ROARING AS A LION
(AMOS 3:1-6)
1. The
nation of
2. God
said He brought this nation “up out of the
3. God
“knew”
4. The word “knew” (“known”) means to have an intimate or a personal relationship with someone.
5. The word “known” means that God protected and cared for the entire Hebrew population.
6. For a time the Hebrew people were responsive to God and obedient to His will.
7. The Hebrews were grateful for what God had done and they lived in the right way.
8. With the passage of time God’s people decided to change directions.
9. The Hebrews eventually decided to stop walking with God.
10. Amos 3:3 asks if two will walk together if they are not agreed.
A. For
a time God and
B. However,
a time came when
C. Tonight
I want to compare the nation of
11. When
we look at the nation of
12. From one family came a great and mighty nation.
13. This
is somewhat similar to
A. I
decided to look up
B. I wanted to see how secular writers viewed this nation’s progress.
C. Under American history the World Book says,
D. “The
history of the United States is the story of a great nation created from a vast
wilderness
in an unbelievably short time.” The same article further says, “Five hundred
years ago, not a single European settler lived in the land that is now the
United States. Three hundred years ago,
only a few scattered settlements lay along the Atlantic Coast. Even as recently as 200 years ago,
the United States of America did not exist. But, during those 200 years, the United States has
developed its unique culture and grown to maturity.”
