Hebrews Chapter 12

I feel that the most significant aspect of this chapter is found in the concluding verses where the author talks about the Mountain of Fear versus the Mountain of Joy. On Mount Sinai, Moses met with God and forged the Old Covenant in the form of the Ten Commandments. It can be said then that Mount Sinai was where the Jewish Church of Old was founded. This linkage demonstrates the difference in the focus of the Jewish Church, and with it the Old Covenant, in comparison to the New Church established in Christ and the foundation of the New Covenant. This Old Covenant was heavily founded on acts. We see this in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, books filled with what to do and what not to do. These acts were their testaments to their faith, their sign to God of their faithfulness. Yet it still remains clear that under the Old Covenant, no man was perfect. Every man, woman, and child sinned in the eyes of the Law of the Old Testament. Even the holiest of these old Jews would despair to face the judgement of God without the blood of Christ. Through the blood of Christ, shed to found the New Church, it is possible to cast aside this despair. This blood speaks on behalf of sinners, and speaks loudly to drown out our flawed nature. When worshiping God, we should always be cognizant that we are incapable of placating His wrath by ourselves for we are condemned by our sins. Yet the blood of Christ, sent by God for us, covers those sins and for that we should sing til we can sing no more.

Hebrews Chapter 11

This is hands down one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, definitely my favorite in Hebrews. The main focus of this chapter is....drum roll please......faith. No duh. I think you get that about three verses in. But it's easy to get lost in what is said in this passage. I always affectionately refer to this chapter as the "Hall of Faith" because it's like walking through the Hall of Fame for people that, you know, have faith. This chapter basically serves as a SparkNotes version of the Old Testament. So it's a good review. But the meat of this chapter comes at the end, from verses 32 to 40.

What we see here is two-fold. First, we see the insurmountable power of faith. With faith in God all things are possible, even moving mountains. But faith is not something that is easily come by. With our faith in something unseen and our convictions about our faith, we are often put in a position on the outskirts of the cultural norm. Because of our faith, we are weird, abnormal. And that's hard to deal with sometimes because it sets us up for persecution because of "differentness". We have to be prepared for that. Though Christians in America have it much better than our Early Church peers (no crucifixion, no roasting alive, no drawn and quartering, etc), there are still Christians in other parts of the world who still need to fear death for their faith. Yet still they believe. And that is a testament to how we should be living.

The second thing we see in this section is that, as great as what all these Old Testament juggernauts did, it was not good enough and God's plan wasn't complete. It still needed that extra something special, but that something special could not come from man. It had to come from above. And what's awesome about that is that Jesus' life on Earth gives us even more reason to have faith in God. He was a living, breathing witness of God's love, His eternal, ever-lasting, all-compassing, giant bear hug love.

Hebrews Chapter 10

Here we see a continuation of where we left off in Chapter 9. The first section of Chapter 10 reaffirms that Christ paid the ultimate price, once for all. And those three words hold so much meaning.

Once. The price Jesus paid is one that only had to paid once. It was the ultimate sacrifice meant to cover all sins for all time. It was the culmination of thousands of years of inadequate sacrifices laid before God by the Israelites. The sheep and lamb and goats and cows just simply weren't cutting it. And God wanted to have a relationship with us that was being prevented by our inability to not sin.

All. The price Jesus paid was not meant for just the Jews. While they are God's Chosen People, we are all God's Children. And it is undeniable that God wanted a relationship with all of us, not just the Jews. And in order to have that relationship, there had to be a sacrifice sufficient to cover a multitude of sins, which is where Jesus came in. The vastness of what this sacrifice means cannot be overlooked and it should bring joy to us every moment we dwell on it.

Hebrews Chapter 9

What I love about this chapter is how it explains the role that Jesus' blood plays in the big picture. We see how the sacrifices of old were not cutting it. They were unable to completely cover and redeem the sins of the Israelites. Because of this, they were only able to enter into the presence of God in the Holy of Holies once a year "and even then not without blood". That's not too cool. The fact that only one person was able to be with God and then only once a year just blows my mind when I consider that in today's post-Christ world, we have the freedom to meet with God wherever and whenever he wants.....and that's all because of Christ. We call him the Lamb of God for a reason. He was a sacrifice for us, he paid the cost of our sins. And that totally opens the door and blows away the old concepts of meeting with God. No longer is there an earthly Tabernacle. Instead there is a different Tabernacle that is unsullied by human hands since it was built by Christ. While it is impossible to fully know the mystery that is Christ, we find in him sustenance, life, and forgiveness. These things are offered to us, all that remains is for us, through our faith, to accept the gift. One final point to make: The sacrifice of Christ is one that serves for all time. It is not necessary for Christ to be sacrificed every year like the lamb that was sacrificed to cover the High Priest of the Old Covenant. The eternal, life-giving sacrifice is enough. And as it is said, "His Grace is enough for me."

