Prophetic Prospective Daily Devotional

The passage of scripture selected for our daily devotional today, was written by a farmer, who was a man named Amos, who God called to be a Prophet. God called him from where he lived, in Tekoa near Bethlehem in Judea, to be the one to give the message to Israel.

Remember, this was the time when the Jewish people were divided into two nations, ten tribes in the north - Israel, and two tribes in the south - Judah. God takes a "southern boy" to speak to the northerners.

The message in our passage for today is one of judgment to come and the Lord's plea for Israel, i.e. both groups of Jews, to "seek the Lord". The Lord gives his people information on the coming judgment in the days of Amos, but also these prophetic warnings are appropriate for today, and especially for today. 

Amos is describing the "Day of the Lord", verse 18, and telling the Jews that will be a day of great judgment. Remember, the "Day of the Lord" is that period of time after the Rapture of the Church and includes the seven years leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That "day" will be a dark day, verse 18, and no matter where the Jews turn in that day, they will be met by judgment.

Notice verse 19. They flee from a lion only to be met by a bear and even as they rush into the house for protection and rest, as they lean against the wall a serpent bites them. The coming Tribulation period, the "time of Jacob's trouble" will be a terrible time of darkness and judgment, verse 20.

However, the loving God reaches out to the Jews today and during that terrible time ahead, He reaches out to His people. He says, "seek the Lord", verse 6; "seek Him", verse 8; "seek good" (God) and "live", verse 14. Notice our key verse, verse 8, where we see the Creator, the Lord Himself, telling the Jewish people to "seek Him".

I love this verse. He says, I created the stars and even named them all. Then He says, I control the oceans upon the face of the earth, I am the One you must seek. He is the only One who can bring His people through the "Day of the Lord".

The record of the Lord's lamentation over Israel written by Amos some 2,700 years ago is applicable for today. Jews and Gentiles, all peoples that are not saved, must seek the Lord as He reaches out to them. That day of darkness, the "Day of the Lord" is quickly approaching.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Dear Lord, as I see that day of judgment quickly approaching, please raise me up, as You did Amos from his farm work, to warn lost people before it is eternally too late.