The Day of the LORD

KEY VERSE: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria.” —Amos 6:1

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Amos 5:18-20; 8:7-12

ROTHERHAM’S translation of this scripture, reads, “Alas for the careless in Zion, and those who put confidence in the mountains of Samaria.” Zion was the capital of the two-tribe kingdom of Judah, while Samaria was the capital of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Here the Lord is warning all twelve tribes of the danger of ignoring him, and of depending on their own wisdom and riches to save them. History proves that this and other warnings were justified, for the people of both kingdoms were taken into captivity—first the ten tribes, and later the two tribes. God does not forever withhold his hand from punishment.

Verse three speaks of those who “put far away the evil day.” The people may well have realized that the Lord would at some time take action, but put that evil day far away. It was nothing to be concerned about at the moment. They enjoyed their “beds of ivory” and stretched themselves “upon their couches.” They ate “the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall.” They chanted to “the sound of the viol” and invented “instruments of music like David.” (vss. 4,5) David used his music to glorify God, but these were used to add to the hollow pleasures of their selfish revelry.

A hint of the gross indulgence of these rich among God’s professed people is given in the statement that they drank their wine in “bowls.” Wine ordinarily is sipped from small cups or glasses. This expressed their excesses in stupefying their consciences and rendering their hearts callous, so that they disregarded the miseries of the poor and the oppressed.

In the closing portions of this lesson, the Lord through Amos informs these irresponsible people they would be the first to go into captivity, because God abhorred the “excellency of Jacob”; that is, all those luxurious things which Israel, the descendants of that patriarch, seemed to value so highly.

“Pass ye unto Calneh, and see, and from thence go ye to Hamath the great; then go down to Lath of the Philistines.” (vs. 2) These places were also at one time considered strongholds against enemies, but had fallen. Amos is telling them to take these circumstances into consideration, and to realize that unless the Lord is on their side, no humanly conceived bulwarks could save their kingdom from destruction.

Israel thought they could stand in their own strength, but failed. To us, as spiritual Israelites, the admonition is to “let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (I Cor. 10:12) The thought here is of presuming to stand, without the help of the Lord. No one who puts his full trust in the Lord will be in danger of falling. This is the blessed assurance that is given to us over and over again in God’s Word. It is only when we think that we can stand in our own strength, that we are in danger of falling.

Another important principle evident in this lesson was expressed by the Apostle Paul, when he wrote: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Gal. 6:7,8) This principle was the same in the Jewish Age as it is in the Gospel Age. However, the rewards for sowing the seeds of righteousness were different then than they are now. To the people of Israel, the reward for righteous sowing was God’s protecting care over them, and peace and temporal prosperity.

To those who sow to the Spirit during the Gospel Age, the reward is “glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life.” (Rom. 2:7; Gal. 6:8) If faithful even unto death, these will reap joint-heirship with Jesus in his kingdom, and will live and reign with him a thousand years. (Rev. 20: 4-6) So, let us not be at ease [careless] in Zion, but put our trust in the Lord, and not in the mountains or institutions of this world in which we live, but from which we have been called out. As children of the kingdom we know that earthly things for us are temporal, and to be used in the interest of our higher calling to a spiritual kingdom, eternal in the heavens.

We should always be aware that the present dispensation is passing away in preparation for that kingdom the God of heaven will set up ‘under Christ,’ and which will stand forever.

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