INTRODUCTION: In this next section, we are going to have to follow the way Amos arranged the unit, which, although it starts at verse 1, does not match the chapter divisions (vv. 1-17). This section is a chiasm, and again, not surprisingly, it is seven-fold. THE TEXT: “Hear ye this word which I take up …
How God Made the World
Holidays can be divided up into three general categories. The first would be holy-days, ecclesiastical holidays. In these, the Church remembers and commemorates the life, death, resurrection, and the continued work of Jesus Christ in them—Christmas, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost. Then we have what we might call civil holidays—like the Fourth of July. And third, …
Efficacy in the Sacrament
The Westminster divines taught us the true foundation of the efficacy of the sacraments, and it is an important and biblical point. The first aspect of this is to note that they taught that the sacraments were efficacious. Their concern was to note why the sacraments were efficacious, not whether they were. They made a …
Swearing By the Temple/Amos V
INTRODUCTION: We have come to the second of three pointed words from the prophet, addressed to a disobedient Israel. The first begins with “hear this word” (3:1). The second does the same (4:1). The third begins with “hear ye this word” (5:1). God’s judgments are not designed by Him as surprise attacks. Surprise does result, …
No Monochrome Deity
As you read the newspaper, as you follow political campaigns, as you watch the evening news, you will see outrage after outrage. But I am not referring to the outrages of private criminals, which can certainly be horrendous. I am referring to the outrages of our elected officials, our appointed justices, our magistrates. Now all …
An Exhibition of Grace
Our confessional standards, the Westminster standards, say that when rightly used, grace is exhibited in the sacraments. There are two sides to this. First, note that the sacraments can be, and have been, wrongly used. When that happens, as it happened at Corinth, the apostle says the observance does more harm than good. This is …
Not Rushing to Comfort/Amos 4
INTRODUCTION: We are coming now to a place in this book where Amos begins hitting his stride. His central condemnation here is directed at that corruption of worship which results in the idolatry of opulent violence. The prophet here takes his stand against monsters who sleep on satin sheets, apes dressed in purple. THE TEXT: …
An Unhassled Bride
Never forget that the point of worship is identical to the point that God has established for the history of our world. The meaning of worship is the same as the meaning of history. God is engaged in remaking the human race in Jesus Christ. There are three main points to the Christian worldview, which …
Sacramental Union
We learn from the Westminster Confession that in both sacraments—baptism and the Lord’s Supper—there is a spiritual and sacramental union between the thing and the thing signified, such that it is appropriate to speak of one under the terms of the other. We do this without confounding the thing and the thing signified, but, following …
The Altar at the Center/Amos 3
INTRODUCTION: The two great sins that Amos condemns throughout the course of this book are abuse of authority and power, and the corruption of true worship. As a native of Judea bringing an indictment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Amos goes out of his way to show that he is not engaging in any …