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Amos 1 - 9

This is message that the Lord sends anyone he wishes. Amos was a poor farmer from the south sent to preach to wealthy owners of the North. This was prior to Israel taken into captivity by the Assyrians.

(NIV)Amos 2:10
I brought you up out of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness to give you the land of the Amorites.
He reminds them of what God has done and how should take inspection of how they live and have forgotten God and his ways.

(NIV)Amos 3:2
“You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins. ”
God expects to act a certain way since we've been chosen above all the nations around us. With great blessings come great curses. We should never take the love of God for granted. He will then be forced to bring calamities upon us.

(NIV)Amos 5:14
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.
God shows that he's incredible love and patience even when it's obvious we deserve punishment and pain. He will always implore people to turn from their wicked ways. Wow!

(NIV)Amos 5:21
“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.
There comes a time when God sees us as whitewashed tombs. He worship him in vain because our lives does not show his righteousness and integrity. We're praising him with our mouths only.
(NIV)Amos 6:4
You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.
Amos is challenging those who are complacent and prevent as if nothing is wrong and stop trying to fix God's house. Sometimes I think it's not my problem and go about my merry way. But to God we need to be indignant about the wrong things that are happening around us.

(NIV)Amos 8:2
“What do you see, Amos? ” he asked.
“A basket of ripe fruit,” I answered. Then the Lord said to me, “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

For the longer we postpone repentance and righteous living, we heap judgement unto us until such a time when we become ripe for God's wrath. Scary!
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