Bible Baptist Church

PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD

Pastor James J. Barker

INTRODUCTION:

The prophet Amos preached during the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam II, the king of Israel.

The Bible says that this was "two years before the earthquake" (1:1), i.e., in the middle of the 8^th century BC.

Although Amos was from Tekoah, which was in Judah, he prophesied mainly in the northern kingdom of Israel.

Back in the days of Amos, Israel was prospering financially but was decaying both spiritually and morally. In other words, it was just like the USA in 1998.

Israel was worldly, corrupt, materialistic, and idolatrous. They were so spiritually blind that they interpreted their wealth and their high standard of living as a sign that God was blessing them and that everything was alright.

Back in those days, the religious leaders were all false prophets, like Amaziah the priest (cf. 7:10-17).

Amos was a humble herdman and gatherer of sycomore (figs) fruit (7:14). But God raised him up to warn Israel of His impending judgment. What our nation needs today are more preachers like the prophet Amos.

His message was very simple (4:12). Soon, each and every one of us must stand face to face with God. What an awesome thought!

Are you prepared for this inevitable appointment? If not, maybe this a message will be a help.

FIRST: WE CAN PREPARE TO MEET GOD BY LISTENING TO HIS WORD (4:1).

Over and over Amos warned the people to hear God’s word (4:1; cf. 3:1; 5:1).

But these sin-loving, pleasure-crazy, senseless people refused to listen. They prided themselves on their pomp and their ritualism, but they had no interest in hearing what God had to say (4:4-6).

Ignoring God’s Word is just as bad as disobeying God’s Word! Many people go through the whole day without hearing from God or praying to God. But we need to hear from God every day – "Hear this word…" (4:1).

People say they are "too busy" for God, too busy for church, too busy to pray, too busy to read the Bible. They are totally unprepared to meet God (4:12).

"You’ve time to build houses, and in them to dwell
And time to do business – to buy and to sell,
But none for repentance, or deep, earnest prayer
To seek your salvation you’ve no time to spare.
Then, what of the judgment? Pause, think, I implore!
For time will be lost on eternity’s shore."

II. SECOND: PREPARE TO MEET GOD BY ACKNOWLEDGING YOUR SINS (4:1-5).

Israel’s sins were many and she was ripe for the judgment of God. Amos addresses the women as "ye kine (i.e. fat cows) of Bashan" (4:1). Bashan was an area in northern Palestine known for its fat cattle.

The women of Samaria were like fat, well-fed, unmanageable cows. They were guilty of oppressing the poor and living luxuriously. They liked to sit around and drink (4:1). They would tell their husbands ("their masters" or "lords"), "Bring, and let us drink" (4:1). Just like worldly Americans with their "cocktails," beer, etc.

For this Israel would be carried away into the Assyrian captivity.

The reason so many people never get right with God is because they refuse to acknowledge their sin. Instead of saying, "I am a no-good liar," a man says, "I misled people." Instead of admitting a man is an adulterer, he says he acted inappropriately.

Instead of being honest and saying, "We believe in killing babies," they say, "We uphold a woman’s right to choose."

God wanted them to acknowledge their sins. "The LORD God hath sworn by His holiness" (4:2). God’s holiness is the most emphasized attribute of God mentioned in the Bible.

Israel was "hooked on sin" and so God would have to hook them in judgment (4:2b). we have many people today hooked on drugs, and hooked on cigarettes, and hooked on sex, and so on.

The Assyrians used to put hooks through their captives’ lips and noses. This prophecy was literally fulfilled (cf. II Kings 19:20,28).

Amos used sarcasm and irony in making his point – "Come to Bethel, and transgress…" (4:4). Obviously God never encourages anyone to transgress. There was no thought in the mind of God of accepting a sacrifice offered at Bethel or at Gilgal (cf. 5:4-6).

God instructed the Israelites to worship Him in Jerusalem. Man has a tendency to want to come to God on his own terms. But we must approach God on His terms.

Bethel means "house of God" but the backslidden Israelites had turned it into a house of idols and devils (cf. 3:14; II Kings 12:28-33).

There is many a church today that used to be a house of God but is now a house of devils, filled with unsaved deacons and worldly, lost church members, an unsaved preacher in the pulpit, and all sorts of wickedness going on in the church.

Gilgal had also become a center for syncretistic worship (4:4).

Amos told them to continue on with their insincere, formalistic worship because "this liketh you" (4:5).

THIRD: PREPARE TO MEET GOD THROUGH GENUINE REPENTANCE (4:6-13).

God sent many warnings but in each case they ignored the warnings and continued in their sin. The repetition (4:6,8,9,10,11) indicates persistent opposition to God; willful disobedience, and stiff-necked repentance.

God sent them famine – "And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities…" (4:6).

God withheld the rain for the three months before harvest time (4:7,8). Drought always represents the judgment of God (cf. Deut. 11:16,17; 28:15,23,24).

God smote them with "blasting and mildew" (4:9). Again, this was unmistakably His judgment upon them (cf. Deut.28:22).

God sent them the pestilence (4:10); and God slew their young men in war (4:10b).

So many young men died that the putrid stink of the rotting corpses rose up into their nostrils. Yet they still would not repent (4:10c).

God’s wrath was so severe that He compares it to the time He overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah (4:11). The judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah is frequently mentioned in the Bible as an example of how God deals with sin (cf. Gen.18:20; 19:24,25; Deut.29:23,24; II Peter 2:6; Jude 7).

On April 18, 1906 a terrible earthquake hit San Francisco and the city was destroyed. The great preacher, Harry Ironside, was there at the time and wrote that he "was an eyewitness to its horrors. Not the least solemn thing noticed was the persistent efforts of the preachers of all denominations to quiet the fears of the populace by assuring them that God had no part in the calamitous events that had taken place. Natural causes explained everything! This the Christless were only too ready to believe; and thus were their partially awakened consciences lulled to rest and their ears closed against the voice of Him who through Amos said, ‘I have overthrown some of you!’"

Ironside warned people that the earthquake was sent from God, preaching throughout the city, using Amos 4:11,12 as his text. Many sinners repented and souls were saved.

That was nearly 100 years ago. San Francisco and NYC are far worse today then they were back then. But our message remains the same: "Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12).

CONCLUSION:

Are you ready to meet God? The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins.