"The Lord God made this promise; the Lord God All-Powerful says: ‘I hate the pride of the Israelites, and I hate their strong buildings, so I will let the enemy take the city and everything in it.’" (NCV)
I have to admit that by the time I got to this verse, I didn’t know what to think or what to write. I mean, after going this far through Amos, the warnings from the Lord were repetitive. Over and over and over again, the Lord warned that if Israel didn’t turn from their sin, He was going to punish them. I sat yesterday at my computer screen and didn’t write anything. I just didn’t know what to say. And then the Lord spoke.
"Robin, you’re a teacher. Do you ever say anything just once to your students?"
Well, to be honest, I wish that I could (say things just once) because I feel like I often sound like a Chatty Cathy1 doll. Just pull my string and I’ll say it one more time. But the Lord was right. I never say something once to my students, but rather over and over and over again until they get it. You see, as a teacher, much of what I say is important, but my students aren’t very interested in hearing it. What I have to say, while important, is often boring or challenging or a precursor to hard work and my students would much rather play and talk and avoid anything difficult.
Isn’t that true of all of us? Today I have to go to a two-hour meeting at work. I know it will be boring and I’m dreading going. I’m already trying to figure out ways to cognitively space out so that I can tolerate just sitting there and listening to someone drone on and on. And while I’m writing this, I’m realizing that I’ve failed before I’ve begun unless I change my perspective. You see, this meeting isn’t about me because nothing of what I do in life is about me. This meeting—and every other opportunity I have today—is about how I can minister the fruit of the Spirit to those around me. And part of that fruit is kindness, gentleness, patience, and self-control.
The Lord gave the warnings—multiple warnings—to the Israelites and to us because we never hear Him the first time! If we heard Him the first time—if we truly believed that what He says is the truth—we would immediately put aside our sin and line up our lives and choices with His commands.
But we don’t!
Instead, we fudge and we whine and we look for ways of escaping, even if we do believe that God is God and will do what He says He will do. Why? Because we are self-indulgent and egocentric. Because we want what we want, regardless of whether or not it lines up with His commands and His will. Because we really don’t trust Him to take care of us completely.
Let’s look at the two beginning phrases of this verse:
• The Lord God made this promise
• The Lord God All-Mighty says
The first title "Lord God" is Adonai YHWH.
"Adonai is the plural of Adon, meaning ‘Lord, Lord, LORD, master, or owner. . . . The plural form of Adonai, like the plural form of Elohim, is regularly used with singular verbs and modifiers, so it is best to construe the Name as an ‘emphatic plural’ or ‘plural of majesty.’" (from http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Names_of_G-d/Adonai)
So we get two things from Adonai. First, God is our master, our owner. As the Creator of the universe, that makes sense. God made us; we are His by ownership. And understand when I say He made us. He made us from nothing. Usually, if someone makes something, they take already existing materials and then use those materials to make something. Even those of us who write (or compose music) take existing materials like words or notes to create something "new." Nothing existed before God created us. He made the atoms (or smaller particles of the universe). He made the laws of science and nature that hold things together and allow them to interact without destroying themselves. He made time itself. When we talk about God owning everything, He owns it because nothing that we know existed before He spoke it into existence. Quite obviously, it’s His playground and He has the right to make any rules He wants. Secondly, from Adonai we understand the nature of the Trinity: one God, three Persons. God as a singular God Who is also plural in existence. Even in Amos—long before the earthly birth of Jesus—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost existed in harmony together.
The second part of the this title "Lord God" (or Adonai YHWH) is His name, YHWH. YHWH, from the Hebrew, is the intimate name of God, the name that God gave Himself so His people. Within it lies all the promises, provisions, and characteristics of God that exist in His relationship with us. Pronounced in the English either Jehovah or Yahweh, this name promises that He Who began a good work in us will complete it (Philippians 1:6).
The second title "Lord God All-Mighty" is YHWH Elohim ‘Tsaba.
Elohim is God’s name that means ruler, judge, or true God (Strongs H430). ‘Tsaba means the God of the angel armies. Thus, just in these two titles, we see that God is establishing Himself with His people . . . with us! He is our owner, our master, but He is also the master that longs for an intimate relationship with us. The master Who has promised that He will provide, He will make a way. Where He commands perfection, He also perfectly provides! Where He desires righteousness, He also makes a way for us to be righteous. And then Amos follows with the next title: The God Who is the judge, the true God in control of the angel armies, the God Who is able to bring about judgment should mercy be rejected.
God warned Israel again and again because they refused to listen. Even when they listened and turned to Him, it was usually only briefly and then they would return to their creature comforts. The Israelites firmly believed that if they ignored God, the judgments would never come. But they were wrong! The God of the angel armies loves us enough to bring judgment upon us for the purpose of continuing to try to compel us back to Him! He never stops warning; He never stops loving! But He will also never stop being the God of justice and judgment. His sinless perfection doesn’t allow it.
He is, even now, providing a way of escape for all those Who would care to listen, Who would trust Him enough to throw themselves on His loving mercy. He is, even now, calling, calling, calling for us to repent, to turn from our sins, and to willingly obey His commands. He is even now the Lord God All-Mighty, Jehovah of the angel armies, YHWH Who came and died to provide us with salvation and everlasting life if we choose to trust Him.
© 2014 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved.
For permission to copy, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com
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