Amos 9

Mr. Frank Ferter is a longstanding and respected member of his congregation. He is confident in his understanding of 20th century American theology. Frank has served in many capacities at his church, giving to God the best of his talents; he genuinely loves God’s people. He is a respected member of his community and works to communicate the Gospel in word and deed.

Frank has had his struggles in life, no doubt, but frequently takes solace in his take charge attitude and willingness to work hard. Like the Israelites of Amos’ day, Frank perceives he is one of God’s people and believes the respect he receives in the community is sign of his significance to God. Frank enjoys a good sermon about tightening one’s belt and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps to get with God’s program. Frank knows Christians are saved by grace through faith, and he is humbly confident that his faith makes the grade.

Conventional wisdom tells Frank his piety contains value and God is on Frank’s side. Frank believes in humility over hubris, but he also asserts that this backwards and broken world needs Frank’s perspective. Conventional wisdom tells Frank that control over culture and his environment is a path to significance in God’s eyes. How better could Frank be an agent for good in God’s world than to step in and correct the errors he sees around him? Afterall, he is an upstanding citizen of culture and community who can lead others in directions that are more honorable. Conventional wisdom tells Frank that social dominance of his worldview is important to God and the culture needs to reflect this worldview more accurately. Frank feels compelled to influence others and help them understand his take on God’s perspective – and who better to do so than someone as faithful as Frank? Frank believes that his sins are forgiven, but the sins of others are open to interpretation and as one of God’s people, Frank can be helpful by propagating social agendas that not only enhance his own position as decision maker but help elevate the undesirable perspectives of the less fortunate.

The wisdom of Amos in scripture paints a different picture that might shock Mr. Ferter. Amos 9 shows Frank that at the root of Mr. Ferter’s need is an accurate assessment of his own sinfulness, not from his own perspective, but from God’s perspective. In Amos 9 we see the prophet speaking out against the elite of the northern ten tribes of Israel who were confident of their position as the people of God. Calvin describes their perspective thus: “They were inebriated by the thought they excelled others and were endued with singular privileges beyond all other nations - and by which God was in a manner bound to them.” (Calvin 2003, 387). The northern tribes were sure they were the varsity team of God’s people and the plebeians that surrounded them did not have the graces that they possessed as God’s chosen elite. Like our friend Frank, they believed it wasn’t they who were beholden to God rather it was God who was their deity. As we see in the first half of Amos 9, this perspective has some negative consequences.

The law of God found in the Old Testament, and the accusations leveled by Amos, confront the northern tribes, and Frank, with the truth that trust in the Creator is not a nice jacket worn to impress, but rather a dependence on the One that holds us and our reality in sovereign benevolence. “Amos attacks two major areas of sin frequently indicated by other prophets: idolatry and social injustice. Israel’s root problem was, of course, spiritual. The nation was religious, but only superficially.” (McComiskey 1992, 326). The covenant with the nation of Israel was made by God, to his people; in contrast to the perspective that says it was a decision by the people to adopt God. This is made clear in the reflective foreshadowing of Jeremiah 31:33, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Zondervan 2013, 968) The Israelites, and Frank, are confronted by Amos with the truth that their righteousness is but filthy rags (Isa 64:6) and it is God who is holy, just and true. It is He that makes all things plumb (Amos 7:8), and not pride that works to keep life and culture on target. Indeed, Amos shows that Frank is far more likely to keep the chaff and burn the kernel than maintain a right relationship with God in his own strength. (Spurgeon 1868). Frank needs to hear he is a sinner at best, and a wretch at worst.

The righteousness of God demonstrates to Frank, not that Frank is all that and a bag of chips, rather that Frank, yes even Frank, needs redemption. The Apostle Paul says it like this when he quotes the Psalms: “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands.” (Rom 3:10). Amos notes that God is the One who touches the land so it melts (Amos 9:5), and the One that builds the heavens (Amos 9:6a) and calls the waters of the sea (Amos 9:6c). Who is Frank in comparison? Isaiah echoes this theme as well: “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales?” (Isa 40:12).

Who, Frank?

The good news for Frank comes at the end of Amos 9. “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows seed.” (Amos 9:13). The good news for Frank is despite the failure of his best efforts and though God may wield wrath, He has made a way to restored relationship with Himself. What is right, just and plumb will be made known, and the Lord has been faithful to make and keep all things that belong to Him. Fyall says it like this: “Right from the beginning Amos has emphasized the faithfulness of God and the hope that is available for all who turn to him.” (Fyall 2006, 143). And that path to forgiveness and restoration for Frank is secured in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The hope visible in Amos comes from God’s sieve – which is a wonderful image described in verse 9. When wheat is sieved to separate the kernel from the chaff, the kernel gets the worst of the event. It sits at the bottom, getting tossed about and rubbed against the rough surfaces of the sieve as the chaff is removed and falls to the ground. (Spurgeon 1868). “But not a kernel will fall to the ground.” (Amos 9:9c). Not one of God’s people will be lost for eternity because through Christ, God has procured and secured the eternal destination of those whom belong to Him; not one will slip through to the ground. Even in the darkest hour of trial and failure there is hope for redemption through the saving work of Christ, the perfect lamb sacrifice that atones for the mistakes Frank makes as well as the broken nature of this reality. Christ takes His own perfection, Frank’s sin and cosmological disorder, to the cross where not only Frank is forgiven for his pride but entropy is corrected, brought plumb and made right.

So, Frank might have a rough road ahead because God loves him enough to sieve and prune his pride. It might be a difficult experience, and the love of God may do its refining work to change Frank at his core, to evolve Frank into the likeness of Christ. Amos 9 shows us the violence associated with the God of the universe expressing his creative sovereignty over all things, and his contempt for the sin sick souls of His people. The wickedness and injustice of this world will be dealt with appropriately, justly, and completely when the Lord eliminates the garbage sin produces. There is no hope for sin, but there is ultimate hope for the sinner.

Frank’s reassurances come from the knowledge it is God’s love for him that produces the violent purifying. Frank is purified in Christ not because he is worthless, but because Frank has great value to God. God’s people are not pruned because of God’s anger, but because of His love for them. If Amos 9 shows Frank anything, it is the depth and length God will traverse, and the extent of God’s cleansing work that strips away what is unjust and impure, to redeem and hold those who are his own. There isn’t a limb He won’t cut, nor a sin He won’t burn to ensure that those who belong to Him will live and enjoy Him forever in eternity because of the salvation provided by the sacrifice of Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Amos 9 shows Frank the dark color of his pride and idolatry. It demonstrates God’s opinion of sin and the violent correction it requires. In addition, Amos 9 tells Frank who is really in charge. Like God’s response to Job and Habakkuk, Frank is told that while they may perceive themselves as respectable men, they are not God. They are not sovereign over death and evil, as God is.

Amos tells Frank that the proper perspective is not of political, or even religious proliferation but to kneel at the foot of the cross, take the provided place in the kingdom of God given to Frank not because of his effort, but because of Christ’s atoning work at the cross, and cementing proof at the resurrection. If Amos 9 were an online video it would be preceded by a warning that said the content contains images some may find difficult, viewer discretion is advised. But what Amos 9 displays is there is no height, depth or distance the Lion of Zion will not go, no scenario He will not orchestrate, and no violence He will not take to demonstrate His love and eliminate the barrier between Himself and His people.

And not one will be lost.