Amos 8 - Will He Find Faith?

Amos - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 starts with a description of the corruption of the rich and powerful. They can't wait for the new moon and the Sabbath to be over, so they can get on with the accumulation of more power and wealth through their lies and deceit. Judgement is coming, and it will be severe, "like the mourning for an only son." (Vs 10) Famine will come on the land, which leads me to believe that this judgement will affect everyone. But the famine is not of food, but rather a famine of the word of the Lord. Wow. How long have I felt this in my soul? Go back and read my blog from the beginning. I recall our days at the church in Muncie, how my wife would tell me that the words of the speaker only unsettled her soul, and we would talk about what was missing in the message, the gospel. I could go on with countless examples, but not now. "they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it." (Vs 12)

Verse 13 and 14: "In that day the lovely virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst. Those who swear by the Guilt of Samaria, and say, ‘As your god lives, O Dan,’ and, ‘As the Way of Beersheba lives,’ they shall fall, and never rise again." 

Assuming that this prophesy is as applicable today as it was then, do the lovely people represent the church of today? All pretty on the outside, but nothing on the inside? (See matt 23:27,28) Is that why God can not stand our worship and offerings? (Amos 5:21-24) Is that why Jesus says in Luke 18:8, "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Or why Timothy writes in 2 Tim 3:1-5, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."

Judgement is coming, and the problem is that it is coming for everyone, not just the rich and powerful. It may come today. or tomorrow, or maybe it is already here. Whatever the case, our prayer should not be for relief or even justice, those are God's areas. Our prayer should be for faithfulness.