December 7, 2009
Psalm 25; Amos 7:1-9; Rev. 1:1-8; Matt. 22:23-33

Amos successfully intercedes for the nation on two occasions. The first two judgments shown, locusts and fire, caused him to plead with God not to bring them as they will destroy the nation. The third part of the vision involves the plumb-line, that which measures whether a vertical plane is truly vertical. The law served as the plumb for the nation. The prophecy of Amos concerning Judah in the second chapter is different from the judgment of God on other nations (Gentiles) in that the transgressions of the nations are specified while in the case of Judah it is said, “because they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked.” The nation has a unique responsibility for the law and it serves as the plumb-line against which they will be measured. The judgment of God is not arbitrary or capricious.

The Pharisees have tried to trick Jesus and now it is the Sadducees turn. Their ridiculous parable fails to achieve its goal in that Jesus simply tells them they are denying Scripture to believe there is no resurrection of the dead. His answer begins with that flat statement that they don’t know Scripture nor do they know the “power of God.” They have made everything logically work, no miracles allowed, God is defined out of the picture. In essence they are early materialists who believe in a closed system, what we see is what is and nothing comes into the system or intervenes in it from outside. Jesus, standing among them, is proof that their logical system doesn’t work, but they have refused to believe He is indeed the incarnate God. His answer is also judgment. He is holding them accountable to the revelation they have received as the people of God, and finds them wanting.

Jesus has become the plumb-line. The testimony of Jesus is that by which everyone will be judged, on answering the question He posed to the disciples at Caesarea Philippi, “Who do you say that I am?” We will be judged first on that answer and then on the witness of our lives to the truth of our answer. Life lived according to His commands to love God and love your neighbor, walking in His ways, is the testament He is looking for. Our lives testify to what we truly believe. As the song says, “When it's all been said and done, There is just one thing that matters. Did I do my best to live for truth? Did I live my life for you?”

Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.