Follow

 

Introduction

In the first three Bible studies in this series on the Gospel of Mark, you learned about “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). After this grand opening, Mark told the Roman Christians about the prophecies from God. God told Isaiah and Malachi to tell the Israelites these prophecies. The prophecies foretold the Messiah coming to the world. They spoke of “the voice of one calling out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’” (Mark 1:2). Next, Mark told of Jesus’ baptism and God’s confirming and consecrating Him as His Son (Mark 1:9-11). Immediately after His baptism, Jesus walked into the wilderness with the Spirit. While there, He endured and overcame the temptations Satan put before Him (Mark 1:12-13). Each of these activities was a prelude to Jesus revealing the truth about Himself. He is the Son of God, the Messiah promised from the foundation of the world.

Mark immediately began telling of Jesus’ ministry. He relayed Jesus’ revelation of His authority and power. No one before Jesus ever had His authority and power. In rapid succession, Mark recorded for all readers/hearers about the definitive proof Jesus truly is the Son of God. After the Father’s proclamation, which was proof Jesus is His Son, other proof occurred in the early stages of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. These were the retelling of twelve encounters Jesus had with people. He healed people, cast out demons, taught, preached, prayed, called people to follow Him, and challenged the manmade religious laws of the time. Let’s study and understand what Mark tells people about Jesus through his gospel in Mark 1:14-20. Consider what Jesus’ command, “Follow Me,” means for you and the way you live.

Follow

Now, after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (1:14-15 [NASB])

Background

People may read Mark 1:14-20, then later just skim over these verses. They might tell themselves, “Oh, I know Jesus called people to follow Him, but I want to get to the meat of what Jesus did.” Before you can really grasp the things Jesus said and did, you must understand the background for His work. The opening sentence of Mark 1:14-20 says, “After John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God.” (NASB)

When did Jesus begin His ministry in Galilee? Mark tells us it started after John the Baptist was put in prison by Herod. Herod’s seduced his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias. Herod and Herodias both divorced their spouses so they could marry each other. When John said this marriage was adultery, Herod had him put in prison.

Where did Jesus go? Jesus walked from southern Judea to Galilee. Galilee was in the northern part of Israel. Jesus had been in the wilderness in the south. He had faced and defeated Satan and his temptations. Jesus had walked for days to get to Galilee. The region of Galilee was more heavily influenced by Greek and Roman culture than Judea. Herod was king their king. The Galilean economy was better than Judea’s. They had good agricultural land and a fishing industry. The Galileans were a wealthy, multi-god-loving, Roman and Greek-influenced, adulterous, and racially impure part of Israel. Jesus took the good news of God to them.

What did Jesus preach? Mark finished verse fourteen by writing, “Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God.” From earlier study, we know the gospel is the good news. Good news of what? The good news of God, which He prepared from the foundation of the world, was that He sent a Savior. This Savior would die for the judgment people deserved for their sins. He would give believers in Him an eternal relationship with God in His kingdom. The gospel is the point of the whole Bible. People need a Savior to be in a close, personal relationship with God and glorify Him in their lives.

Good News

Mark said in verses fourteen through fifteen, “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” Jesus told the people who heard Him what had happened. He gave them two commands to make what He offered to them part of their lives.

When Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled,” He meant a passage of time had passed and a specific time about which Old Testament prophets foretold was occurring right then. For most people, they would wonder about what this fulfillment of time was and what the kingdom of God is. The time of waiting for the Messiah had ended. Why? Because that prophecy God gave the prophets had occurred. Jesus used a present continuous verb when He said, “the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is come.” That time the, Jesus said, is now and will continue. The time of the Messiah would be forevermore from the time Jesus spoke to people. Only the Messiah, the Son of God, could completely and perfectly fulfill and keep fulfilling the prophecies about the Messiah. These prophecies spoke about one who would come to take the judgment and stains of their sins away. No mortal person could do that. Only the triune God could remove sins written against each person and fulfill the judgment due to them because of their sins. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies about a Messiah, the Savior for each person who professes faith in Him.

