Readings for:
Sunday, September 22: Amos 1 – 5
Monday, September 23: Amos 6 – 9

We made it to day 265! Which means we have only 100 days to go. We can do this!! Although I’ll admit this isn’t easy. I’ve taken on the additional challenge of teaching a Diakonia Class on the New Testament. I’d encourage you to check out: https://nwos-diakonia.weebly.com to see what Diakonia is all about. It’s good stuff, and I know several of my students are working on the Year of Scripture as well, and my additional reading assigements only add to that challenge.

Take for example, this week we are going to review Luke and Acts. So I’ve been busy reading both of those, several study guides, and Amos over the past few days. Talk about seeing cross eyed!

Then as I’m reading along, I get this wonderful parallel between Acts and Amos. James speaks to the people:

This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written,
“After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
   from its ruins I will rebuild it,
     and I will set it up,
so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—
   even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called.
     Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.”
(Acts 16:15-18)

Not an exact match but here’s Amos:

On 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;
In order that they may possess the remnant of Edom
   and all the nations who are called by my name,
   says the Lord who does this.
(Amos 9:11-12)

In the Book of Acts this is a time of tension between the Jews and Gentiles who either accept Jesus or want to deny his teachings, and of course the Apostles find themselves right in the midst of the debate.

For Amos, the message is toward Israel (the Northern Kingdom, remember them? Most of the prophets have been speaking to Judea and the Southern Kingdom). Like Judea, Israel is wicked (perhaps a bit more so than Judea, and is soon to find their way into exile. Amos gives warning. There is a chance for repentance, and of course it isn’t taken.

But those are just my words. Before we close, lets turn once again to thebibleproject.com and watch their description of Amos.

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Readings for the next few days:
Tuesday, September 24: Obadiah & Jonah
Wednesday, September 25: Micah
Thursday, September 26: Nahum
Friday, September 27: Habakkuk & Zephaniah