Thursday, July 21, 2022

 

Thursday, July 21, 2022


Psalm 50

Amos 8:4-14

Romans 2:25-3:8


Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart – it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.


Today's readings are pregnant with anticipation. Paul is gearing up to prepare his argument in favour of salvation by faith in Christ. Amos is turning up the heat for the Israelites, moving from physical suffering for those who turn from God, to the spiritual.


It is interesting to compare here the foundation for Paul's argument with some presuppositions Amos makes about his fellow Israelites. As Paul readies himself to launch into the great doctrine of Sola Fide (salvation by faith alone), he prepares his audience by reinforcing just how important God's Word is to the Jews. They held, as the basis of their salvation, the fact God spoke to them first. Even though, as we have learnt in the past days, this is not a matter of salvation but rather responsibility, let us hold this fact in mind when we look at God's judgement in Amos. Specifically, the famine of verse 11.


There will be a great famine, says the Lord GOD, not of bread or water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. Even though, as demonstrated by the dodgy salesmen of verses 5 and 6, their actions show they don't like what God has to say, they know that the greater punishment is to not hear God speaking at all.


Yesterday, we reflected on how we don't always like to hear what God has to say. Today, let us be thankful for the fact that God speaks to us in the first place. Let us be especially thankful that, on the day God revealed His judgement over our evil, and it flowed over the world like the waters of the Nile flood the land, and the sky went dark at midday, He turned his wrath away from us and back on Himself. On that day, the sky went black, the curtain in the temple ripped in two, and God spoke the words: “It is finished”. Instead of suffering the famine, we rejoice in the feast of the Lamb.



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