When Jesus said, “kingdom of God is at hand,” He referred to a prophecy by Daniel. In Daniel 7:13 and 2:44, Daniel spoke of the Son’s everlasting dominion, glory, and kingdom. Daniel said it would come at a moment in time and continue forevermore. It would not pass away or be destroyed like idols that people create for themselves. This kingdom of God coming, which came at the revelation and ministry of Jesus, is another example of the “now and not yet” scenario that flows through the Christian faith. Just as we are saved now, but will only be perfected (totally sanctified) by Jesus when we enter His kingdom, so God’s kingdom came to earth when Jesus began His ministry on earth, but it will not be perfectly fulfilled until the day Jesus returns and creates a new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-5, 2 Peter 3:10-13, Isaiah 65:17-19 & 66:22). The time the prophecies foretold is fulfilled, Jesus said, and the kingdom of God is now. The Messiah has come, bringing the world into a new epoch of ushering in God’s kingdom and the Messiah.

With this statement about the kingdom of God, Jesus gave two commands. Without the explanation of what and why, the people were unlikely to understand the reason Jesus instructed them to repent and believe in the gospel. Jesus told the people who listened to Him to change their minds about how to live. Instead, live life differently and in obedience to the Spirit’s leading. The word “repent” includes confessing to God of old sinful ways. If Jesus did not teach about salvation from sins and death, His preaching would have been the same as John the Baptist’s. John preached baptism for repentance. Jesus, though, had the good news about something God had never done before, but had always planned to do at the right time. Jesus told them to repent and believe in the gospel of God. His instruction to “believe” made what He preached different from what God’s other messengers had preached. “Believe” in the Greek language of the New Testament means to be persuaded within oneself and by the Lord about Jesus being the Son of God and receiving the salvation He offers through His death that He died for each sinner. Belief. How hard can it be? For people of the world who spent their lives appeasing vengeful gods or seeking fulfillment for themselves, trusting in Jesus was/is hard. Still, for every person who seeks God, He said He would be found if people seek Him with their heart (Jeremiah 29:13, 2 Chronicles 15:2b, Psalm 9:10). The writer of Hebrews 11:6 summed up belief. He said, “And without faith, it is impossible to please Him (God), for the one who comes to God must recognize He exists, and that He proves to be the One who rewards those who seek Him.” The time has come. The prophecies are fulfilled. God’s kingdom is at hand. Jump at this opportunity to be forgiven, change the way you live, and profess faith in Jesus for salvation from the judgment of eternal punishment and separation from God. Repent and believe.

Calling

Jesus preached with authority about what only God could speak. He preached about eternal forgiveness and life with God. Jesus caught the attention of people with the power and authority of what He proclaimed. People would respond to His authority, a few would do so decisively, in Mark 1:16-20. These people who had never met Jesus before would instantly leave what they did, who they loved, and where they lived, forsaking everything, to respond to Jesus’ command.

Four fishermen, a lucrative trade in Galilee, a place where Judaism did not dominate the religious culture, saw and heard Jesus. First, though, Jesus saw them. As He walked around the Sea of Galilee, the body of water that fed many people and provided jobs, He saw fishermen. To Simon and Andrew, Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people” (Mark 1:17). Jesus’ play on words changing fishermen to fishers of men/people probably caught their attention. His instruction to follow was an imperative/command and part of a conditional statement. He said, if you do this, I will do that. In the Greek Bible, the words of Jesus are, “Come! Follow Me.” Jesus called them to come to Him, be His disciples, and learn from Him. Mark said nothing about why the men readily put down their nets, got out of their boats, and followed Jesus. We could presume the authority with which Jesus preached in Galilee made people want to follow Him and see what happened. Another presumption could include the men left everything they owned and the people they loved because Jesus’ command to “come” was powerfully authoritative and they could not shrug off His command. The Greek word for “follow” includes this possibility. It means to be more than curious. Instead, heed your desire to follow Him, learn from Him, and come to trust in what He says. Come be Jesus’ disciples and learn from Him, so you will have faith in Him.

