Friday 10 May 2024

Psalm 131

Background

Today we return to the book of Amos. Chapter 4 speaks of God’s anger at the sinful behaviour of the people of Israel and it describes God’s punishments for their transgressions.

Verse 1 launches an attack on “the cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria”. It’s thought they were an elite group of women in Samaria who committed many acts of oppression in conjunction with their husbands and failed to help the poor and needy. Verses 2 and 3 outline their fate. They are to be slaughtered as fattened cattle, “taken away with hooks” or herded out of the city and taken to a far-off land ­– “flung out into Harmon”.

Amos attacks the people for their worship of false gods and idols. He speaks of the abundant sacrifices they bring to false altars and the pleasure it gives them to behave in this way and boast of it to others.

God’s frustration with the people comes through strongly and Amos describes God’s attempts to punish the people to bring them back to God and open their eyes to their sinful behaviour. God brought famine, floods, drought, plague, violent death and destruction, but it made no difference. Each verse ends with the words “yet you did not return to me” conveying God’s sadness at the failure of the people to recognise their need for the one true God who loves and saves. God’s frustration is evident at their resistance.

As a result of their disobedience, Amos tells the Israelites God is challenging them to a terrifying confrontation of judgement where God will enforce God’s covenant on the people. They have left God with no choice but to resort to direct action they cannot ignore: “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (v. 12)

Amos 4 clearly shows us that God’s judgement isn’t just anger directed at sinners. We can often misunderstand it as such and see it as a device to make us suffer for our wrongdoings. Yet this is not the case. God’s judgement is purposeful and is his way of restoring justice and trying to get us back when we have gone astray. God sees the way his children are living and wants better for them. Yet the lure of the world is strong. False gods are powerful and, like the people of Israel, we can often fail to respond to God’s call, preferring to continue in our sinful behaviours and self-indulgence. How often are we hard-hearted and resistant to God’s attempts to draw us back to him?

To Ponder:

• How do you feel about God pursuing in love? Can you think of any stories Jesus tells which amplify this point?
• Have you ever met God in times of suffering, and did it help you grow?

Prayer

Thank you God that you love us too much to leave us as we are. You continue to pull us back as the world pulls us away. Help us to see your hand in our lives and understand that suffering is time-limited and can have meaning. Remind us always to turn to you in times of trouble and let us be open to receiving your care, knowing fully that you are the way, the truth and the light. Amen.

Bible notes author: Cara Macdonald
Cara lives with her husband and five children in Glasgow, where she works for the Evangelical Alliance as the assistant to the Scottish Director. She attends Newton Mearns Baptist Church and is also involved with the work of Reigate Methodist Church in Surrey, where she came to faith.