The Day of the Lord (Amos 5:1-17)
In Session 3, Amos discusses issues of justice and the importance of lamentation and repentance.
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The vision of Ozark Christian College is to glorify God by evangelizing the lost and edifying Christians worldwide. The mission of Ozark Christian College is to train men and women for Christian service as a degree-granting institution of biblical higher education.
Classroom Instructions
Lesson
The Day of the Lord (Amos 5:1-17)
Lamenting Israel
- Amos then recites a lament for “Virgin Israel” who has fallen with no one to lift her up. This is a personification of a nation that has not been conquered yet in order to shock them into the reality to come.
- These 17 verses are a true call to repentance:
- They cannot get divine counsel from false, non-existent gods. They need to seek the Lord to live.
- The leaders must start providing true justice for the people.
- If they do not stop hurting each other, wailing would be heard in every corner of Israel because God would “pass through” their midst like the Angel of Death (5:16-17; cf. Ex 12:12).
Repentance
- Repentance means to turn around. Easier said than done in many areas of life.
- Three times in these 17 verses God says to “Seek the Lord and live” or “seek good and live” (Amos 5:4, 6, 14-15).
- Rather than worrying about what sins are going to hit us today, look for the Lord. Seek the attributes of God that you want to incorporate into your life and aim for that.
Session 3 Discussion Questions
- What words or phrases stand out in this section of Amos that you needed to read today? Why?
- Justice is always an important part of our political and social concerns. A. What are the justice issues Amos addresses? B. What role do his concerns play in our contemporary discussions? C. How should the church respond to injustices toward the poor and defenseless?
- Have you ever lamented over your sins? Did this remorse lead to repentance?
The Day of the Lord (Amos 5:1-17) Instructions
Lesson
The Day of the Lord (Amos 5:1-17)
Lamenting Israel
- Amos then recites a lament for “Virgin Israel” who has fallen with no one to lift her up. This is a personification of a nation that has not been conquered yet in order to shock them into the reality to come.
- These 17 verses are a true call to repentance:
- They cannot get divine counsel from false, non-existent gods. They need to seek the Lord to live.
- The leaders must start providing true justice for the people.
- If they do not stop hurting each other, wailing would be heard in every corner of Israel because God would “pass through” their midst like the Angel of Death (5:16-17; cf. Ex 12:12).
Repentance
- Repentance means to turn around. Easier said than done in many areas of life.
- Three times in these 17 verses God says to “Seek the Lord and live” or “seek good and live” (Amos 5:4, 6, 14-15).
- Rather than worrying about what sins are going to hit us today, look for the Lord. Seek the attributes of God that you want to incorporate into your life and aim for that.
Session 3 Discussion Questions
- What words or phrases stand out in this section of Amos that you needed to read today? Why?
- Justice is always an important part of our political and social concerns. A. What are the justice issues Amos addresses? B. What role do his concerns play in our contemporary discussions? C. How should the church respond to injustices toward the poor and defenseless?
- Have you ever lamented over your sins? Did this remorse lead to repentance?