Hebrews Chapter 8

The main purpose of this chapter is to illustrate to the Hebrews the role and purpose of Jesus Christ. Chapter seven pointed the flaws inherent to the Old Covenant that paved the road to Christ. What's important to note is the role of Christ in the big picture. Due to the unique situation in which our Fall from Eden put us in relation to God, it was necessary for Christ to take upon himself human form to dwell among us and then die for our sins upon the Cross. Because of our sin we are incapable of approaching God and thus Christ, in his role as the High Priest of the New Covenant, mediates for us with God. As Matthew Henry put it, "Christ is the substance and end of law of righteousness." The New Covenant as imbued in Christ is of infinite more value than the Old Covenant in part because of the one sacrifice that was paid for all. However, the additional benefit of the New Covenant can be seen in its scope. Unlike the Old Covenant, which was limited to the nation of Israel, the New Covenant in Christ is open to all who truly believe and repent of their sins. This is the "better promises" spoken of in verse 7. It is with great love and peace that we should rest in this new promise, secure in our High Priest who is always vigilant.

Hebrews Chapter 7

This chapter is so awesome in so many ways. We start off this chapter reading more about Melchizedek and what makes him special. Here we are confronted with the difference between the Order of Melchizedek, to which Jesus belongs, and the Order of Aaron which represents the traditional priesthood of the Israelites. I've already spoken previously (Hebrews Chapter 5) about the symbolism behind Melchizedek and his name so check it out if you haven't already.

What is perhaps the most interesting section of this chapter is the section from verses 11-16 and 26-28. These verses elaborate on the necessity of Christ's life. Under the original law, the law governed by the Order of Aaron and the Levites, Israel was faced with an impossible task: the keeping of the law. Besides Jesus, no person has every lived a life that perfectly adhered to the original covenant and the Ten Commandments.

Because of this, the Order of Aaron was a flawed priesthood, incapable of raising the Israelites out of sin. This means that a new priesthood had to be created.

God knew this all along so He prepared His Son and sent Him to us. And in doing so, created the next generation of priesthood, one that is not ordained due to his heritage, but is instead invested due to the nature of the "power of an indestructible life". That phrase at the end of verse 15 gave me chills when I read it because of the image it created of Jesus as an indestructible force, a force who triumphs over Death and opens the gates of heaven for His followers. What makes this image more powerful is that this was proven by the Crucifixion and Resurrection three days later.

One final thought. With this new priesthood came a new covenant, one that offered its Priest as surety. Since Christ has the power of an indestructible life, then this covenant, which is sealed by his life, is a covenant that will endure to the ends of time. This offers us, individuals born into sin, a reassurance that there stands one ready to fulfill His side of the covenant forever and ever and ever.....

Hebrews Chapter 6

In the first section of this chapter we are reminded of the necessity of growth in our Christian life. Once we have accepted Christ, we are born anew. We start learning again, first learning to crawl, then to walk, then to run. Just like it took time and effort to move through each of these stages, so too is it with our Christian walk. When we are new Christians, we are often still in awe of what has transpired in our lives and what Christ has done for us. This is an appropriate response and one that hopefully remains with us throughout our lives. However, there comes a time and place when it becomes necessary to grow up, to become a man so that we may lay the foundation of salvation in other's lives. As Christians we are called to bear fruit and we are judged by the fruit we produce. Verses 7 and 8 in particular speak to this.

The second section of this chapter is really awesome and heart-warming. Here we see again the faithfulness of God, the certainty of His promises. If God says He will do something, He will. There is no ifs, ands, or buts. You can take His word to the bank and cash it. And this is awesome because it means that we should never doubt the love of Our Father. He has said he loves and will continue to love us, so it must be true. Understandably, God is not always the happiest of father's, particularly when He sees how we sin, but He will always be there to welcome us back, just like in the return of the prodigal son. This enduring love encourages me for I am not worthy of such love yet it has been given to me. It makes me want to strive to live up to the image of me that God wants to see.

Hebrews Chapter 5

Here we see several things of importance presented to us in correlation with the identity of Christ. First and foremost, verse 2 presents a very important, fundamental reason for Christ's incarnation as a human. Because Christ lived a human life, he is able to relate with us and since the only way we as sinners can come to God is through the escort of the High Priest, it's a good thing that he can relate to us. Now, Christ lived a human life, he experienced it's hardships and difficulties, its temptations. Yet he was able to live a life without sin which qualifies him to stand before the Almighty without fear and to act as His High Priest.

