The consequences of sin are inevitable! In the time of Amos, approximately 750 BC the nation of Israel had a sin that God wanted them to realize. They lived in false piety. They did all the things that made them look like followers of God but it was just an act. Their heart was truly focused on their own pleasure. God spoke to them through Amos to let them know that if they continued in false worship of Him then the consequences of their sins were inevitable.
Amos 9:2-4 Though they dig into Sheol, From there will My hand take them; And though they ascend to heaven, From there will I bring them down. Though they hide on the summit of Carmel, I will search them out and take them from there; And though they conceal themselves from My sight on the floor of the sea, From there I will command the serpent and it will bite them. And though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I will command the sword that it slay them, And I will set My eyes against them for evil and not for good.”
Before you continue on go back and read that scripture text again. Does it put a sinking nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach? The Church today is living in much the same false piety as Israel was. We act as if we care about God, but it is just that, an act. We don't hesitate to let any and everything get in the way of corporate worship. We watch things on TV and our computers/phones in private that we would never let the world know we watch. We consume things that give no glory to God and enable the devil and his demons to get control over our actions. We use foul language that ruins our witness and causes fellow brothers and sisters to stumble and then we confess Jesus as our Savior.
THIS IS SIN!
We need to realize that what Amos is telling the Israelite nation is true for the church of today. Go back and read the scripture text again.
While we are forgiven our sins when we have Jesus as our Savior, the consequences on earth still exist and God will not remove those. Shame on the church that we haven't learned the lessons that God gave Israel. Is it because we don't read or know His word? Maybe we need to go back and read the scripture text again.
Let's take a minute and break it down. Digging into Sheol, is hiding underground. This has both a physical and spiritual side to it.
Physically on earth, we can not hide from God. We might think no one notices us living continually in our sin but God is watching. Then Spiritually, even if we kill ourselves to avoid the physical punishment on earth for our sins. Without Christ, God will send our souls to the lake of fire for all eternity. This should show us we need Christ as our Savior. But also that we should desire in our hearts to have piety for Him in our lives.
Then it speaks of those who ascend to heaven, this is speaking above the earth. One of the reasons people are so infatuated with space is to try to prove man can be God. No matter how far we go, (the moon, Mars, and beyond) God will still bring consequences on us for our sins. He is God we are not. Falsely acting as if we are His followers (false piety) is a sin! Acting as if He is our Lord while we are attempting to be, is a sin.
Lord means
L. you accept His LOVE into your life.
O. you surrender OWNERSHIP of your life.
R. You recognize He is your REDEEMER.
D. You allow Him to DIRECT your actions.
If you are not doing ALL of these then He is not your Lord!
The text finishes with hiding on the mountain. It may feel like we are on top of the world but we are at the bottom of His Kingdom.
The lowest of the sea. We can not get so miniscule that God doesn't know where we are and what we are doing.
Being taken captive doesn't even keep us from suffering the consequences of our acting as if we truly care for the Lord when we don't! Never forget God is a just God.
He says: I will set My eyes against them for evil and not for good.”
You might be saying this is not me. Stop and pray and ask God is this me? Then go back and read the scripture text again. I pray we will all repent and stop living in false piety and become pious (devoutly religious) in our relationship with the Lord
Love Bro. Scott