God Calls His People

Background Scripture: Amos 4-5
Lesson Scripture: Amos 4:6-12; 5:4-8, 14-15

Introduction

The call of God is to all people of the earth. The prophet Amos spoke to those who had the commandments God had given to Moses but had strayed from keeping them. God reminded them that the plagues that came upon them were not only a consequence, but also a warning that He was not pleased with them. God used the happenings of nature as a penalty for disobedience and dishonoring Him, and yet, through mercy toward his chosen people, He was calling them back to enjoy the blessings in store for them.

Key Verse

The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof (Ps. 50:1).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Amos is referred to as one of the minor prophets. His ministry occurred during the reign of Jeroboam II, son and successor to Jehoash, king of Israel. He followed the example of Jeroboam I in keeping up the idolatrous practice of golden calf worship (2 Kings 14:23-24). Amos’s message served as a reminder that the plagues that had recently happened to Israel were as those that had befallen the Egyptians. As the people looked back, they couldn’t help but admit that the land of promise had not yielded what was first experienced. The many disappointments had come about because of their unfaithfulness to God. They were reminded of how God, in his mercy, had delivered them of the slavery of Egypt and brought them to the promised land.

Amos also brought a message of hope. His message was to seek good and not evil and to set the judgments of God as a guide for their lives. A pattern of the results of disobedience was set before them. Notable places were held out to them, but the location was not as significant as the preparation required for coming to meet the Lord. When Jacob went to Bethel, he first put away the false gods, or idols, that were among them. A broken heart and a contrite spirit is the avenue to the grace and favor of God (Ps. 34:18).

Practical Truths for Today

The written Word of God, the Holy Bible, is available to us as a teacher and a guide so we can know and understand the will of our Creator. The prophet Amos does not detail how the people failed to perform the will of God in their day.

From the very first family when Cain had feelings against his brother Abel and killed him, God’s will has been disregarded. God had spoken to Cain and warned him that sin was at the door, but Cain did not heed the warning. The will of God is for all men to love each other, but many of man’s transgressions are against their fellowmen. A large part of the law of Moses consists of directives on how men should treat each other with love and respect. Briefly stated, to fear God and keep his commandments includes the whole will of God (Eccl. 12:13). The first world was destroyed because of the wickedness, selfishness, and violence of mankind. Only Noah and his family were spared because of the grace given by God. Noah’s faith and obedience toward God was what brought favor for the saving of him and his family.

As we look into Bible history, we can see how the war between Satan and his angels and God and his angels was being waged. This mighty conflict continues today with the contest being for the souls of men. God continues to call man unto Himself; He even sent Jesus, his own Son, to show us the way. Jesus’s life was the perfect example of what would please God. In the short period of Jesus’s ministry, He left many examples of what is pleasing to God. Many other examples can be taken from the Bible of what will please God. Faithful brethren have opened the Scriptures to help us understand. A past Conference decision states that we “teach and practice modesty, simplicity, and economy in everything—in clothes, in homes, in farms, in machinery, in automobiles, and in all we possess or handle.” 1 God has given the Holy Spirit to help us prove what is right or wrong. As we make selections in life, we should consider whether our decisions meet the test of these guidelines.

The prophets of Bible times wrote as they understood the message of God. The New Testament writers wrote in language that we can understand. “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” (2 Tim. 3:13). Jesus taught we can expect to live in a world filled not only with war but also the near-constant threat of war and conflict. Earthquakes and natural disasters will increase, and the violence of men toward one another will grow progressively worse. We cannot deny that these prophecies are coming to pass. Jesus and his disciples gave warning for the gospel age. The mercy of God will save us from the snares of this sinful generation.

The first message of the gospel brought by John the Baptist and later the Lord Himself was to repent and enter into the kingdom of God. The Word teaches us to confess our sins to God and to our fellowmen, and we will be forgiven. What a blessing it is to be set free from the burden of sin, but our pride and lack of humility stand in the way. With God’s call comes a true promise: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20). Is that meaningful relationship with Jesus, as in supping with Him, not the way to inherit eternal life? But sadly, Jesus said, “Few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:14). Nevertheless, we are blessed to be in the day of grace; we can answer the call and give Him a warm welcome.

Questions

1. Some say, “Christian life is hard.” How can we make it attractive?
2. Would sharing personal testimonies help to encourage others? Discuss.
3. What are some of the ways of the world finding their way into the church that God is displeased with? Discuss.
4. Can we identify what might be a Babylonish garment (Josh. 7:21) in our day?
5. 1 Conference Reports, 1959 General Conference, No. 15

Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).