Jesus said more than just a three-word command. His command was a conditional clause. People might consider that trusting in Jesus and receiving salvation from sins was the “then” side of the clause. Many people live this way. They profess faith in Jesus, get baptized, then go about their merry way, living life no differently or minimally different from before they accepted Jesus as their Savior. But Jesus did not end His command with “come follow.” To be a disciple of Jesus, you will pay a cost. To be an active, submissive disciple of Jesus (a child of God), you will follow His leading and teaching, then go tell other people about Him. Jesus said this in His conditional clause. He said, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people.” Pay attention. Who will make them fishers of people? Jesus. People who have not repented, accepted Jesus as their Savior, and been trained by Him are unable to share the gospel. The training you receive from Jesus can come in various ways: sermons, Bible study, Sunday School, Bible college, and seminary. Each believer’s diligent learning from Jesus makes him/her able to obey Jesus’ Great Commission. He said in Matthew 28:18-20, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus makes believers fishers of people. His disciples’ co-mission with Him by telling people about the gospel of God.

Notice in verse eighteen, Simeon and Andrew did not delay their following Jesus. Mark used his favorite adverb, immediately, here. He said, “Immediately, they left their nets and followed Him.” These men recognized the authoritative command and draw of Jesus. He called to their hearts, and they chose to follow Him. These fishermen did not delay in doing what Jesus commanded. Mark testified to this. These men immediately left their nets. They did not give reasons for delaying. These men did not say they had to support their families. They did not say they needed to pay off the loan on their boats, or they had to take care of their aging parents. Mark does not record any excuses, but says they immediately answered Jesus’ command to come and follow Him.

Jesus said this one more time that day. In verse nineteen, Mark wrote, “And going on a little farther, He (Jesus) saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother, John, who were also in the boat mending their nets.” Jesus saw four fishermen that day who would accept He is the Messiah and would follow Him to be trained and tell other people. Did Jesus save them because He saw their potential? No, Jesus does not call the trained only. He calls all sinners to come to Him, repent, and be saved. Are only strong Christians trained and called to make disciples? No, Jesus’ command to all believers is to go out to all the nations, tell the people about Him, make disciples, and baptize them. Mark records in verse twenty, James and John, like Simon and Andrew, “immediately” left their father, the boat, the hired men, and followed Him.

Application and Conclusion

Consider for a moment what might have occurred if Simeon, Andrew, James, and John had stayed in Galilee to fish. They might have been convinced following an unknown man would be irrational. These men might have seen a large haul of fish and been enticed by the potential of wealth in being fishermen. They might have gotten hurt. Satan will try anything to keep someone from professing faith in Jesus. In each of these scenarios, the worst-case scenario would be that these followers of Jesus would not know Him, the Son of God, personally, and they would have become lukewarm believers. Jesus compared lukewarm believers to sitting on a fence between two possibilities: God or self. He said when He returned and judgment occurred, God would separate the sheep from the goats. Anyone who is not a believer in actual living, is not truly a believer and will be counted as a goat, not one of the sheep of the Great Shepherd.

Jesus calls all people to come to Him. In John 6:37 & 40, He said,

“Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me, I certainly will not cast out. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

God sought from the foundation of the world each person to be in a personal relationship with Him. He provided the way to make that possible. God provided salvation through Jesus, His Son, by His death and resurrection. He wants everyone to be saved from eternal judgment and death. God desires each person to live with Him in His kingdom when Jesus returns to earth from heaven. The questions for us to consider are:

1.     Will you recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the One sent to die for your sins so you can live with Him forever?

2.     Will you hear the call He makes to you follow Him?

3.     Will you, instead, choose not to do anything after your profession of faith in Jesus?

4.     Will you immediately follow Jesus or make excuses for why you cannot?

5.     Consider what might prevent you from obeying Jesus’ calling you. Do you consider He is unaware of those things? Let Jesus care for them. Instead, follow Him.

6.     What might occur if you stay where you are physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? Would you have been convinced Jesus is just a construct of people’s minds? Satan will try anything to make you consider not to follow Jesus.

These and more are the costs of discipleship. What do you willingly give to God to be a follower, a disciple, of Jesus? God asks you to be willing to give them to Him. He may not require you to give them up to follow Him, but He asks you to be willing. Those are the costs of discipleship.

Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 [NASB])

Amos and the Judgment of Gaza

Introduction

In our first two Bible studies on the book of Amos, we learned Amos was from Tekoa, a small town ten miles from Jerusalem. He was a shepherd and a sycamore fig grower/caretaker. God called Amos, a man from the southern kingdom of Judah, to deliver prophecies to the people of the northern kingdom of Israel. Amos spoke to the Israelites during the reigns of King Jeroboam II of Israel and King Uzziah of Judah between 760-750 BC. Amos and Hosea were contemporaries. They were the sixth and seventh prophets sent by the LORD to Israel.