And this brings us to the second thing that is presented in this chapter: Melchizedek. For those of you unaware of who Melchizedek is, he is only mentioned three times in the Bible. The first time is in Genesis 14 where he is described as "a king of Salem and a priest of the Most High". He shows up out of nowhere to bless Abram for God and to accept his sacrifices and tithe for God. It was not common back then to be a king and a priest so he is something of an anomaly already. "Salem" is similar to the Hebrew word for peace, "Shalom" and comes from a similar root. The second time he is mentioned is in Psalm 110 where we receive a prophecy about one to come who will "be of the order of Melchizedek" which can be interpreted to mean "who will be both king and priest". And the third and final time is here in Hebrews where Jesus is affiliated with Melchizedek. The mystery of who is Melchizedek is one that many theologians have wrestled with at different times. Some have posited that he was a pre-incarnation of Christ. D.A. Carson gave a great talk on this issue at the Gospel Coalition Conference two years ago titled "Getting Excited About Melchizedek." Check it out if you have an hour to kill.

The important part of Christ's identity as a member and the High Priest of the priestly caste associated with Melchizedek is that it exemplifies how he is both a King and a Priest. His dual role in our lives is similar. As true believers we give control of our lives wholly and completely over to Him. This represents his role as King. Having lived a perfect life and having died for our sins, He then acts as an intercessor for us with God while simultaneously teaching us and leading us through the process of sanctification. This fulfills his role as a High Priest. It's important to take some time and reflect if Jesus is the the true King and High Priest in your life. Does He have power over me? Do I listen to Him and follow his directions?

Hebrews Chapter 4

There are several things that are really, really awesome about this chapter. First and foremost, we see a glimpse at God's "big picture". We see how He took the disobedience of the Israelites and said "Someday, you  will want to rest with me and I'll be waiting." And He waited patiently. For a long time. But He had a plan, a way to lay the ground work to welcome us back. He personally prepared a way so that I may have a relationship without the bloody sacrifices because there was one sacrifice paid for all eternity. And what's exciting for me to think about is that He made this master-plan for everyone, me included. And that's something really cool. As I sit here and write this on the Sabbath, I think about the Great Sabbath that is promised to us in this chapter.

To quote one of my favorite Christian bands of all time, "My God is not dead, He's surely alive."

And that's the second thing we see in this chapter in verse 12. The analogy used here of a two-edged sword is apt. It cuts both ways, severing us from Sin while simultaneously revealing to us God's desire and wisdom. What I like about this analogy is how deep it portrays the ability of the word of God to penetrate. Reading the word of God is not something easily forgotten. It seeps into our bones and affects us from the inside out. There is nothing, absolutely nothing we can do to hide from God. He knows all and sees all. We are forever and always in His sight. Think about that today as you start off your week.

Hebrews Chapter 3

Chapter three has a lot of good stuff in it, enough that I could write for a page or two. Instead of doing that and stealing all your thunder, I'm going to concentration on the part that stuck out to me the mos and that would be verses 7-11. In these simple verses God calls us to do a simple thing: have faith in Him. Here we are called to trust Him to provide for us, just as He provided for 40 years for the Israelites in the wilderness. Here we are called to trust not in ourselves but in the mystery. The root of all faith is believing in something that cannot be seen with your eyes. And while the task we are called to in this section is one that is simplistic in understanding, I struggle to implement it in my own life. There are times in my life where God puts me in a situation that requires me to rely on Him, yet that is the furthest thing from my mind. And this irks God, it provokes Him as we see in verses 9 and 10. Why then do I (and we as humans if we're being truly honest with ourselves) not put my faith in Him, the Creator of All Things? I think the answer to that is two-fold. First it's an issue of pride. I pride myself on being a problem-solver. I fix things. It's what I do. Thus, my first instinct is to fix any problems in my own life. The second issue is this: I am of the world when I am instead called to be in the world. I spend too much time entranced and consumed by the world I am a part of instead of existing in the world as a testament to the power and love of God. This is not an easy thing to admit nor an easy thing to fix, so I challenge you to help me seek God first above all else, just as I challenge you to reflect on your life to see if you obey the path of obedience and trust that God has called us to.

Hebrews Chapter 2

Hebrews Chapter Two opens up with a warning, where we are called to heed the importance of the sacrifice that was paid for us and the binding agreement that we have with Our Father in Heaven. Verses 2 and 3 point out that any transgression, whether partial or full-fledged disobedience, does not go unnoticed. This reminds me of James 1:22, where we are called to not just listen to the message but to act. Here we are called to remember both the price that was paid for us and the calling we have received to glorify God with every action.

