Live!

4 Now this is what the Lord says to the family of Israel: “Come back to Me and live! 5 Don’t worship at the pagan altars at Bethel; don’t go to the shrines at Gilgal or Beersheba. For the people of Gilgal will be dragged off into exile, and the people of Bethel will be reduced to nothing.” 6 Come back to the Lord and live! Otherwise, He will roar through Israel like a fire, devouring you completely. Your gods in Bethel won’t be able to quench the flames. 7 You twist justice, making it a bitter pill for the oppressed. You treat the righteous like dirt. 8 It is the Lord who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion. He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. The Lord is His Name! ... 14 Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your Helper, just as you have claimed. 15 Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. … 21 I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. 22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. 23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”

Amos 5:4-8, 14-15, 21-24 (NLT).

Amos 5 of the Old Testament starts with a funeral song for Israel. Israel had sinned against God. The prophet Amos wept as he announced Israel’s death because of her sins. In fact, Amos considered Israel already dead, but just unburied. Israel look prosperous and happy outside but underneath Israel worshipped idols, oppressed the poor, and corrupted the judicial system (Amos 5:11-15, 24; Amos 8:4-6).

The law courts of Israel had become a place of injustice and greed and not a place of relief and truth (Amos 5:7). False accusations, bribery, and corruption ran rampant in Israel’s courts. The courts were controlled by the wealthy, corrupt judges, and hired witnesses. No one sought truth while the poor and defenseless were exploited (Amos 5:10-12). Even worse, Israel had also turned to worshiping stars, planets, and nature (2 Kings 23:4-7) and not the living God that controls nature and the universe. Israel depended on their wealth, their military power, and their foreign alliances and not the true and living God for all their needs. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12).

Then, God gave Israel through the prophet Amos a gracious invitation. Amos invited Israel three times to come and seek God and find life (Amos 5:4, 6, 14). Though God’s judgment against Israel was looming, Israel could avoid God’s judgment and death by wholeheartedly seeking the Lord God. The true and living God is the omnipotent Creator, having made the stars, planets, and the heavens. Moreover, God is the One who actively controls everything around us in nature. In short, He is God, Creator of the heavens and the earth (Jonah 1:9).

One day, we will die but there is still hope — "seek the LORD and live." Sin leads to our destruction and eternal death, but seeking God leads to our life (see also Deuteronomy 30:11-20). Like Israel, our only hope is to seek God in wholehearted and true repentance to live and avoid God’s eternal judgment. God does not want us just to attend church, perform religious rituals and other outward deeds and sacrifices. Instead God wants everyone to first seek His heart through a close and devoted relationship with Him (Matthew 6:33). To seek God and live is to seek and love Him with all your hearts, souls, and mind (see also Deuteronomy 4:29; Matthew 22:34-40). God knows our sins. But in God’s mercy and compassion, He invites everyone to come to Him to find true life (Isaiah 55:1-7). We need to first seek God every day, especially during difficulty times.

God hates false worship, religious hypocrisy and spiritual unfaithfulness (Amos 5:21-23; see also Isaiah 1:10-20). He does not want people who just go through religious motions for show and to manipulate Him. Even more, God does not want people living sinful lives filled with sexual immorality and greed; use religious services to make themselves look good. Instead, God wants our continual and authentic worship from our whole hearts (John 4:23-24), righteous living, and genuine repentance (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Psalm 51:16-17; Amos 5:22, 24). God has never been concerned with our outward image but our inward heart appearance and total devotion to Him! He wants everyone to genuinely worship and trust in Him as the one true and living God (Joshua 2:11; Micah 6:6-8). Moreover, our worship of God must be based upon true heart devotion that yields obedience, goodness, and mercy (1 Samuel 15:22-23; Amos 5:14, 24; see also Matthew 18). 

Most important, God wants everyone to know that He loves them (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10)). Often, the Holy Bible speaks of God’s love and commitment to humankind (e.g., Deuteronomy 33:3; Psalm 136:1). Nothing can separate us from God’s love and affection for His people. When we are hurting, sad, and lonely, God is just a pray away. God wants to hear from you. NO SIN is beyond God’s forgiveness, love, and mercy (Romans 8:35-39). No matter what you have done, God is still waiting on you with open arms to love (Luke 15:11-32). Seek God and live! God really does love you.

6 Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. 7 Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. Isaiah 55:6-7 (NLT).

 

Reference
Believer’s Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.
NLT Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.
Spirit Filled Life Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991.
King James Version Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1988.
Wiersbe, Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1989.
Wiersbe, Warren W. With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991.