Like the Nile

Bible Study

Amos 9:5-10 ESV

I’d never really thought of the breathe of the earth swelling in and flowing out are the breathe of God, but I love the metaphor.

God is the source of life.

In Amos 9:5-10 the Prophet wrote, “The Lord God of hosts, he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell in it mourn, and all of it rises like the Nile, and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt; who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth—the Lord is his name. “Are you not like the Cushites to me, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir?Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground, except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord. “For behold, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall to the earth. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.’”

God created and can uncreated.

Amos’ word from God reminded Israel they are acting like the Cushites (Ethiopians). The Cushites at that time were considered to be a small band of insignificance people.

Then God reminded Israel He was the one who delivered them out of Egypt but said, I’ve delivered others as well. God reminded them that sin is sin and they are sinful.

However God does not say He will annihilate them for their sinfulness. Instead God is sending them into exile because that will purify them.

Today we would consider a Christian on the wrong path who was being taught and redirected back to God to be on a good path. In other words, we might see it as an answer to our prayers.

God wants Israel to be restored back into the fold.

The restoration would be an act of love.

God is love. I John 4:13 tells us God has “given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit.”

How would you feel if you had a child and that child didn’t want to have anything to do with you? You loved them but they didn’t return their love. They didn’t think you knew anything so they didn’t listen to you.

That’s what God was up against.

God knew until they grew up and realized what love and listening meant, they would continue to “act out”.

In my days I’ve known believers who act out and refuse to listen to God. They wanted to be on their own. Eventually they returned to God but it took time.

God wasn’t gearing up to destroy Israel. God was giving Israel the freedom they sought.

In God, Deborah/acrazyjourney.com