Amos 8:4-14

This passage (Amos 8:4-14) gives us an account of the finale of a trial against Israel. God is the Judge and his people the accused. To often in the church today, do we ignore or gloss over the judgment and wrath of God. Part of this may be due to a negative feeling about this issue, most likely brought about by a misuse of this aspect of God’s character. Nonetheless it is very important and should be talked about. After all, there are lives at stake.

One day we will all have to give an account of our actions and will be judged accordingly, whether we are followers of Christ or not (1 Cor 4:5). None will escape his judgment. God cannot dwell in the presence of sin, and we should take this to heart. Even when his own Son, Jesus, hung on the cross, God had to turn away because of the sin Christ bore. A right understanding of God’s attitude toward sin and his judgment on it, should, however, spur us on to live righteously before him (Heb 13:17). Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (ESV, Italics added).

But how does one live righteously and holy before God? Scriptures tell us that "No one is righteous, no not one" (Ro 3:10, ESV) and that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Ro 3:23, ESV, italics added). Fortunately, we have one who intercedes on our behalf, Jesus Christ. For those who believe and have accepted the free gift of salvation through him, Christ stands before the Judge, taking our penalty of death for us. By all rights we, as Christians, should receive the death penalty just the same as non-believers. But thank God we do not. This gift is not one to hoard, however, but to share. Just as “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:4-5a), we too should show the same mercy on others (Mt 18:21-35).