This is a transcribed talk I gave during Bible Study class. Likely to contain grammar and spelling errors. Should also include a link to the presentation and notes at the bottom.
Good morning! Today we’re in the final chapter of Amos, chapter 9. We will be talking about God’s plan.
When I was thinking about God’s plan for my life He reminded me of Stephanie and my story. We met when we were 14 years old. God makes it clear from the beginning that it was His plan all along. Stephanie and I met through my ex-girlfriend. My ex-girlfriend and I had met at there church I was attending at the time. The two of them were at a sleep over and my ex-girlfriend said, “let’s call Tom.” That night, Stephanie and I spoke on the phone and a few weeks later we were dating. We lived nearly 45 minutes from each other and would have met no other way than through God’s plan.
Stephanie and I dated a couple years. That is, until I decided I was going to run my own plan and made some poor decisions. We kept in touch speaking every few months, or years in some cases. I eventually joined the Army when I was 20 years old and ended up at 10th Mountain. A military unit in upstate New York. I was leaving for Iraq soon and Stephanie came to mind, so I called her. My plan was to try to convince her move out to New York. God, in his infinite wisdom, knew that would turn out horrible so He kept her from me - she was dating someone else. I called her again on mid-tour leave and we kept in touch after I returned from Iraq. I was selected for Special Forces and decided I had a new plan. It was to become a Green Beret.
Training began in Fort Bragg, North Carolina and during that time Stephanie and I were speaking sporadically on the phone. I had a couple month long training coming up and there was going to be a four day break for Thanksgiving in the middle. We planned for her to come down during that break. Days before my training started I called Stephanie to tell her my new plan. That it probably wasn’t a good idea for her to come; nothing good would come from it, and it was best if she just stayed in Illinois. Well, God wasn’t going to allow my streak of bad decisions to disrupt His plan. So He put it on Stephanies’ heart that she was coming to North Carolina no matter what. After all, according to her, she had already bought her tickets. We hung up and I started training a few days later.
During training we would spend a lot of time doing land navigation which meant hours, if not days, of walking in the woods. You end up having a lot of time to reflect and to think. One thought that wouldn’t leave my mind was what I wanted out of life. “Is this what I want to do? Is this the life I want?” I began thinking about the number of wives and divorces I’ve seen in the military, and how even more common it was in Special Forces. These elite forces are constantly training and deploying. This limits time at home and ultimately takes a toll on relationships. Stephanie came to mind and God gave me a vision of what my life was supposed to be.
It was 2 kids, an amazing wife, and a white picket fence.
I quit Special Forces that day. A few days later I was back at the barracks and called Stephanie. Surprised by my call she asked, “why are you able to call me right now?” I told her I had quit and was looking forward to seeing her in a couple weeks. She came to North Carolina and that’s when I told her where I thought I was supposed to be.
I still thought it was my plan; I had no know it was actually God’s plan. Looking back, I can see the difference. Six months after that conversation we were married and our way to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. I deployed to Afghanistan soon after our return and I can say without my rock, without Stephanie, I would not be who I am or where I am today… especially after that deployment.
God has a purpose and plan for you life. He’s leading you even when you don’t know it.
Let’s jump into Amos. To get everyone up to speed let’s re-cap. Throughout Amos we heard about the judgments against the nations, from Israel’s enemies to Judah, but the focus was on the nation of Israel. Amos spoke of Israel’s sins, their coming destruction, and finally their restoration.
Before we dig in, let’s also sync up on who Amos was. Amos was a sheep breeder and tender of sycamore fruit. He was from a small village about 10 miles south of Jerusalem called Tekoa. With no family history of prophets or priests Amos was a business man, and he had a calling from God. Amos was called to prophesy to the northern tribes of Israel at around 760-753 B.C.
Amos makes its apparent that God uses unlikely people to do His work. He can and will use anyone. In 1 Corinthians 1 we hear that God chooses…
what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, what is weak in the world to shame the strong; what is low and despised in the world so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord!
1 Corinthians 1
This is exactly what Amos did. He didn’t focus on himself, his agenda, or his outcomes. Instead, he focused on the Lords plan. Amos delivered exactly what God wanted him to say, to the people He wanted him to say it to. Amos was fearless in that way. He came from the southern kingdoms and was prophesying against the northern kingdom. And they found that appalling.
At this time the Israel had military superiority, economic prosperity, they had restored territory, and began to have peace with Judah and neighboring countries. But God had a different perspective of what they were up to; he told it them through Amos. Amos laid out their sins and they weren’t pretty. Israel had conducted idolatry - Jeroboam I had set up golden calves to worship, they displayed moral and ethical decay as they used their poor for their own prosperity - ignoring their needs to prop up their own lifestyles, and they ignored the responsibility’s that came with the blessings they had received. Going further they were not pursuing the Lord with their hearts. Their worship was self-centered. they were doing it for show allowing their hearts to be focused on the culture, their things, and their lifestyle.
Amos was prophesizing against Israel in their peak of power. He was telling them they were about to come to full destruction and they were about to face exile.
The people of Israel obviously did not appreciate Amos’ presence. So much so that Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, got Amos kicked out of Israel. Amaziah began making accusations at Amos, telling King Jeroboam lies. Which ended up getting Amos kicked out of Israel but also gave him the time writing this book.
But God was patient with Israel. He gave them a few hundred years of prophets, from Samuel to Elijah to Elisha. They continued to go their own way and yet God sent them other, Amos. Ultimately, they could kick out whoever they wanted, but it wasn’t going to change the outcome if they didn’t listen to God.
