God's Patience Runs Out

Pray

Ever-loving Lord, to You I bring an offering of praise. You hear my cry, and You bring forth new life.

Read

Amos 7:1-17

^[1] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. ^[2] And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. ^[3] The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD. ^[4] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part. ^[5]Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. ^[6] The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD. ^[7]Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. ^[8] And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: ^[9] And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword. ^[10] Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. ^[11] For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. ^[12] Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: ^[13] But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court. ^[14] Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: ^[15] And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. ^[16] Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. ^[17]Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land. 

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version, Public Domain

Meditate

Consider: We do not expect God's love or goodness ever to run out. So, why should it be any different with his patience?

Think Further:

These visions may have been Amos's call to prophesy. If not, they probably came early in his ministry. His response to the judgment depicted in the first two visions shows that he was reluctant to prophesy judgment. As a Judean he might have taken some pleasure in the judgment of Israel, but he did not. Instead, he interceded for the sinful nation and God responded, postponing judgment. This is an example for us to follow, instead of just bemoaning the state of the nation. The respite was temporary. There is no doubt that the plumb line in the third vision is the justice and righteousness of the covenant--a prominent theme in Amos. Finally, God decides that the people have gotten too far out of truth and judgment must fall. He will destroy the sanctuaries with their hateful worship and the leaders who pervert justice and righteousness. God is patient, allowing time for repentance, but his patience is not endless (2 Pet. 3:8-10). If it were, God would not be a good and holy God because he would endlessly condone evil.

Amos states in verse 14: "No prophet am I and no son of a prophet am I, a herdsman am I ..." The phrase "son of a prophet" (NIV, "disciple of a prophet") referred to a member of a group of prophets who lived together and made a living by prophesying (2 Kings 2:1-7; 4:1,38). Amos declares he is not that kind of prophet. When Amaziah orders him out of Bethel, Amos replies, "I'm not one of the sanctuary prophets that you can order around. I'm sent by the Lord on a special prophetic mission." His word against Amaziah may seem severe, but so are Jesus' words against those who lead others into sin (Matt. 18:6).

Apply

Has God given you a specific task to do? Has it become hard going? Ask God for the determination and courage to keep going.

Pray

Heavenly Father, forgive me that my desire to be liked can override my faithfulness to You. I ask for courage to stand strong for You.