Psalm 146, 147; Amos 1:1-5,13-2:8; 1 Thess. 5:1-11; Luke 21:5-19
Amos’ prophecy begins with the Lord’s judgment against the surrounding nations and surely the people of God were happy to hear of this. In the second chapter, in verse four, Amos goes from preaching to meddling by pronouncing the Lord’s judgment against Judah and Israel. The nations were chastised for very particular sins, threshing Gilead, cutting open the wombs of the women of Gilead, etc., sins in any cultural setting, sins against natural law. God’s own people, however, are accused of rejection of His law and of not keeping His statutes, the rejection of righteousness, injustice to the poor and afflicted, and other moral failures. We are held to a higher level of responsibility than those who do not know Him.
As others admire the temple Jesus speaks of its destruction. Unlike Amos, Jesus does not lay the blame for this at the feet of the people or the leaders in this particular instance. He is simply warning them about what will come and that they are not to be fooled by anything that happens and they are not to believe claims that He has returned. The promise is that there will be persecution against Jesus’ followers and that they are not to prepare for their trials because they will be given all they need to speak in their own defense and that wisdom will confound their accusers. Endurance is the key to surviving this persecution.
We are to be always prepared to meet the Lord. In several parables He told the disciples that the best way to be prepared is to always be about the Father’s business. We live 2000 years after Jesus, any way you slice it that is an incredibly long time to wait for His return. Some days it seems amazing to me that one man who lived that long ago has had such an enduring impact on the world. We are waiting for Him but how we wait matters. We are to be awake and to encourage one another to remain awake and in service when the Master returns. Let us persevere.
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