2 Sep 2015, Amos 阿摩司书 5-6, Social Evils 社会罪恶

Posted on Sep 2, 2015 in Amos, Devotions, Expired |

Scripture Reading        : Amos 5-6

Theme                          : Social Evils

 

  1. Funeral Song (5:1-17). The Jews are so stubborn that their end is near. To make their end even more graphic, God sings a funeral song to them. Again God highlights their spiritual betrayal and resulting social evils. Heresy will always turn into immorality. The Jews continue to worship idols. They turn justice into wormwood, i.e. bitterness. They afflict the righteous and needy by taking bribes. They love evil instead of good. Even as God accuses them, He again calls them to repentance. God is a compassionate and patient God.
  1. Justice Called (5:18-27). God calls for justice to roll down like waters, righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Since justice is not delivered in Israel, God will deliver justice on the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is a time of God’s reckoning. This is most likely referring to the Assyrian exile (5:27), not the end time judgment in Revelation since the context never describes any end time events. But the Assyrian exile, this near future day of the Lord, foreshadows God’s end time judgment against Israel, the future day of the Lord. Israel will continue to rebel against God until the end time, but a remnant will always be kept (Rom. 11:5). This is why evangelizing the Jews is important.
  1. Carnal Ease and Security (6:1-14). While the nation of Israel languishing in spiritual filth and social evils, some of the Jews continue to live a carnal life of ease and false security. Instead of mourning over the sins of the nation, these men are apathetic to evil and God’s judgment. They trust in their own strength to protect themselves from foreign invasion.

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. It is good to contemplate our eventual death, not in a morbid way, but in a way to remind ourselves of our glorious and ultimate destination with Jesus in heaven, so that we may live for what will count in heaven. If you are living in sin, your contemplation of death should sober you and cause you to forsake sin and live for eternity (Eccl. 7:1-5; Ps. 90:12)
  1. It is sinful to put our security in things of the earth, whether it is in money, military or political power. Of course it is wise and responsible to provide for our family, but we put no trust in these things for security and life. We must put our trust only in God. Do not heap up treasures on earth and say to yourself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” Judgment will come upon such foolish and sinful person (Luke 12:19), like these Jews.

经文：阿摩司书5-6

主题：社会罪恶

 

  1. 丧礼哀歌（5:1-17）。由于犹太人非常固执，所以他们的灭亡临近了。为要使他们的灭亡形象化，神向他们唱一首哀歌。神再次强调了他们的属灵背叛及所造成的社会败坏。异端或邪说一定会导致灵性的淫荡。犹太人继续拜偶像。他们将公义便为茵陈，即苦毒。他们借着收受贿赂苦待义人与需要帮助的人。他们喜爱邪恶，不爱良善。神即便在控告他们时，也再一次召他们悔改。神是有慈爱与耐心的神。
  1. 召唤公义（5:18-27）。神召唤公义如大水滚滚，使公义如江河滔滔。既然以色列没有公义，神会在耶和华之日秉持公义。耶和华之日是神施行审判的时候。这大有可能指的是以色列遭亚述的流放（5:27），不是启示录所指的末日之审判，因为上下文并无提及任何末日事件。但就近的耶和华之日，即在亚述的放逐，预示了神对以色列末日的审判，也就是将来主日的时候。直到末了，以色列会一直悖逆神，但神总会留下余数（罗11:5）。这也就是为何向犹太人传福音是重要的。
  2. 肉体上的安逸和安全感（6:1-14）。以色列国处在属灵污秽和社会败坏的同时，部分人继续过着肉体上安逸的生活，不居安思危。这些人不但不为国家的罪孽哀伤，反倒对邪恶与神的审判漠不关心。他们相信自己有足够力量抵挡外来人的侵入。 

    用经文祷告

    1. 沉思自己将来的死是好的（不是病态的思想），因为这能提醒我们日后与耶稣在天堂的荣耀及最终的目的地，叫我们为天上可算为贵的事生活。你若是活在罪中，你对死的沉思当使你苏醒，叫你舍弃罪孽，为永恒而活（传7:1-5；诗90:12）。
    1. 不论是钱财、军事或政治势力，我们若依靠的是世界上的东西，那是有罪的。当然，我们当以智慧和责任心照顾家人，却不能依靠这些东西作生命的保障。我们当唯独信靠神。不要为自己在地上积累财宝，并对自己说：“灵啊，你积累的财物足够多年的使用，当放轻松，吃喝享乐去吧。”审判必然临到这等如此愚昧与罪恶的人（路12:19），如同这些犹太人一样。