In the second section, we are presented with the reasoning behind why Jesus was made human. We are confronted with the fact that angels, devout entities who are sworn to serve Our Lord, have fallen (as in the case of Lucifer) at times and are separated from God. Thus they are unfit to be the source of our salvation. On top of that, verses 10 and 11 explain further the significance of why Jesus was human. We should be convicted by the example Jesus set. He, as a human, was capable of living a life without sin. He proved that it is possible. We then, as disciples and followers of Him you laid the way, should strive to follow His example.

How cool is the last part of verse 11 though? "Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters." He is not ashamed to be associated with us. What an awesome concept that reminds us of the enduring, all-consuming love that we can find in Jesus's embrace. What encouragement after a long day.

Hebrews Chapter 1

So this is the first in a series of posts on Hebrews. In order to get a good sense of what's being said in this letter, it's important to know the context of this letter. While today it's unknown who the author of this particular epistle is, it is known that the author was widely respected in the Early Church community. Paul was believed to be the author from the 4th century forward to the Reformation but scholarship has since strayed away from this position due to the stylistic and thematic differences between this letter and Paul's letters. Other possible authors that have been put forward are Apollos and Barnabas, citing their connection with Paul and the chance that they would be traveling with Timothy, who is mentioned in Chapter 13 as a traveling companion. Another popular option is Clement of Rome, a pope the 1st century AD. A less popular option that has been gaining momentum in the last century is Priscilla, mentioned in Acts 18. Here is a good link for more information:

Besides the authorship of this epistle, it's important to understand to whom the letter was written. Based upon the name and the content of the epistle, it is clear that the letter is intended for a Jewish audience that has accepted Christ. More specifically, it is believed that this letter is directed at those Jews living in Rome as part of an early Christian community. It is believed to have been written prior to the destruction of the temple during the Siege of Jerusalem by the Roman general Titus Flavius Vespasianus in AD 70. The major purpose of this epistle is to exhort those Jewish Christians in the midst of persecution and to reaffirm to them that Jesus was the long expected Messiah to those who had begun to doubt. Furthermore, it elaborates on Jesus's dual role as a Son of God and a high priest.

In this first chapter we see the author laying the groundwork for the true nature of Jesus Christ as a Son of God. As the Son of God he is the reflection of the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Father. More importantly, we see his role as a mediator with the Father due to his position as the right hand of the Father. One point that is lost during a first reading is the repeated use of angels in this chapter. Jews at this time and the times leading up it had an obsession with angels. They were messengers of God as serves as a bridge between man and God in the Old Testament. Due to that, angels were sometimes upheld as being divine in their own right and were offered special worship at times by sects in the Jewish community. Here the author of Hebrews shows that Jesus, being born of human nature from a Divine Father, has power over angels and is the True Mediator in our lives. Lastly, we see the role of Jesus as a conqueror in the concluding verses of this chapter. The purpose of this last point is to reassert to the Jews who were beginning to waver in the face of persecution that our Lord and Savior was and is a conqueror who has and will continue to cast down His enemies, whether by humbling them or by utterly destroying them.

James Chapter 5

James hits several points in this chapter, ranging from the dangers of earthly riches to the prayers of the faithful. Out of all these concepts, the one that stuck out to me the most was the concept in the middle of the chapter: Patience in Suffering. This is a continuation of the theme James talks about in the first chapter, but is one that bears repeating. The metaphor that John employs here of a farmer patiently waiting for his crops to come to fruition is an apt description of the mindset we should have when faced with trials and tribulation. We are certain that God will not put us in situations beyond our ability to persevere through. Thus, we should be patient, knowing as James pointed out in chapter 1 that such trials and tribulation bring us to more fully rely on God and help us grow in our relationship with him. This is a hard statement to make as trials and tribulations often bring stress and anxiety to our lives. To combat these emotions, it is necessary to reflect on the advice offered here and in chapter one by James that points us to Christ.

James Chapter 4

This seems like a fairly straight forward chapter in terms of the theology, but one that is ultimately hard to put into practice because of its abstractness. For instance, verses 7 and 8 simply say, "Submit yourself to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." That's some of the simplest stuff I've read in the Bible. Like duh. The question then arises of how does one "submit to God/draw near to God" or "resist the Devil". See? These things that seem easy and straightforward on the surface are ultimately complicated. Thankfully, James offers us a good first step on how to accomplish this: avoid worldliness. Do not get caught up in the trappings of the material world or the things that do not matter in light of eternity. To do so means to be constantly reflecting on your surroundings and constantly considering how what you are looking at or doing matters. If it doesn't, then stop or turn away from it. For our temptation by the Devil springs from our desire to be of the world. To be the best or the strongest or the richest, things that don't matter after life but things we think matter in our life. Mastering these desires surmounts to shutting the door in the Devil's face. Is this something easy to do? You tell me.

