Homerton Baptist Church
Evening Service (260419)

      • Amos 3ESV

  • Hymn 258 - Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father

      • John 8:31–38ESV

      • Ephesians 1:1–3ESV

  • Hymn 268 / MP128 - Father God, I wonder how I managed to exist

      • Amos 3ESV

  • Order of Service

    Welcome

    Prayer

    Hymn -

    Notices

    Prayer Meeting - 7:30pm Wed
    Friday 7pm - Online
    Sunday Morning 11am & 6pm
    Tithes & Offerings - £

    Main Prayer

    Hymn -

    Reading

    Amos 3:1–3 ESV
    Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?
    Amos 3:4–6 ESV
    Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?
    Amos 3:7–9 ESV
    “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?” Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst.”
    Amos 3:10–11 ESV
    “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered.”
    Amos 3:12–14 ESV
    Thus says the Lord: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed. “Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord God, the God of hosts, “that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.
    Amos 3:15 ESV
    I will strike the winter house along with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end,” declares the Lord.

    Sermon

    It is likely that Amos is speaking whilst in Samaria
    Amos 3:1 ESV
    Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
    The Bible considers nations as”Families”
    Egpyt are the decendants of the man called Egypt
    Israel are decendants of Jacob, after God gave him the new name of Israel
    Although Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah (southern kingdom) had seperated
    God addresses them as the “Whole Family that I brought out of the land of Egypt”
    Amos 3:2 ESV
    “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
    Out of all the families of the wold, God chose Israel to have a special relationship with him.
    That special relationship carried with it a special responsibility and accountability
    “therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities”
    Deurteroomy made clear “living in relationship with God demanded loyality and faithfulness”

    Justification for the Prophet’s Ministry (3:3-8)

    NATURAL CAUSE AND EFFECT (3:3–6)
    Amos 3:3–6 ESV
    “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?
    Seven rhetorical questions, which illistrate the interrelationship between cause and effect
    Questions v3-5: each imply the answer as “No”
    walk together (in step with each other)
    Lion Roar (before it pounced on its prey)
    Young Lion Cry (does it growl in victory when it has caught nothing)
    The next two questions illustrate the prophet’s principle that an action must have an adequate cause
    Do animals get caught without a trap?
    Do traps get triggered if there is nothing caught?
    Questions in v6: Trumpet - implies the answer as “Yes”
    A trumpet was sounded to annouce impending danger - the approach of an enemy
    The Popular belief was that the Lord would not bring any misfortune upon his chosen people
    The last rhetorical questions= undercut that sentiment
    They equally had the dilemma that a no would imply that some other deity had caused the disaster, a claim they would have rightly been unwilling to make
    Amos sought the agreement with the general proposition that disater ina city should be attributted to the Lord
    As such, the Israel’s oppression by surrounding nations was the work of the Lord
    Amos’ main concern is the recognition that God reveals himself not only in matters of success but also in terms of sins and punishment
    He seeks to convince his audience that there is causational link between their sins and divinely inspired catastrophe
    The implication of this line of argument is that God, the Sovereign Lord, controls everything that happens.

    Justification for the Prophet’s Ministry (3:7-12)

    SPIRITUAL CAUSE AND EFFECT (3:7–8)
    Amos 3:7–8 ESV
    “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?”
    Amos presents an eigth question and oracle as the finale
    A crucial component is that the Lord reveals His plan to His servants the prophets
    The basis for a prophet’s authority is that he stood in the council of the Lord (Jer 23:18,22)
    This was true of Amos and his proclamation had the stamp of God’s authority upon it
    Modern preachers also must receive their message from God to have the stamp of God’s authority upon the proclamation
    The harsh judgment upon Israel was the message Amos receive in the council of God
    Consistent with the principal that the Lord “does nothing withour revealing his plan to his servants the prophets”
    God gave Amos a strong message to preach
    “The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?”
    The Lion of Judah has roared - God has spoken
    Who will not fear? - That roar has struck “fear” in Amos
    The prophet speaks when commanded but, once commanded, must speak

    The Downfall and Devouring of Israel (3:9–12)

    LESSONS IN VIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION (3:9–10)
    Amos 3:9–10 ESV
    Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst.” “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”
    The nations were experts at violence and oppression
    Amos rhetorically calls for witnesses
    and presents the coming of immoral barbarians from neighbouring states to judge the morality of Samera
    he sights the Philistines and Egyptians because they were especially remembered for their cruel oppression of Israel
    this would have a dramatic effect on his listeners
    Sameria had hoarded plunder and loot (v10)
    The enemy would plunder what Samaria has hoarded
    Strongholds (fortresses) were part of the city’s defense system
    The storehouses would would maintain the city’s provision in times of difficulty
    “see the great tumults”
    The people in a state of blind panic is the result of divine judgment
    those “who hoard plunder” are thos who had lost the ability to do right
    Samaria’s leader had been warped by their practice of violence and destruction
    Order and justice should have prevailed in the city.
    Instead chaos and oppression reigned
    they did not know how “to do right”