So, let’s dig in, Chapter 9:15 Amos tells us who God is. He says:
The Lord God of hosts, he who touches the Earth and melts it, and all who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises like the Nile, and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt; who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his fault up on the Earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the Earth - the LORD is his name.
Amos 9:5–6 ESV
God is all powerful! Just think about it, creation, science, plants animals, life… the sun, the sky, the stars… All these things created by Him. He touches the Earth and it melts. He calls for water of the sea and pours them out to make it rain! God is sovereign, He is over all things!
Something to note here in your Bibles is when you see “LORD” in all caps. This means that what was actually written was YAHWEH. The personal name for God. Amos was making it abundantly clear who was giving these prophesies. It was Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Verse 7 was a super interesting verse. God tells Israel…
Are you not like the Cushites to me, O people of Israel?”, declares the Lord. “Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir?
Amos 9:7 ESV
What makes this verse so interesting is the Cushites were a small tribe outside of Israel. They would have seemed insignificant to Israel, and God says they’re equal. God goes further to name enemies of Israel: Philistine and Assyrians. This is no different that someone telling America they are equal to Russia, North Korea, or China. Obviously this would have made the people of Israel raise an eyebrow. God just said, “I raised you just as I raised up your enemies.” He established them both. God is making it clear that EVERY nation is under His authority. NO ONE is exempt from God’s judgement, ESPECIALLY Israel.
Amos goes on; making abundantly clear that Israel has God’s attention. He says,
“Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom” [you’ve got His attention Israel!] “and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground, except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob.” declares the Lord. “For behold I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall to the Earth. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who says, “Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.”
Amos 9:8–10 ESV
So, they have God’s attention and God says I will destroy the kingdom from the surface of the ground, but he will spare the house of Jacob. God isn’t being contradictory here, he’s keeping a promise to preserve for Himself a remnant of the people of the house of Jacob - specifically those who remained faithful to Him. God’s judgement here would be a purifying act of removing waste. He would shake the sieve and no person who rejected the Lord would escape His judgement.
Going further, the people of Israel were deceiving themselves. They had a superiority complex and thought they could step on the backs of the poor. Using them as steppingstones for their own monetary gain, and they could do it all they wanted because ‘disaster shall not overtake or meet us’. Why? Because “we’re God’s people; he’ll never do anything to us.”
I think this probably sounds familiar if we’re honest with ourselves. How often do we allow sin in our lives because, “God will forgive me.” Or maybe because “it’s a small sin - not that big of a deal”. Or because “everyone else is doing it.” My personal favorite, “God knows I’m not perfect; we’re fallen so this is kind of expected.”
Jesus did not die so that we could sin.
Jesus died because we sin and our lack of concern, repentance, or even acknowledgement of our sin is a shot at the Lord. But God is such a patient Lord, He’s constantly pursuing, warning, and encouraging us to turn to Him. This is made fully apparent in God’s approach to Israel. He gave them 100’s of years of warnings and opportunities to repent.
God wants the same thing for us. We are not far off from the people of Israel. God warns us, God pursues us, God reaches out for us everyday to turn to Him and it’s so easy to ignore Him because “it’s hard” or “I’m not worthy” or “I’ve sinned too much – He can’t possibly use me or want me.” I can tell you this is not true. God has a purpose and a plan for your life. If you choose to follow His way life WILL be significantly different; it will be better.
Before I knew God it wasn’t uncommon for me to drop into anger, fighting, depression, and often turn to drinking. I didn’t notice God’s pursuit although looking back there’s no doubt in my mind that He was coming after me. He introduced me to my wonderful wife when I was fourteen and I turned away from His plan in pursuit of my own. He whispered to me to turn away from my wicked ways and although I listened for a moment, I again turned back to my own ways. God gave me visions of my future, but I largely tried to tant them with my own versions of them. Looking back, I can tell the difference from God’s plan and my own desires.
God was watching over me in Iraq and Afghanistan, I’ve been shot at, blown up, taken shrapnel, and had a 500lbs bomb dropped on me. God was there and He is still using every moment. He never stopped… He was pursuing me even when I didn’t notice, but He knew one day He would get my attention. I don’t know what else God has planned for me and my family, but I will be doing my best to listen and be obedient. He hasn’t disappointed yet!
God has also outlined His future for us all, and it looks great. Continuing on in Amos 9:11 God says,
In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name” declares the Lord who does this.
Amos 9:11–12 ESV
God is saying He will keep His promise and restore what was destroyed. A covenant made with Abraham and David. Back in Genesis 17 God said Abraham’s offspring will flourish, they will be prosperous, and carry out great things in the Lords name. Since that promise, Solomon died and the kingdom split into two, the south was ruled by the Davidic line, and the north was ruled by a number of wicked dynasties. Although God punished His people for their wicked ways; He did not forget His covenant. God has a plan for us too, and it sounds great!
In verse 13 God says,
“Behold the days are coming”, declares the LORD, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them.” Says the Lord your God.
Amos 9:13–15 ESV
God’s ultimate promise was to someday restore and bless His people through the person and work of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. Our God is a great God. He has been patient with us, He has given us Grace, and He has ultimately sacrificed so that we may have eternal life.
God’s plan is great! His salvation is great! Turn to the Lord in your time of need and in your time of plenty. Thank God for everything you have been given because we truly deserve so little.
Spend some time in these verses this week:
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Worship Yahweh – Luke 10:27
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Focus on Yahweh – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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Trust in Yahweh – Proverbs 3:5-6