The Final Promise
As much as we love to start every story with “Once upon a time…” and end it with “they lived happily ever after,” life rarely follows that formula. Amos pulled no punches. He spoke what God told him to say, even though he was not qualified by the world’s view. He stood up to kings because he carried the truth of God as his shield and boldness. He began his book with the pronouncement of punishment for cruelty and sin. He ends it with final look at the complete destruction of God’s judgment. Still, this heavy book does not leave us without hope.
Verse 10 declares, “All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘Evil shall not overtake or meet us.’” Praise the Lord, this was not His final word. He promised, “I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob… In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old…” Though a nation can be described by its sin, not every soul within its borders has fallen. We may be outnumbered, but we are not alone. We may be ridiculed by our neighbors and even our family. We may be persecuted and condemned by the powers that be, but God sees the truth. Though everyone around us turns from their God, we hold fast. We will see the struggle and feel the pain of the judgment against our land, but we will not be forgotten. Sifted as grain from chaff, God will restore us.
Amos ends with a promise of restoration. Those who rebelled will be completely destroyed, but the righteous, the faithful, those who held strong through the storm, would see restoration. The final chapter of our great Bible ends with the same promise. Revelation 22 tells us, “The he showed me the river of water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and His servants shall worship Him; they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. And the night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (verses 1-5)
Hold fast, faithful friend. The storm may be just beginning, or it may be raging with all its force, but you are held in the hand of God. Nothing escapes His sight. Nothing goes unnoticed or unjudged. Hold fast. Healing comes to those who don’t let go.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
Comments