    The Downfall and Devouring of Israel (3:9–12)

    THE LORD’S JUDGMENT UPON PRACTITIONERS OF VIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION (3:11)
    Amos 3:11 ESV
    Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered.”
    “Therefore” - actions lead to natural consequences
    Amos introduces God’s devasting judgment upon Israel

    His words are not his own, but rather come from Israel’s God

    Advertary/Enemy [ṣar] can mean “distress”

    The Downfall and Devouring of Israel (3:9–12)

    PROPHECY OF ISRAEL’S DEVOURING (3:12)
    Amos 3:9–12 ESV
    Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst.” “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered.” Thus says the Lord: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.
    Amos had effective use of metaphors, illuminating or dramatizing his message with scenes from everyday life
    Shepherds were responsible for the sheep
    The owners would hold them accountable for missing animals
    If they could obtain sufficient evidence to convince the owners that a lion had raved the flock they woul don’t have to pay for the animal
    “two leg bines or a piece of an ear” might get the shepherd off the hook
    This comparison imple dthat Israel would not survive the attack of the enemy
    Only fragments would provide evidence of their former luxurious lifestyle
    The israelites may hope for salvation, but all hope would be shattered. Only enough would survive to prove who the victim was.

    Judgment against Every Aspect of Israel’s Life (3:13–15)

    ISRAEL: THE HOUSE OF JACOB (3:13)
    Amos 3:13 ESV
    “Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord God, the God of hosts,
    Amos alterts his hearers he speaks to them, and the words are from The LORD
    “Hear and Testify” - listen and talk about it
    They are in covenant with God
    They are not their own masters, nor simply Jerooam’s people

    Judgment against Every Aspect of Israel’s Life (3:13–15)

    BETHEL: THE HOUSE OF GOD (3:14)
    Amos 3:14 ESV
    “that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.
    “the day” - an unspecified time of the LORD’s choosing
    The nations rebellious acts carried in themselves the judgment of God
    That is not to suggest that the divine judgment would be impersonal and mechanical
    On the contrary, Amos’ oracle portays God acting directly in judgement against the people
    They would not be able to seek protection at the places of worship
    The reality had been that they had used the alters in worshipping pagan gods
    they were faithfless and had poluted worship of God
    a century before Jeraboam has selt up gold calves for worship (one at Bethal and one at Dan - 1 Kings12:28)
    it had been a common theme since through the Omride dynasty
    despite protest by Elijah and Elisha and the massacre by Jehu (2 Kings 10:28)
    The altars would also come under God’s divine judgment
    So guilty was Israel that God would destroy the nations refuge

    Judgment against Every Aspect of Israel’s Life (3:13–15)

    RESIDENCES: HOUSES OF LUXURY (3:15)
    Amos 3:15 ESV
    I will strike the winter house along with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end,” declares the Lord.
    The description provides the extent of the counterfeit worship
    The LORD will judge their worship (v14) and their luxurious lifestyle (v15)
    God will judge and destory it all
    Note:
    Riches and wealth are not examples of God’s blessing
    Disobedience to God can often be seen hand in hand with perceived personal gain
    But the LORD will come in judgment
    Life apart from God may yield temporary material gain, but it will surely result in eternal loss

    Hymn -

    Q&A

    Hymn -

    Closing Prayer

    Doxology

      • Amos 3:1–3ESV

      • Amos 3:4–6ESV

      • Amos 3:7–9ESV

      • Amos 3:10–11ESV

      • Amos 3:12–14ESV

      • Amos 3:15ESV

      • Amos 3:1ESV

      • Amos 3:2ESV

      • Amos 3:3–6ESV

      • Amos 3:7–8ESV

      • Amos 3:9–10ESV

      • Amos 3:11ESV

      • Amos 3:9–12ESV

      • Amos 3:13ESV

      • Amos 3:14ESV

      • Amos 3:15ESV

  • Hymn 546 - GOD HAS SPOKEN-BY HIS PROPHETS
  • Hymn 250 - O Father, you are sovereign
  • Doxology 1145 Chorus

      • 1 Corinthians 16:23–24NKJV

Homerton Baptist Church
pastor@homerton.church
0756 612 9969
http://www.homerton.church
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