Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Woe to you who are complacent in Zion

Amos 6:1-14
Woe to you who are complacent in Zionand to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!
The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself—the Lord God Almighty declares: I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”
But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness
13 you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar and say, “Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?
For the Lord God Almighty declares, I will stir up a nation against you, Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah."
Affluence and comfortable living insulate people from real issues and breed false security. Self-sufficiency and pride have been the downfall of human beings from first to last. Now the pride of Israel, which God hades, will be brought low. Ruin and exile await God's people.
Why?
God hates the people who turn justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness.
People though put effort on their own strength, but the blessing is come from the Lord, without God's blessing everything will be nothing and the disaster is near.
God hates Israel nobles to live in a nice house and eating lavish food and wine, but they did evil things without righteousness.
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甲尼、哈馬、迦特,這些國家、城市都比以色列大,現在已經被滅掉,他們還以為自己的國家牢不可破嗎?這個安全感不是建立在神,而是建立在權力、財力、土地。如此還敢驕傲、過奢華的生活嗎?
這些人在撒馬利亞為首的,當官,被擄時也會最先被抓。
房內的人都死了,他們的伯叔來處理他們屍體,用燒的。沒有人能夠逃脫,有人在戰爭中沒有死,卻在瘟疫中死亡。這些抬屍的人也不敢大聲說話,怕也被神滅絕。馬在岩石上跑,蹄會受傷,牛也不可能在岩石上耕田。他們不是很聰明嗎?怎麼顛倒是非,是非不明。公義才是立國的根基。
有忖無恐,人以為沒有問題,掌握權力、財力、自視高,或是以為還有很多時間,繼續享受比較重要。掌握許多資源。我們以為可以靠自己的力量站立。甚至於基督徒聽道多了,那些在有生之年不會臨到。如果我們憑自己力量有安全感,神必興起一國,讓我們重重的摔下來。我們可能正在為工作、學業努力中。不要忘記神的審判。
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How?
Be humble and give thanks to the Lord for what I can do are the blessing and grace of the Lord.

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