The Gospel according to Amos (Matt Harmon style)

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This came in an email today from BibleStudyTools@crosswalkmail.com.
There's been a lot of posting about prophesy to Israel being highjacked by Christians. This seems a blaring example! The writer bases his theory on the Day of the Lord having already come but that's not what scripture says, listed below .... Thoughts....

The Gospel in Amos

by Matt Harmon

The prophet Amos ministered during a time of material prosperity in both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah (sometime between 791-740 B.C.). But underneath this veneer of material prosperity was idolatry that led to empty religious ritual, mistreatment of the poor, and other forms of social injustice.

God raised Amos up to pronounce judgment: on the nations (Amos 1), on Israel (Amos 3), and in visions (Amos 7). Amos pictures God as a lion circling his ultimate prey: Israel herself! Amos used repetition (“for three transgressions and for four”; see Amos 1:3, Amos 1:6, Amos 1:9, Amos 1:11, Amos 1:13; Amos 2:1, Amos 2:4, Amos 2:6) as well as biting irony (e.g., Amos 4:9-11) to call Israel to repentance, but they did not return to Yahweh (Amos 4:6-13). Instead, they clung to the misguided notion that the nations would be judged on the Day of the Lord but they themselves would escape unscathed (Amos 5:18-20).

How can we as God’s people today benefit from Amos? What is it that God has to say to us today through this Minor Prophet?

I believe the starting point is determining the theological big idea, which I would summarize as follows: When the Day of the Lord comes, God will judge the sins of His people and reconstitute His people under a Davidic king to inhabit a new creation.

Of course, for us as believers our Day of the Lord has already come in the death and resurrection of Jesus. On that day when the sun went down at noon and the Passover festival was turned into mourning for an only Son (Amos 8:9-10), our sin was judged. God has raised up the fallen booth of David and called Jew and Gentile alike to himself (Amos 9:11-12). By faith in Jesus our Davidic king, we have been made part of the people of God who are new creations awaiting the consummation of the Messianic Age in a new heavens and earth, when “the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it” (Amos 9:14).

Since 2006, Dr. Matt Harmon has served as Professor of New Testament studies at Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. He blogs his notes, studies, and teaching materials about Biblical Theology.​

What scripture says about the day of the Lord

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS

CHAPTER 5

Its Watchfulness and Soberness
5:1-11

The Day of the Lord Coming like a Thief
vv.1-3
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you;
2 For you yourselves know perfectly well that like a thief in the night, so the day of the Lord comes.
3 When they say, Peace and security, then sudden destruction comes upon them, just as birth pangs to a woman with child; and they shall by no means escape.

1 Corinthians 1:8, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Corinthians 1:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:2

While it may look good in type it's not scriptural.
 

John Hyperspace

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I believe the Amos prophecy relates to Christianity today. God is circling the churches like a Lion and about to roar upon them. I believe that the old covenant pattern is repeating in the new covenant, only spiritually rather than literally. As God was upset with Israel in the days prior to the sending of the Assyrian and the king of Babylon to mete out judgment upon them; so He is doing again at the consummation of the new covenant. The warnings of Amos to Israel under the old covenant now apply to us under the new covenant: but, spiritually discerned and not, carnally. The churches will be taken completely by surprise (many believing they will not "see the evil day" whereas Paul says they certainly will: Ephesians 6:13)

As the day of the Lord came upon old covenant Israel; so it will come upon new covenant Israel: Ecclesiastes 1:9. This is the sending of the sword, and Christ coming to fight against them "with the sword of My mouth": Revelation 2:16
 
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I believe the Amos prophecy relates to Christianity today. God is circling the churches like a Lion and about to roar upon them. I believe that the old covenant pattern is repeating in the new covenant, only spiritually rather than literally. As God was upset with Israel in the days prior to the sending of the Assyrian and the king of Babylon to mete out judgment upon them; so He is doing again at the consummation of the new covenant. The warnings of Amos to Israel under the old covenant now apply to us under the new covenant: but, spiritually discerned and not, carnally. The churches will be taken completely by surprise (many believing they will not "see the evil day" whereas Paul says they certainly will: Ephesians 6:13)

As the day of the Lord came upon old covenant Israel; so it will come upon new covenant Israel: Ecclesiastes 1:9. This is the sending of the sword, and Christ coming to fight against them "with the sword of My mouth": Revelation 2:16
Time frame in the article is where I see the author being mistaken.
 
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Amos 5:18-20
18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

This too which is clearly at the time of dispersion. Christians should be desiring the day of the Lord.
 
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John Hyperspace

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Time frame in the article is where I see the author being mistaken.

Yeah, I would tend to agree. The Passover is what began both covenants (the natural exodus by Moses; the spiritual exodus by Jesus), and the author seems to be putting the end at the beginning: Amos at Exodus, as it were.
 
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Yeah, I would tend to agree. The Passover is what began both covenants (the natural exodus by Moses; the spiritual exodus by Jesus), and the author seems to be putting the end at the beginning: Amos at Exodus, as it were.
Exodus as being the beginning of wilderness travels or at end when coming into the Promised land.
Quote artical
By faith in Jesus our Davidic king, we have been made part of the people of God who are new creations awaiting the consummation of the Messianic Age in a new heavens and earth, when “the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it”​
Awaiting the consumation of the Messianic age / new heaven and new earth
That just seems a lot of omission of scripture to me like not seeing the church age in the case of the OT prophet, not seeing the millenium in NT interpretation of author in question.
IE: the Day of the LOrd
 
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John Hyperspace

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Exodus as being the beginning of wilderness travels or at end when coming into the Promised land.

Meaning the beginning; the actual exodus from Egypt. The Passover initiating both beginnings/exodus(es)(?): then at Pentecost we would have the giving of the law from Sinai in the old covenant fulfilling in the giving of the Promise in the new covenant (the Promise of the Holy Spirit given through the Passover: Acts 1:4) on Pentecost, and so forth in like pattern.

Awaiting the consumation of the Messianic age / new heaven and new earth
That just seems a lot of omission of scripture to me like not seeing the church age in the case of the OT prophet, not seeing the millenium in NT interpretation of author in question.
IE: the Day of the LOrd

I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. As I'm lead to understand the Day of the Lord is the age to come, beginning at the second coming. This would bring us back to Elijah and the "voice in the wilderness" arriving prior to "prepare the way of the Lord": we may be coming from different perspectives, which is common when referencing eschatological events.
 
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'
I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. As I'm lead to understand the Day of the Lord is the age to come, beginning at the second coming. This would bring us back to Elijah and the "voice in the wilderness" arriving prior to "prepare the way of the Lord": we may be coming from different perspectives, which is common when referencing eschatological events.
The day of the Lord is at the end ... m'bad in confusing it with the Bema seat of Christ reserved for the judgment of those in the Body only. 2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10-12

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

Luke 14:12-14 rewards are associated with the resurrection

Revelation 19:8, when the Lord returns with His bride at the end of the tribulation, she is seen already rewarded. Her reward is described as fine linen, the righteous acts of the saints undoubtedly the result of rewards.

In 2 Timothy 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 4:5, rewards are associated with "that day" and with the Lord's coming.

1 Corinthians 4:4-5
I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15
the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.​
 
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