God Forgets Not

Bible Study

Amos 8:7-10:ESV

We are reminded in this section of Amos that God will not and does not forget.

The price of sin is believing in Jesus and receiving forgiveness through His shed blood. The blood sacrifices is often mentioned in the Old Testament, and in the New Covenant (New Testament) forgiveness is offered through the blood of Jesus. When we turn to God we receive forgiveness. Under the new Covenant God gives forgiveness through Jesus.

In Amos 8:7-10 we read, “The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob:“I will never forget anything they have done.“Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn? The whole land will rise like the Nile; it will be stirred up and then sink like the river of Egypt. “In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord,“I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.I will turn your religious festivals into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.”

Under the Old Covenant God said He will never forget sin without turning to God. That is a huge clue. It tells us Israel had not sought God’s forgiveness…or perhaps if they asked for forgiveness their forgiveness was not genuine. God can see our heart and God knows what we think.

The Prophet Amos said Israel would rise and they would fall. The example given was like a solar eclipse. In other words Israel would be like the day turns to darkness.

Israel’s festivals will be like a time when everyone gets together to weep. There will be no more singing and joy.

Israel will shave their heads and they will weep.

When that time comes, God will see and no doubt feel the lament of what Israel had been.

God will mourn for Israel.

In that day will Israel turn to God?

Will they finally see what they have lost?

It’s interesting to note that the last of the Old Testament Prophets is thought to be Malachi. The Book of Malachi was written approximately 100 years after the Hebrew people were released and allowed to return to Jerusalem after the exile. At the time Malachi prophesied the Second Temple had been built. Nehemiah wrote about corruption in that time period as well.

Many scholars list John the Baptist as the last prophet. John is called the forerunner to Jesus. His message told us, the time had come.

Israel had been waiting for the promise to be fulfilled. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. He was (is) the Lion.of Judah.

John the Baptist who is called the last Prophet was related to Jesus. John’s mother was a cousin to Mary, Mother of Jesus. John was from the tribe of Levi. The Levites served as priests and also assisted with rituals in the Temple.

John announced the coming of the Messiah. Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise. God did not forget.

Deborah/acrazyjourney.com