In last week’s lesson, we learned of Amos’ prophecy to Israel about God’s judgment of Damascus. Amos used a familiar prophetic pattern denoting completion. He used the words, “for three transgressions and for four I will not revoke its punishment.” In biblical numerology, three plus four equals seven and seven is a number denoting completion. It means they had multiplied sin upon sin and God would most assuredly execute His judgment on them. In our study, we will realize Amos used this pattern for each of the eight prophecies in this book.

God charged Damascus with “threshing Gilead with implements of sharp iron” in Amos 1:3-5. The people of Aram, of which Damascus was the chief city, battled Israel and forcibly took lands in Gilead, east of the Jordan River and part of the Promised Land. When God charged Damascus, the capital city of Aram, He charged the whole nation of Aram. Damascus represented the whole nation. God’s judgment then was against the whole nation. Because He is faithful to His covenant with the Israelites, He would protect and defend them against other nations and people. In this case, Aram fought against Israel and stole some of the land so the LORD defended them and their covenant with Him by pronouncing His judgment against them.

This week we will learn about God’s judgment on Gaza. Gaza’s history with the Israelites showed their antagonism of the Israelites throughout generations. The LORD would challenge them with their aggravation of Israel and pronounce judgment on them because they continually harmed and harassed the Israelites. Besides Amos, other prophets pronounced God’s judgment on the Philistines, whom Gaza represented in Amos’ prophecy- 1 Samuel 6:17, Jeremiah 47:1, 4-5, Ezekiel 25:16 and 35:5; 2 Chronicles 21:16-18; Joel 3:6; Obadiah 1:11.

·         Do you remember a time when your parent, guardian, or teacher stood up for you to make bullies or hateful people cease harassing you? How did it make you feel knowing someone cared enough to fight your battles?

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The Charge against Gaza

Who were the people of Gaza? What was their issue with the Israelites? Why did they continually harass and harm them, the people of the LORD?

The people of Gaza were Philistines. Many scholars believe the Philistines descended from Cyprus or Crete (Amos 9:7). Zephaniah 2:4-7 calls them "sea peoples". They were sea-faring people who traded with countries on the Mediterranean Sea such as Egypt. Gaza was the primary shipping port for the Philistines as they dealt with great commercial traffic with Egypt and other nations. Gaza’s location was the extreme southwest part of Canaan. It was diagonally opposite of Damascus in the north central and eastern area above the borders of Israel. (Remember Amos created a woven net on the map with his prophecies that would draw closer to Israel with each pronouncement he made against their neighboring nations.) The Philistines had four other main commercial cities-Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath. Just as in the prophecy against Aram, Amos used the name of the capital city to denote the whole nation; here he used the name of the biggest city, Gaza, to denote the entire nation of Philistia as the recipient of God’s judgment. In verse eight, Amos used the remaining chief cities of Philistia to show the prophecy encompassed the whole nation.

Of what did God charge the Philistines? Amos stated it in verse six. He said,

“Thus says the LORD, ‘For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke its punishment because they deported an entire population to deliver it up to Edom.’”

What do Amos’ words mean? Did the Philistines kidnap and sell the Israelites as slaves? When we study the Hebrew words of this text, we learn “deported” comes from the word galah meaning take to exile or carry to captivity. “Deliver” comes from the Hebrew word cagar meaning to shut up, imprison, and deliver over or hand over. “Edom” means “I will praise him,” but their actions did not show praise of the LORD. It showed praise of themselves in their cunning against their blood relations. Remember the nation of Edom descended from Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. Amos prophesied God’s judgment would come upon the Philistines because they captured and delivered for sale the Israelites to their blood relatives, the Edomites.

·         Have you ever experienced a betrayal by someone close? How did you feel about it? Did you have someone who stood up for you and called that person on his or her actions?

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History of Gaza

What does the history of the Philistines’ interaction with Israel show us regarding this charge by God? In 2 Chronicles 21:17, the chronicler recorded,

“They [Philistines] came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possession found in the king’s house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.”

The chronicler during King Ahaz’s reign recorded in 2 Chronicles 28:18,

“The Philistines also invaded the cities of the lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settled there.”

