again means not again, no longer in my own strength.  Not again in my own efforts.  Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord.

Finally, Amos ends with a promise (9.13-15).  One day - days are coming, says the Lord, when Israel (God's people) will not again be rooted up out of their land.  Not (ever) again...