James Chapter 3

I have to say that I was really convicted by the first part of this chapter. Taming the tongue is something I struggle with. Not that I'm busy cussing up a storm, but I often use speech that is not encouraging to others or exalting to God. The two images that James provides here are excellent visual images that definitely demonstrate the importance of the tongue. In particular, the example of a forest fire being started by a small fire is something I can relate to. Not that I'm busy setting forest fires or anything. Instead, I see how this example is a good representation of reality from my time with my high school students. So many fights or quarrels are started by a lot of "he said, she said" stuff and gossip. Such talk is not conducive to a good educational environment let alone a Godly environment.

One of the reasons this is so convicting to me is James reminds us in verses 11 and 12 that our mouth and our speech should be God-glorifying. This mouth that we cuss with and talk negatively with is the same mouth we pray to God in supplication with or worship Him with. To do so without taming our tongue is to offer Him a sullied sacrifice. The things we offer to God should be our purest first fruits, nothing less.

James Chapter 2

Here we see two main themes, one of which goes on to make up the core of this epistle. The first theme is the idea of equality among sinners. James calls us to treat each other as equals in a loving manner, not setting the rich as more important than the poor. Stepping back and looking at the bigger picture of the Gospel, we find this idea is aligned with what we see in other parts of the Gospel. For instance, we see in the Roman Road that "all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God". And that brings up a simple point:

Jesus died for All. All that had been, that were, and were yet to come.

This is a powerful statement and one that serves to humble us. In the grand scheme of eternity, we are all sinners in God's eyes and we all need the salvation offered by God. There is no other way. To think differently is to be prideful and unrealistic.

So what does this philosophy mean? Well, one practical implication is what James presents here. We are called to love each other equally regardless of wealth, looks, intelligence, past actions, etc. I would like to point out that loving our brothers and sisters is different than putting ourselves in inappropriate or harmful situations. A second implication of this is what we see in the end of this chapter: That our faith, our acceptance of the salvation offered by Jesus, is transforming and should have an outward manifestation. I think it would be wise to reflect on this over the next few days and to see if I find evidence in my life of an outward change.

James Chapter 1

A little background on James before we get started. First, the most probably author for this letter is "James the Just" who is identified in early church history as the first Bishop of Jerusalem and the probable half-brother of Jesus. Other possible authors that have been put forward are James the Great who is the brother of John, the son of Zebedee, one of the Twelve or James the Less, the son of Alphaeus and another of the Twelve. From the introduction of the letter, it is clear that the target audience of this letter are the Jewish believer spread out over the Roman empire. While it is uncertain exactly when this letter was published, it's believed to be mid to late 1st century AD.

The first chapter of James jumps right into it with a discussion on the source of wisdom. In my mind, wisdom stems from knowing the right course of action when presented with a situation. To truly be wise then, one must be aligned with the ultimate course of right action which is the will of God. Thus, true wisdom stems from knowing God, which is exactly what James points out. I think the imagine of God standing ready to provide us with wisdom speaks to the desire of God to have a relationship with us.

This is a powerful message on a rainy Monday that makes it hard to get into the Word. Reading the Bible without intent, without a desire to grow closer to God, is no different that reading a magazine or any other book. As James points out at the end of this first chapter, you should be transformed by reading the Gospel. Unlike the Early Church or the current day church in China, we have the ability and the blessing to pick up the Bible or worship twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with little fear of repercussions. There are a plethora of material by Francis Chan, John Piper, or other Christian juggernauts at our fingertips. It's hard to deny that we have not seen or heard the Gospel. Thus there is little reason why we should not be transformed by the Gospel and outwardly manifest actions as a sign of our inward transformation.

There needs to be a reason you pick up this book and that reason is to become wise through growing closer to God so that you are capable of reaching out to Him and his capacity for infinite love during times of tribulation. This brings us to the second main theme we see in the James 1.

We will be tested. There is a certainty in that. One hundred out of one hundred Christians will be tested over the course of their life, though the source of that test is not always the same.

The question remains though of who we rely on during our tests. If I am being truly honest with myself, I don't always turn to God when times are rough. I try and sort them out myself before thinking to ask Him for some help. I was reminded this weekend at a wedding that the time I spend on our knees is infinitely more important than time fixing a problem by myself (check out Ephesians 3:14-19) and ultimately more productive than my endeavors. I pray that I remember this and can put this into practice in my life.

Whiter than Snow

This is a link to my friend Katie Kump's blog that features a really awesome post that I wanted to share with y'all. The title is "Snow is Not the Whitest". Katie is a very talented writer and the message included in this post of hers really stuck with me the first time I read it about a week ago for two reasons. First, it ties in with one of my favorite hymns, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. Second, it's about something (snow) that I think a lot of us look at and don't think about outside of the context of the pleasure we get from playing in it (or for no school!) or the frustration we have with traffic when it happens. Enjoy!