 As a side note that will be important later in this chapter when Amos dealt with the Edomites, we must recall the Philistines often used Edom as their intermediary to sell their slave captives (2 Chronicles 28:17).

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King Saul, the first king of the Israelites, and his son, Jonathan, continually battled the Philistines as they tried and sometimes captured Israelite territory (1 Samuel 13, 14, 29, & 31). David, while still a young shepherd, fought the giant of the Philistines, Goliath, with a sling and rocks. With the power of the LORD, he slew him (1 Samuel 17). The chroniclers of the Bible noted other instances of the Philistines harassment of the Israelites.

As the Great Shepherd, Jehovah remained faithful to His covenant with the Israelites and defended the enemies of His children. Yet, when the Israelites broke their covenant relationship with Him, He allowed other nations to rise against them to punish them as punishment from Him to cause them to seek Him and return to a right relationship with Him. The LORD was always faithful to His children, the Israelites, though they turned their backs on Him. His faithfulness to His covenant with them required His charge and judgment of their enemies. The LORD’s charge against Gaza and the whole nation of Philistia began this prophecy given to and spoken by Amos. The judgment and fulfillment of it lay ahead of them.

·         Have you experienced God’s presence in your life guiding and protecting you? Has He provided a defense for you against your enemies?

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The Judgment of Gaza

As the righteous and just God, the defender of His children-His sheep, the LORD judged nations and people for harming the Israelites. Against the Philistines, Amos, God’s prophet, proclaimed His judgment. He said in verses seven and eight,

“So, I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza and it will consumer her citadels. I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon; I will even unleash My power upon Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,’ says the LORD GOD.”

You may remember God pronounced a similar judgment against Damascus. For Damascus’ sin, the LORD said He would send fire upon the house of Hazael and it would consume the citadels. For Gaza, a fire would come upon the wall of Gaza and consume her citadels. “Send” comes from the Hebrew word shalach meaning to let loose or direct. “Fire” comes from God and represents the flames of war, either real fire or the wrath of God on them through armies of other nations. Numbers 21:28 and Isaiah 26:11 speak of fire in this same way. The LORD, the One who defends His children, would release and direct His fire, His wrath, upon the walls around the city of Gaza. He would send it through battles with their enemies. The walls around Gaza would collapse and the fortress would fall. Remember the walls around a city of the time were similar to Jerusalem’s wall, which was thirty-nine feet tall. That protective wall consisted of two thick walls extending to an eight foot breadth. The people filled in the space between these two walls with rocks and soil to add strength during battle. The fire God would send upon Gaza and the whole nation would destroy the walls they relied upon to protect them. Their fortress/citadels/palaces would succumb to the fire of the LORD. The manmade things of this world are no match to the strength and power of the LORD of all creation. The Philistines were human. God’s righteousness and power could judge and punish them. They were not immune to enemy threat or to almighty God.

With verse eight, Amos’ prophecy reached the remaining chief cities of Philistia. The LORD said He would “cut off”, eliminate, and utterly destroy the inhabitants of Ashdod. Even the ruler of the land would experience the might and punishment of God as noted when Amos said, “and him who holds the scepter”. God named Ashkelon as ones who would receive punishment, too. He would unleash His power against Ekron, and the remaining few people of Philistia would die. God charged and pronounced His judgment against each person of Philistia, low-ranking and high, and in the major cities and outlying areas-the remnant.

The word “perish” found in verse eight comes from the Hebrew word ‘abad. It means to be absolutely destroyed, exterminated, and annihilated. Moses used this same word when he gave God’s command to the Israelites. God commanded them to destroy utterly the people of Canaan when they claimed the Promised Land for themselves so there would be no one remaining to lead the Israelites to follow other gods.

Just as the other nations of Canaan succumbed to the LORD and His people, the people once called the nation of Philistia would no longer exist. They would become a dispersed people once called Philistines existing around the middle and near-East.

One other thing you may note is that in the list of cities Amos spoke against, it did not include Gath, a chief city. Scholars believe Gath was not included because it had lost its position as a chief city earlier in King Uzziah’s reign before Amos prophesied. Uzziah destroyed Gath and rebuilt it and the surrounding areas into Judean cities and villages. Gath did not exist as a Philistine city at the time of Amos’ prophecies.

