Welcome to this week's Virtual Bible Study! Let's get started!
First Step: Read the Text. (This doesn't take too long). This Week’s Reading is Amos 4. You can read it here.
Second Step: Lesson/Focus Text
“Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord.” Amos 5:18a
The Problem with Countdowns
By Rev. William Dohle
Did you know, as of Monday, August 2, 2010, there was...
871 days... 16 hours... 13 minutes... and 43 seconds until...
DOOMSDAY!?!
It’s true. That is its true if you believe that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. On that day, one website claims, the End-Time events will begin. In fact, there is a whole website devoted to Christians who believe this date is accurate. You can discover the reasons they believe the end will begin on this date here.
Why are we Christians so fascinated with the end of the world? Why have we, since our beginnings, been counting down to when this world will end? Why have some formulated whole event schedules on when one thing will occur or another? Why has prominant Christians, like Tim LaHayle made a living pondering the end of all things and what those events will look like?
I can see why we did in the beginning. When Christianity began, Christians were persecuted and killed. The “end of the world” would have been heard as the end of Rome. The end of Christians being killed for their faith. The end of the long line of Ceasars throwing Christians to the lions and the flames. The end of the ridicule and the hatred and the final revelation that Christ is Lord of all.
That’s what the end of the world was for the early Christians. But why do WE look forward to the end? Why do we countdown the days, the weeks, the months? Why do we spend our time thinking and wondering about the end of the world? And do we do it with anticipation? Or hesitation? Do we look forward to the event? Or not?
If we are one who counts down to the end, then perhaps we should read Amos.
Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the lord?
That day will be darkness, not light.
It will be as though a man fled a lion only to meet a bear,
As though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall
only to have a snake bite him.
Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light–
Pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?
Now why would Amos say such things? Why would he be warning people about the day of the Lord, the end of all things? Why would he himself seem to be worried about that day instead of anxiously looking forward to it?
Perhaps Amos here has a handle on what the day of the Lord truely is. That day, the end of all things, is a day of justice. A day of righteousness. A day when the injustices of the world will be righted. When the words spoken by Mary before Jesus’ birth will come true:
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1)
This is what will happen on the Day of the Lord. And who are we in this picture? Who are we in the world? We are the richest people to have ever lived! Unicef claims that: “More than 50 percent of the world’s assets are owned by the richest two percent of adults...while the bottom half of the world adult population own only one percent of wealth. Altogether the richest 10% of adults accounted for 85% of the world total.” You can find more of their findings here.
The problem with countdowns it that they inevitably distract us from the present. We become so busy looking forward to the future that we forget to see the present poor around us. We forget our neighbor struggling to make ends meet. We forget the stranger on the corner looking for a place to stay. We forget the poor who are all around us today. Instead we busy ourselves with the future and remove ourselves from the present.
That is why Amos pleads over and over again to just do what is right.
This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live...”
Seek the Lord and live...
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord god almighty will be with you just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts...
For Amos, even worship doesn’t shield us from God’s justice.
Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
BUT let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.
So... people of God...TAKE YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE CLOUDS! Stop thinking about the future so much. Stop your planning and your organizing! Stop ignoring the poor that are seen all around you. Or the time will come, as Amos predicts, when justice will roll down like a river and carry us away. And we who are the richest in the world will be made low as the poor are lifted up by God. Amen.
Third Step: Questions to Ponder...
1. Are you a futurist? Do you plan and ponder the future more than enjoying the present? How could you "plan" to be more attentive to the poor around you?
2. What "songs" and "sacrifices" do you think the Lord would be happy with? Where do you think true worship occurs? In church? Or in the world around us?
3. Again God reiterates his commitment to the poor in this chapter. How does it make you feel that the creator of the constillations cares so much for the least, the little, and the lost in our world?
Fourth Step: Email(if you like) your responses. You can just reply to this email or email it to craznluv@msn.com.
Fifth Step: Close with prayer...
Creator of the Universe, we, the richest of your people, have failed. We have failed to give the poor their due. We have failed in our job as stewarts and caretakers of your world. Forgive us, strengthen us, and renew us in our commitment to justice and righteousness, through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
See you next week!
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