Katie Kump - Snow is not the whitest

Free Reading Day!

Post something that you have read in the last two or three weeks that has been meaningful to you. It doesn't have to be long or detailed, but take care to explain why this particular reading stuck out to you. If it's not from the Bible, maybe give us the text of whatever it is.

John Lennox Talk

A little background: John Lennox is an Apologeticist who is a very well known defender of the faith. He has been in several influential debates with people like Richard Dawkins. He is a mathematician by trade schooled at Cambridge. He had the honor of being at Cambridge while C.S. Lewis was finishing his career and attended his last few lectures (how boss is that?!?). This particular talk was given at UNC Chapel Hill and focuses on the fact and fiction behind the existence of God. He addresses whether God is a grandiose creation of the human condition or whether there is an objective reality behind God. So to summarize: John Lennox, Irish, knew C.S. Lewis, loves Jesus. Boom.

John Lennox - God: Fact or Fiction?

Amos Chpater 9

Well, this is the last chapter of Amos. We've seen several chapters worth of the Lord declaring in colorful and varied ways of how He is going to destroy Israel for their constant back turning and lack of seriousness about their covenant with God. Now however, we see a glimmer of what is to come. The first glimpse we see comes in verse 8 when God mentions that He will "destroy the surface of the ground.....BUT...." and that but is super important because after that "but" comes this: "but I will not utterly destroy the House of Jacob." This leads us into the last part of chapter nine that starts in verse 11: the restoration of Israel. God declares that He will "raise up their ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old." We see God state that He will "restore the fortunes of my people Israel." Just like the other books of the Minor Prophets filled with doom and gloom, Amos ends in a passage of hope that speaks to what we now know leads to Jesus. I think it's awesome that Amos ends like this because it really highlights why God decided to punish Israel. He does so because He loves them and wants them to return to Him. And He promises to not forget them, just as He promises not to forget us. That love is an amazingly vast love, a love so wide and deep and long that it encompasses everything from the Earth we walk on all the way to the distant stars we see twinkling at night. This love demands all I can give, my most, my all. I need to realize that more often and strive to be worthy of that Love.

Amos Chapter 8

This chapter is filled with promises of the destruction God will visit upon Israel for their transgressions. We see how powerful and mighty he is and what he is capable of. If I were Israel during this time period, I would be scared out of my mind. It's strange to think that we are as misled as Israel was during Amos's time, but I feel that if anything we have strayed farther from the path than Israel did. This brings up the question of what we truly deserve to receive from God. Instead of the widespread destruction that He promises to Israel, we are extended the hand of reconciliation through Jesus. Facing these facts again places the action that occurred on the cross as one of vast importance, paramount among all of mankind's history, for on that day, God reconciled us to Him. He did not promise that it would be easy to follow this new path laid forth by Jesus, but He has promised to always stand ready to support us and carry us, to welcome us back when we have wandered. I see in these verses the anguish that God has towards seeing Israel sin and it reminds me again how lucky I am that a lowly carpenter was nailed to a cross.

Amos Chapter 7

I'm not gonna lie....I'm a little confused by the first part (verses 1-9) of this chapter. I had to look up what a plumb line was because I thought I knew what one was but couldn't interpret the meaning of these verses. My best guess as to the meaning behind the plump line section is that God had raised up Israel, raised their defenses to build a wall to protect them from outside influences. Now, God is standing on that wall with His plumb line, which in my mind represents His word and plans. He then measures the "wall" of Israel with his Plumb Line and finds that this wall is no longer straight. It is instead bowed, indicating Israel's willingness to conform to the world through their acceptance of Ba'al and other gods in place of the One True God. I think this image is interesting as it brings to mind that God measures us against His will. I wonder what He would find if I were to be measured with his plumb line......

The second part of this chapter is interesting to me for a reason entirely different than the previous passage. Here we see for the first time how Amos deals with criticism leveled against him for his harsh words and his lack of a priestly pedigree. In the face of such harsh criticism, he remains steadfast to God even though he is "a herdsman". Such confidence is inspiring!

Amos Chapter 6

This chapter is pretty straightforward and in a similar vein to chapters 4 and 5. In the first half we see God addressing through Amos an issue that is again relevant in today's world as it was in the "way back when" of Amos's time period. In these verses God denounces Israel as a nation of pride and greed, a nation that is comfortable in its own strength and fattens itself on the spoils of victory and times of peace. Sounds kinda familiar, right? I struggle with pride just like many people and often find myself focusing more on my own strengths instead of God's providence. It's hard to find time during my day to think and reflect on God and to seek Him out. Even though I know He wants me to seek Him. Even though He pursues me incessantly, perpetually drawing me back into His folds.  This is what we see in these first chapters of Amos as well. God has pursued Israel and now has resulted to drastic consequences to get their attention. This just serves to reinforce that we should be seeking Him more, something I need to be better about doing.

