Sunday Devo -March 10, 2024

“Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have despised the law of the Lord, And have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray, Lies which their fathers followed.” (Amos 2:4)

In the previous section of Amos, God’s word speaks of judgment on other nations. Now comes judgment on Judah: "because they have despised the law of the LORD" This word despised means to look at the law as something loathsome. The standard is higher for the Jews because they had God's revealed written law. The epistle to the Romans tells us that God's judgment is righteous.

Even pagan cultures value and attempt to practice justice, honesty, compassion & goodness which reflects God's written law written on their hearts. However, the Jews ( and us Christians) are held to a higher standard because we have been given much. It also says in our verse: "Their lies lead them astray," There is a sense that all sin is a lie. Idolatry being one of the biggest lies. The word lies could also mean they are deluded or err like someone who wanders from the faith, especially when it comes to idols.

Fortunately, as believers in Christ, we are redeemed by His precious blood. God has shown us an exceedingly amount of grace. This is what Peter says in his first epistle: “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:17-19).

-Bob