·         What do you feel when you consider that God loves you enough to protect and defend you? How do you feel to know He would go so far as to remove completely the person or people who are harassing or harming you, His child?

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The Fulfillment of God’s Judgment of Gaza

Was this prophecy fulfilled? How did it happen and by whom? God used many rulers to bring the downfall of the Philistines. These rulers came from the presiding empires during the centuries-Judean, Assyrian, Egyptian, Babylon, and Macedonian.

King Uzziah of Judah, who reigned 790-740 BC, warred against them. He broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod. Uzziah built cities for Judah there in their place. Second Chronicles 26:6-7 says,

“Now he [King Uzziah] went out and warred against the Philistines and broke down the wall of Gath and the walls of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod and among the Philistines. God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur-baal, and the Meunites.”

Tiglath-Pileser III, ruler of Assyria (745-727 BC), and Sargon of Assyria (721-705 BC) fulfilled part of God’s judgment. The Assyrians were merciless warriors. They tortured, killed, or took prisoners from cities and nations to be slaves. Tiglath-Pileser and Sargon tortured, killed, or dispersed the Philistines as exiles throughout the Assyrian empire. It weakened the nation of Philistia.

King Hezekiah of Judah, who reigned 716-687 BC, warred against the Philistines. Second Kings 18;8 records his triumph over them. It says,

“He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza (the southwestern-most city of Philistia) and its territories, from watchtower to fortified city. Hezekiah destroyed the strongholds under God’s power and direction. He and his army destroyed their walls and citadels.”

Other nations battled the limping people of Philistia to bring about their absolute extermination. These nations and their rulers were Pharaoh Psammetichus of Egypt (664-610BC), King Nebuchadnezzar of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (605-562 BC), Alexander the Great of Macedon (336-323 BC), and the Asmoneans (Hasmoneans or Maccabees) of Judea and surrounding regions (140-116 BC).

God’s instruments of judgment caused Philistia the land-grabbers, kidnappers, and slave-sellers to go out of existence. Jehovah proved His prophecy by fulfilling it. He showed Himself greater than the great thinkers of the time and stronger than any manmade fortress or wall. By being greater than the enemies of the Israelites, the LORD showed His omniscience. This reminded the Israelites once again of the greatness of their God, I AM.

·         Has there ever been a time when you saw or experienced something and you stood back and realized only God’s power and might could have accomplished that? Did you praise God when you experienced it?

·         Did that experience cause you to remember the greatness of God?

·         Did it cause you to return to a closer relationship with the LORD?

Recap

When God called him, Amos was just a shepherd, but he was a shepherd who obeyed Him. He had the heart of a shepherd and of an Israelite who cared about his people. Amos could have, but did not omit this prophecy against Gaza. He realized God had a reason for him to proclaim it to Israel.

Ø  One reason was to remind the Israelites God is still supreme, and He defends His people.

Ø  Another reason was God sees what each person of the world does, not just the actions of our enemies.

Ø  Besides this, God wanted the Israelites to recall their own sins and return to a right relationship with Him before He fulfilled His judgment against them. God is merciful and did not want to punish His people by fulfilling His judgment of them.

The Pharisees took Israelites and sold them. Surely the Israelites did not do that, they thought. Later though, in God’s charges against Israel, they would hear they did that, too. The necessary charge and judgment against Gaza applies to the Israelites. God’s resultant judgment was punishment of Philistia and incentive for the Israelites.

Relevance and Conclusion

As we continue to read the prophecies of Amos against the nations, we will see the web woven closer to Israel. The first prophecy was against Damascus, a city north of the northern border of Israel. The next prophecy was against Gaza, the southeastern-most city in the Canaan region. A diagonal crisscross began the weave of this web. The third prophecy of Amos, against Tyre of Phoenicia, secures the western side of Israel’s borders before crossing over to the eastern borders. How long will it take before the people of Israel understand God is leading them closer to their own homes and hearts with Amos’ prophecies? He wants them to search their own hearts, and repent and return to Him before He must fulfill His judgment for their sins.

·         How long does it take for God’s nudges and ideas to prick you to return to Him?

·         What will it take for you to allow Him to be your God, the One who defends and provides for you, and whom you solely worship?

