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He Does Not Forget
of punishment is not imme- diate you must not think that you got away with some- thing. The best conclusion is that God has spared you and you have an opportunity to repent and turn from the wickedness that got you in trouble.
God declares that the songs sung in the temple will turn to wailing and there shall be bodies scattered everywhere (vs. 3). The rejoicing and singing the people are having is going to change when the time of correction comes. The people have forgotten or ignored the fact that they have sinned against God and there are sins they must give an account for. Remember in last week’s lesson the peo- ple were drinking and living the good life while their brothers suffer. God is going to turn that singing into cry- ing!
God returns to His original charge against them. He states again their treatment of the poor and needy (vs. 4). The people want to walk over
and dismiss the poor and the needy. The poor and the needy are people too and God loves them as much as He loves the rich. The people of God cannot continue to overlook and take advantage of the poor.
The time was at hand for the people to answer for the years they have taken advan- tage of righteous opportuni- ties for their own evil desires and gain. They couldn’t wait for the opportunity to sell their produce. They were eager for the Sabbath to ar- rive, not so they could honor it but so they could sell and make a profit (vs. 5). The church will have to give an account for how it has prosti- tuted the church and the peo- ple for their own personal gain.
There are many people who look forward to coming to church every Sunday for reasons beyond worship and praise. Church on Sunday is not the place you come for your business connections and to find the next boyfriend or girlfriend.
The people were corrupt in their business dealings. They changed the scales and meas- uring cups to take advantage of the poor (vs. 5b). The peo- ple were selling them inferior products at a premier rate. God is not pleased with dis- honest gains. You must be careful how you deal with the poor and needy when con- ducting business. The church must not use one standard for the rich and an- other for the poor. Do not use your power, position, or prestige to take advantage of the weak.
Make sure that you are not using the blessings and favor of God for granted. Use what Godhasgiventoyoutobea blessing to others and do not allow them to be a cause for judgment. If you have mis- treated the poor in your life or have misused the power of the church for your personal gain, repent. If you repent and change, God may change His mind. You want to do what is right before the fruit of judgment ripens in your life.
There comes a time when every person has to give an account or answer for his/her choices. Sometimes there is a span of time before this account is called for. It is important for everybody to understand that you may not have to answer for it today or tomorrow, but at some point you will. This is what we ob- serve in Amos 8:1-6, 9, and 10.
God uses a bowl of ripe fruit to help explain to Amos what time it is and what is about to occur. God pre- sented to Amos a bowl of ripe fruit and asked him what do you see (vv. 1, 2). The ripe fruit says that the time is right. The time is right for the people to reap the conse-
quences of the misdeeds they have sown in their past. The ripe fruit in the basket is a sign that the time is at hand to answer for your sins.
God clarifies for Amos,
“The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer” (vs. 2b). Your punishment or having to deal with the conse- quences of your choices is in God’s time. Just as fruit have a season to ripen so is ac- countability for your choices or sins. God has spared them until now. God had already informed them that destruc- tion was going to come.
Their actions or choices from that time on could have caused God to change His mind. When your judgment
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5-B