E. In about 500 years the Hebrews went from a family to a great and prosperous nation.
F. In about the same period of time America went from a vast wilderness to a prosperous nation.
14. We may make a remarkable comparison between Israel and America.
A. Both nations had a strong interest in the true God.
B. The Hebrews worshipped Jehovah.
C. In our nation’s history there were religious groups like the Quakers, Puritans, and Protestants.
D. Both America and Israel in a period of about 500 years made rapid progress.
E. For a time both Israel and America viewed God’s word as authoritative and important.
F. In this country there was a time when the Bible was a book that was respected.
G. Scripture was read in schools.
H. God’s word was posted in public places.
I. The conduct described in God’s word was taught and many tried to abide by it.
J. The Lord’s Day, in the past, was a time when many came together for worship.
K. The church had a prominent place in society.
L. America believed in a family consisting of a mother and father.
M. People believed in heaven, hell, and a coming judgment day.
N. Acts like divorce, adultery, bribery, gambling, and drunkenness were generally seen as wrong.
O. I would be the first to admit that people did many things that were not religiously right.
P. There were problems with improper worship.
Q. Some mishandled God’s word.
R. Some approved of things that were not right.
S. Generally speaking people were disposed towards accepting some form of Christianity.
T. There was a definite interest in God and His word.
U. Before 1789 there some states had a law which said anyone who was not a Christian could not hold public office.
V. By the year 1900 almost every university President was an ordained minister.
W. America for a time was a religious nation just as the nation of Israel was.
15. IN THE BOOK OF AMOS WE LEARN THAT ISRAEL DECIDED TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS.
16. The time came when the nation of Israel was no longer willing to do what God wanted.
17. What about America?
18. We find a similar course being taken by our nation.
A. The Bible is no longer read in most schools.
B. Most seem to have forgotten that the first congress authorized 20,000 Bibles to be printed for Indians.
C. Respect for human life has been diminished and in some cases lost.
D. This nation has people regularly use God’s name to express profanity..
E. Places that have posted the Ten Commandments have been sued.
F. In fact, some here may have followed the court case involving the city of Elkhart.
G. Some religious groups have been banned from public schools.
H. Science teachers have tossed out God and replaced Him with the error of evolution.
I. Elected officials who are religious have faced some opposition for their faith.
J. The Lord’s Day has, for many, become nothing but another day off work.
K. Adultery has been reduced to a ho hum experience.
L. Divorce is no longer that big of a deal. America became the world leader in divorce.
M. Our nation’s crime rate has grown.
N. Prayer at school football games has been outlawed.
O. In other places those who are graduating from high school cannot publicly pray.
P. Gambling has become a way for states to make money.
Q. Drunkenness is a disease.
R. Instead of fornication being a sin, society wants to teach people who to safely engage in it.
S. The church has become, to some degreee, a thing that tolerated.
T. As long as the church doesn’t speak about morals and sin it will be left alone.
U. If it dares speak out against certain acts or sins it risks being sued or shut down.
19. THE
HISTORY AND PRESENT STATE OF OUR NATION HAS SOME STRIKING PARALLELS TO THE
NATION OF ISRAEL. WHEN THE PEOPLE OF
ISRAEL CHANGED DIRECTIONS THE PROPHET AMOS BEGAN TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
A. Notice verses 4-6.
B. The full meaning of these questions is difficult.
C. In looking at what is said at least this much is clear: Actions bring consequences.
D. When Israel walked with God that action resulted in friendship and fellowship.
E. When the nation left God all harmony and agreement ceased.
F. The prophet seems to illustrate this thought by appealing to nature.
G. Amos asks about a lion that roars.
H. A lion’s roar is an action. This action means that something is going to get eaten.
I. Lions only roar when pray is in sight.
J. If a lion is crying (growling) in its den this action means it has something to eat.
K. Lions growl with contentment as they munch on food.
L. If a bird is snared it is only because a trap has been set.
M. Actions bring consequences.
20. The nation Israel didn’t think that her actions would result in any consequences.
21. Let’s skip ahead to 4:6-10.
22. The nation of Israel faced several judgments.
23. The Hebrew people looked at these events and saw them as isolated events.
24. Those in Israel saw these problems as coincidences. Bad luck. These were quirks. Fate.
25. The nation did not understand each of these problems was actually a judgment from God.
26. God was behind each judgment because sin causes consequences.
A. God took responsibility for the problems faced by this nation of people.
B. A lot of time has passed.
C. The nation of Israel is gone and there are some new nations, one of which is America.
D. Has God’s character changed?
E. Does He still punish the nations that refuse to follow His ways?
F. The book of Malachi says, speaking of God, I CHANGE NOT (Mal. 3:6).
G. In 1831 a Frenchman made an observation.
H. This man wanted to know what made America great.
I. After some careful observations he said (because of the churches),
J. “America is great because America is good” (moral; godly; upright).
K. “If America ceases to be good (righteous), America will cease to be great.”
L. All of this information should cause us to do some thinking.
M. In the past few years we have seen some interesting things happen.
N. In
this country we have a problem with AIDS.
There are earthquakes. We suffer
from massive
floods. We have droughts. There is a shortage of gas &
electricity. The economy has sometimes
sputtered. There are other natural
disasters such as tornados and hurricanes; snowstorms that close cities. There are mudslides and rockslides.
27. Those in the world are prone to dismiss these things as nature; mere chance; fate; bad luck..
28. It might be alleged that our problems have nothing to do with God.
29. If there is a God some think He is way out yonder has nothing to do with the world.
30. I want to introduce a reference from Lev. 23.
A. This reference relates to the nation of Israel.
B. God said that He would bless the Hebrew people if they would obey.
C. On the other hand, if those in this nation disobeyed, the people’s sins would bring punishment.
D. Lev. 26:13-28.
E. When nations refuse to obey God they suffer.
31. I have been to two third world countries.
A. In each case I saw nations that had little interest in God and a lot of interest in sin.
B. These nations are not prospering.
C. Both of these countries (as well as similar nations) are dirty, poor, and undesirable.
D. Just looking at the filth in these nations makes you feel dirty.
E. America was founded on Biblical principles and she prospered.
F. The
interest in God allowed things to go so well that even the World Book has
commented on
this nation’s success.
32. Remember the principle from Amos 3:3: Can two walk together unless they be agreed?
A. If there is not friendship between people, there is no fellowship.
B. If our nation continues to take an unfriendly approach to God, what will God do?
C. If our society severs friendship with God (i.e. it forsakes an interest in God and His word),
D. Amos 3:3 teaches that our nation’s association with God will be severed.
E. When God turns His back on a nation it will be destroyed.
F. The principle from Lev. 26 teaches that God will punish a nation seven times for its sins.
G. That is, the punishment will be complete.
33. Most in our world hear a siren and they pay attention.
34. Tornado sirens alert people to danger. Radio stations have an emergency tone as well.
35. In Amos 3:6 God spoke of a trumpet. In Hebrew culture trumpets sounded a warning.
36. Warnings were sounded but the people didn’t listen.
37. As we look at our time I would not say that every disaster is necessarily a judgment of God.
38. However, when we look at everything that is taking place it is too much to say it is all a coincidence.
39. Some have seen catastrophe after catastrophe and said, “The end of the world is near.”
40. These people see the hand of God but they miss the point.
41. Instead of the end of the world we are seeing the stretching of God’s patience.
42. God’s goodness is being tested more and more each day.
43. God uses different punishments to encourage our nation to return to Him and His ways.
44. In a few days the 4th of July will be here.
45. Instead of thinking about fireworks, apple pie, hotdogs, it is a time to think about God.
46. We have a great nation because we have been blessed by God.
47. If our nation continues to move from God we may not have any 4th of July celebrations.
48. Ps. 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
49. The 4th of July should be a special time to remind each of us about the importance of Christianity.