Amos Chapter 5

In this chapter we see God's continuing call to repent being described to the Israelites by Amos. I think it's important to note first that the attitude which God approaches this is described as a "lamentation" in verse 1. To me this paints the picture of a father reluctant to punish His child but willing to do so in the hopes that the child will mature and return to commune with the father. And what a Father it is in these verses! I love the description of God we find in verses 8 and 9. These words are so eloquent, both describing how awesome and mighty He is while illustrating the good things He does for us. I particularly enjoy the description of God as the one "who made the Pleiades and Orion". This stems from my enjoyment of the macrocosm that surrounds us: the planets, the galaxies, the stars, etc. The sheer vastness of the universe we live in is often overwhelming to contemplate for me. It is a humbling thought experiment that severely diminishes my sense of pride. Simultaneously, it fills me with a feeling of being loved because this same being who created and filled the vastness of the universe loves me and wants a relationship with me. It makes me sad that the Israelites, who were so intimately connected to God as His chosen people, turned their backs on Him even when confronted by all the things He does for them and His awesomeness.

While there is still another half of Amos Chapter 5 where God details the fruitlessness of Israel's sacrifices and offerings due to their emptiness and where Amos declares that Israel is deserving of what is about to befall them (calling it justice), I want to focus instead on verse 14 and 15. In these verses we see a clear command that is applicable in today's world as well as the times described in Amos. "Seek good and abhor evil". Such a simple command, but one that is not so easily followed or fulfilled because it ultimately requires a person to have the ability to discern between good and evil first in order to know which path to follow. This requires that a person has a decision making paradigm aligned with God's idea of Good and Evil. The best way to do this is by studying the Bible. Doing so allows a person to come to know God and to better think about the manner in which God calls us to act in given situations. Matthew 22:37-40 is a great place to start, but this knowledge isn't limited to the New Testament solely. Studying the Old Testament allows us to see different aspects of God's character, especially through the lens of His relationship with Israel. While this is no easy task, it is a task that will enrich your life and make you a better servant of God to the point where "the Lord, God of Hosts, will be with you." This phrase always reminds me of the story of Elisha praying to God to open the eyes of his servant so that he may see the Heavenly Host that surrounds them. A part of me imagines that same host surrounding me because that paints an amazing picture in my mind. Who wouldn't want their own personal guard of angels with flaming chariots and swords?

Amos Chapter 4

One of the first thing that we see in this chapter is Amos's endearing term for the Israelites: the cows of Bashan. I honestly had no idea what this term meant so I did the logical thing......and Googled it. Apparently, the cows of Bashan were a breed of of cattle known to be very big and very strong. However, they were very greedy about their food and were almost impossible to in their enclosures. In fact Matthew Henry calls them "wanton and unruly", both very apt descriptions of Israelites in this time period. With this reference we again see reference to Amos's humble upbringing as a shepherd. Following this analogy up, we again see a recurrence of the reference to the Assyrian army in verse two and three.

I found verses 4 and 5 to be interesting as it seems to me that these two verses are pointing to the fact that Israel will sin then offer sacrifices to cover their sins then go sin again. In my opinion this is not something that is specific to the Israelites of this time period but is something that can apply to our lives as well. When we sin, we usually pray to God and ask for forgiveness and that's the end of it. We'll forget the event happened, we'll forget that every sin is a knife to God's heart. And we'll continue with our lives and sometimes we'll sin again in the same manner. This is similar to how Israel is behaving in this passage. And God does not like it. He does not like it at all.

Amos Chapter 3

In Chapter Three, we see God continuing to lay out his plans and reasons for judgement against Israel. This chapter can basically be divided into sections of roughly equal length. In verses 1-8, God lays out Israel's culpability in their sins against Him. As can be seen from verse 1, God calls not only Israel but also Judah to the table to answer for their wrongs, because they were both one family when God brought them out of Egypt. Thus He is speaking to the sum of the nation of Israel, all twelve tribes, not just the ten tribes of Israel that exists by the time of the account separate from Judah. The meat of this section though lies in verses 2-8. In verse 3, we see a reference to the Covenant God made with Israel, with the mention of two people walking together after having agreed to walk together. Which makes sense, right? I mean, the only way two people can walk together is if they are in accord with each other, having a similar vision and tread a similar path. Such was the case when Israel and God swore the Covenant. However, Israel has changed, has begun to tread a different path and in doing so breaks away from the path upon which God trod  Thus the source of the variance and grievances between God and Israel. Following this, God states that Israel's has brought their judgement upon them. They are to be the Lion's prey. Remember, God mentioned in Chapter One about how He is "roaring" to Israel. We see that reference again with the mention that a lion (God) does not "roar" unless there is "prey" (Israel). This is meant to signify that God is not full of empty words but is a God of action derived from anger.