Now is the time to stop, pray, and listen for God’s voice.

He’s calling to you just as He did to Israel.

GOD WITH US

Isaiah was the Messianic prophet of God. People call him the Messianic prophet because a large number of his teachings to Judah and Jerusalem foretold the coming Messiah. A very famous passage from Isaiah foretells the coming Christ child who will take away the gloom and anguish people feel and fear. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light and will rejoice. Let us consider this passage now from Isaiah 9:1a, 2-4, 6-7.

¹There will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish, (Isaiah said).
²The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them, (Isaiah said).
³You (the Lord) shall multiply the nation; You shall increase their gladness. They will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
⁴For You (Lord) shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
⁶For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. [NASB]

Isaiah exhorted the Judeans to repent from their sins and return to God. He spoke God’s judgment on them for their sins urging them to repent. Isaiah foretold the destruction God would allow to overcome them if they did not return to Him. The enemies of Judah would overtake, enslave, oppress, and torment them.

By returning to and following the LORD, Isaiah said the Judeans would no longer experience gloom from famine and enemies. He told them to stand strong and keep faith with God and He would send a great light – one who would multiply their nation, break their yokes of burden and the rods of their oppressors. This Light would be their warrior so the Judean warriors needed no war boots or cloaks. These verses led Isaiah’s listeners to expect a warrior to save them. Isaiah said something new with the next verses.

With verse six, Isaiah explained their Savior, the Messiah, would arrive as a child. The anointed and chosen one – the Messiah - who would deliver people would come as a meek and mild child. Isaiah further stated the government would rest on His shoulders. “How could that be if He was a child?” they might have wondered. “A child and a King? Impossible,” they might have thought. Isaiah broadened the image of the Messiah as being more than a warrior, child, and king.

v  He said this Messiah, this chosen One, would be a “Wonderful Counselor.” He would be extraordinarily and astonishingly more wise and intelligent than their own elders and leaders with the wisdom and knowledge of God.

v  This Messiah would be called Mighty God, Isaiah said. He would not be a mere fallible man, but would come from the LORD and people would know He is God.

v  This Chosen One would be Eternal Father. He would be the One whom the Judeans knew from their past and Who existed from before time, the One they called Abba Father with trust and love.

v  This Messiah would be called the Prince of Peace, the Ruler and Bringer of complete peace, welfare, and contentment in life, in their hearts, and in their minds.

This Chosen One from God who is God would counsel and guide them so they could live in peace. The Messiah would be Warrior, Prince, King, and Counselor for all people and would come as a child. He would bring salvation from their enemies and from their sin and lead people to be in an eternal relationship with the LORD God.

Isaiah continued by saying His government, His Kingdom, and His peace would increase and never end. The Messiah would come from the line of David and would establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from that time and forever. The LORD would be the one to make it happen. Nothing the Israelites could do would establish God’s kingdom on earth because they were sinful humans and incapable to save themselves. God in His righteousness would provide the Savior, the sacrifice for human sin. God’s passion for people and His zeal would make this happen, Isaiah said.

When the Judeans needed comfort, God sent a prophet – Isaiah – to proclaim salvation and peace and tell them of His Chosen One, the Messiah. They may have been incredulous when considering a child as a Savior, King, and Warrior. God had a plan. He would send His Son, the Messiah, into the world as the lowest –a baby - so even the people whom society casts out would hear and recognize Him. He raised the Messiah up to be teacher, deliverer, and Savior for all humankind. Through Jesus the Messiah’s birth, life, death, and resurrection, every person for all time can know the love of God. Because this Messiah came down from God to earth, Isaiah called Him “God with us” in Isaiah 8:10 and “Immanuel” in Isaiah 7:14. Matthew called Him Emmanuel in Matthew 1:23, meaning “God with us.”

This Emmanuel did not come only to return to His kingdom. He came to be God with us and for us until we each join Him in His Kingdom. The Messiah came to save people from their sins, and through His indwelling Holy Spirit, give His wisdom, strength, power, love, and hope to all who believe in Him. This is Emmanuel, God with us. We are not alone and will never be alone as long as we remain faithful to the Lord.

This is God for us-

The Messiah – the Christ - is our

Prince of Peace,

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, and

Everlasting Father.

God with us