When I read the visions from Amos, I feel as though this is one of those sections of Scripture where we sit with our palms up, asking, “So, what do we do with this?”
This text consists of death, warnings, and plagues. The emotions it gives off are rage, hopelessness, and anger. I don’t think I’m alone when I say this isn’t the Scripture I love reading! However, it is Scripture. Therefore, it is important, and we can’t just overlook it because it makes us uncomfortable. So what do we do? We get curious to learn more.
It would be impossible to go line by line and unpack this Scripture verse by verse in a 300-word devotion—although there are commentaries that do that! If you are curious, I would encourage you to look into those and take your Bible study into a deeper dive. For today, though, there are two things we can take away …
I like to go to Scripture that makes me curious and ask, “What does this say about God?” The first thing this passage tells me about God is that he is universal. God is not just a God of one city, one state, or one country. He reigns over all of creation, from the land to the sea to the sun and the moon. His sovereignty is universal, and he has a hand in every single thing.
The second thing this Scripture tells me about God is that although the tone is confrontational and harsh, the underlying message is not that God is turning away from his people but that he will judge those who have turned against him. This tells me that God is steady, bold, and powerful. God is not swayed by our words or actions; he is steady in his promises of bringing glory to him and his kingdom. We can take God seriously because the visions and warnings are about those who do not take God seriously.
Perhaps I’ve brought more confusion to this passage than clarity. If that’s the case, know that when you come across challenging pieces of Scripture, you can always reach out to a pastor (or chaplain, like me 😊) at Hope, and we’d be happy to dive deeper with you and learn alongside you!
Questions for reflection:
1. What is your approach when you come across Scripture that makes you uncomfortable or doesn’t make sense?
2. Is it time to change this approach? If so, brainstorm how!