The second section details more of the punishment that God will mete out to Israel. We see mention of the Assyrian invasion here in verse 11. We also see mention of the false gods Israel is worshiping in lieu of the One True God in verse 12. Furthermore, we see that Israel's days of resplendent luxuries with their "summer houses" and "winter houses" and "ivory houses" are over. These are the things they have taken comfort in instead of their God. I feel the echoes here of today's world where we too place our trust, our time, and out money in things that bring us fleeting comfort. God reminds us in verse 10 that all who sin and suffer judgement will not come out on the other side unscathed. Reading and reflecting over this chapter reminds me again how the gift of God offered to us through Jesus is all the more an awesome symbol of His love for us. Throughout this entire book so far we have seen God punishing those who have sinned against Him, even the children of his beloved and special people.  How much more so should we who are apart from the Israelites be punished for our sins. We broke the Covenant just as much as the Israelites. We too deserve judgement, yet it is God who steps forward and pays the price for breaking the Covenant with a sacrificial offering from His own flesh. This love offered to us by God is special in that it's roots lie in an eternal promise to never be forgotten, to never to be left alone. And that by itself is a love that should be foremost in our hearts and minds. Yet we too get caught up in the luxuries of our world: our technology and money. Let us strive not to forget that we too deserve punishment for our sins, but have been saved from that by a God whose love for us is more vast than the entire realm of the heavens.

Amos Chapter 2

In this chapter, we see the continuing theme of God offering up Judgement against nations that have sinned against him. However, while the first chapter dealt with all of Israel's enemies, we see in this chapter the inclusion of both Israel and Judah alongside their enemies. If anything, God's response to Israel is harsher and more detailed than the others. Amos takes the time to point out all the things He has done for them (i.e. rescuing them from Egypt, raising up Nazarites and prophets). This serves to illustrate that God has made the efforts to maintain the relationship, but it is Israel who has cast him aside so that they may trade the innocent for silver and corrupt the Nazarites. The wrath of God is nothing to be messed with. Even more so to a nation that had been chosen to be God's special people.

Reading this, I was a little blown away by the similarities between the Israel being judged in Amos and today's world. What's even scarier is how God punished Israel for their transgressions, transgressions that are being committed in today's world as well. Sexual immorality, lack of love for our neighbors, and drunkenness can be found in our society. However, the difference between the Israel of Amos's time and today's world is that one major event has changed our punishment. The actions of the Cross have served to remove us from the path of God's wrath in a manner that I bet the naked warrior fleeing from God in verse 16 would be jealous of. Through the blood shed by Christ, God recognizes us as His adopted children, children that are washed white of sin. The one small yet world-shattering act of the Cross has redeemed us and for that I am thankful. And I'm sure my friends are as well because I doubt they would enjoy the sight of my naked manliness fleeing the wrath of God.

Amos Chapter 1

Lots of stuff going on in this first chapter of Amos. God basically lays the hammer down on all of Israel's enemies/neighbors. It's only the first chapter yet we see that God is already raring for action. Looking over the chapter there are two things that really stick out to me.

The first is that God does not relent on his Judgement whether it be for three sins or for four. The number of sins does not matter, for they are still sins. This should serve as a warning for the Israelites because God is ready to send judgement against anyone who transgresses against Him, even if that someone is His beloved child. It is a certain fact that during this time period, Israel is not being the most obedient of children. I think this highlights even more so the importance of the Grace that has been allotted to us from the Cross. Surely we are just as guilty of transgressing against God as these enemies of Israel. Without the Cross, we should be cowering in fear from the voice that "roars from Zion" (v2). Talk about a not-so-pleasant experience. That roar should probably be a Roar with a capital R.

The second thing that I really struck me about this chapter was the credentials of the messenger God selects to deliver this message. Amos is a shepherd, one of the lowest of the low in terms of socioeconomic status. This is book is the only mention of Amos in the Bible so it's safe to assume that he was of low importance in the grand scheme of the running of the nations of Israel and Judah. Yet God chooses him to deliver this message of judgement. Probably not the most enviable of tasks. Looking through the Bible though, it is evident that God makes a point of using certain people to deliver His messages or to fulfill His plan. This is also not the first time He's used a plan shepherd to do something important (e.g. David).