Prepare to Meet Your God!

Amos 4:1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, Which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, Which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. 2 The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, That, lo, the days shall come upon you, That he will take you away with hooks, And your posterity with fishhooks. 3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; And ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord. 4 Come to Beth-el, and transgress; At Gilgal multiply transgression; And bring your sacrifices every morning, And your tithes after three years: 5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, And proclaim and publish the free offerings: For this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God. 6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And want of bread in all your places: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, When there were yet three months to the harvest: And I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. 8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; But they were not satisfied: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, The palmerworm devoured them: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: Your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; And I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 11 I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. 12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: And because I will do this unto thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. 13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, And declareth unto man what is his thought, That maketh the morning darkness, And treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name.

• You can’t play with God and eternity and think that somehow it is ok

• Hypocritical worship does not please Him

• Too many things get our hearts and minds off of the God of eternity, the creator

• Money has a numbing, deadening effect

• Refusing to pay attention to God only causes more things to happen to get you to listen

• This chapter is about their refusal no matter what to pay attention to God

• He is speaking to a nation here and not us or individuals but the applications are pretty clear

1. Warning the rich cows Amos 4:1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, Which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, Which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. 2 The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, That, lo, the days shall come upon you, That he will take you away with hooks, And your posterity with fishhooks. 3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; And ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord.

2. Amos calls out the rich wives of the people of Bashan

3. He uses the word kine and cows

4. He is speaking to the wives, the wealthy leaders of the land

5. They pushed and motivated their husbands to abuse people

6. They were oppressing the poor and crushing the needy Amos 4:1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, Which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, Which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

7. God had taught Israel to take care of her poor

8. They were to glean their fields and harvest their fruit trees leaving for the poor

9. They were not to charge interest

10. They were not to hold the coat of the needy on a cold night

11. The poor always had a chance to start again

12. These women were abusing the poor and bossing their husband around

13. They are warned that they will be punished sooner or later Amos 4:2 The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, That, lo, the days shall come upon you, That he will take you away with hooks, And your posterity with fishhooks.

14. They will be led out like criminals or enemy soldiers

15. Their children will also suffer the consequences of their parent’s sins

16. You may sin briefly and escape but the consequences are coming

17. They will be taken out through the holes in the walls, running for their lives, not with the dignity of before Amos 4:3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; And ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord.

18. Money can easily be the downfall of our walk with God I Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

19. Let’s not be like these cows of Bashan

20. Let’s use what God gives us for His causes

21. Let’s give a good example to our family

22. Do you give?

23. Do you use your money, your time, and your talents for His kingdom and His glory?

24. Cultural Christianity, hypocritical worship, fake showy, external worship Amos 4:4 Come to Beth-el, and transgress; At Gilgal multiply transgression; And bring your sacrifices every morning, And your tithes after three years: 5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, And proclaim and publish the free offerings: For this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God.

25. Everything he is saying here means just the opposite

26. He is making fun of their worship

27. Their worship was really just sin because it wasn't sincere

28. They weren’t loving and serving God. Just doing what was fashionable and popular

29. This was superficial worship at best

30. The worship centers were full

31. The church coffers were overflowing

32. The music was ringing out but nothing there was for God

33. They brought offerings that were not pleasing to God

34. They brought money but not their hearts

35. They did externally what they were supposed to do but inwardly they were never moved

36. Their hearts were full of self and sin

37. They were proud of their worship and generosity

38. They boasted about serving God

39. They loved to go to meetings

40. They loved the fellowship

41. There was no confession or brokenness over sin

42. They lived based on emotion

43. They looked at external results instead of God changing lives

44. God didn't even like their music

45. He calls it noise

46. It is not about the music but who the music is for

47. Is there a confession of sin?

48. Is there a heart lifted in worship?

49. What are our motives as we come together today?

50. Do we worship God with our hearts or just our lips? Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

51. No matter what God did, they refused to get right with Him

52. He had sent recession and financial hardship that took away their very food Amos 4:6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And want of bread in all your places: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

53. He sent drought even causing rain in one place and not another so they would know it wasn't a coincidence Amos 4:7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, When there were yet three months to the harvest: And I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. 8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; But they were not satisfied: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

54. He destroyed their crops, their income, their jobs Amos 4:9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, The palmerworm devoured them: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

55. He caused diseases that should have caused them to repent Amos 4:10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: Your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; And I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

56. He sent catastrophes to call them to repentance Amos 4:11 I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.

57. Things to notice in these verses

58. God was directly working in their lives

59. These were not coincidences

60. He is in charge of the world, Almighty King and God

61. All these things were meant to call His people back to Him

62. They refused to come back

63. Do you see that God is at work in your life?

64. Do you realize that these are more than just coincidences?

65. Do you realize that God is working on calling you back to Him?

66. Do you pay attention or are you just too focused on yourself?

67. Real judgment coming now, prepare to meet your God Amos 4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: And because I will do this unto thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

68. They have ignored God’s every move in their lives

69. He promises judgment like nothing now

70. He will come and move in person and there will be no doubt He is there

71. He really is God Amos 4:13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, And declareth unto man what is his thought, That maketh the morning darkness, And treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name.

72. He is the creator, God

73. He formed the mountains

74. He made the wind

75. He knows what man is thinking and can tell him his thoughts

76. He is God and He has a name

77. Know that there really is a God and He is all-powerful

78. You can only get away with sin for so long

79. God is at work in your life

80. He is dealing with you but you must recognize and respond to that

81. He is God and will not be mocked

82. Are you prepared to meet God?

83. If you are born again then you are

84. If you are not saved then you are not ready

85. As a Christian, you can't live in sin and think that you can get away with it

86. He is God and He is not messing around

87. It is time that you acted like He is really who He is