Explore the Bible: September 18

Seek God • Amos 5:4-15

By Don Hicks

“Seek God” is both the title of this lesson and also the theme of the key passage that Amos uses to challenge Israel to return to the LORD God. This is Amos’ rallying cry: “Seek Me (the LORD) and live!” (Amos 5:4 CSB). 

The prophet repeats this theme in verse six: “Seek the LORD and live, or he will spread like fire throughout the house of Joseph” (Amos 5:6 CSB).  The phrase, “like fire,“ is a metaphor for God’s judgment.

In twenty-first century America, many Christian leaders are also using this theme to call our nation back to the God of the Bible. Often you hear references to 2 Chronicles 7:14 by patriotic leaders in our churches. This verse says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (KJV).

It seems to me these are similar calls: “Seek the LORD and live,” and “seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways.” Thus, I want to emphasize the importance of applying this Biblical truth to our lives today.

Greg Pouncey, senior pastor of First Church, Clinton, and author of Lifeway’s Personal Study Guide for this quarter, gave us more background and context for today’s Bible passage:

Israel was separated by political boundaries from the temple in Jerusalem, and Jeroboam knew that to hold the nation together, they needed their own place of worship. In the place of the temple he established two centers of worship in Israel — Bethel and Dan — and fashioned two golden calves.  The altars were conveniently located for the people… However, worship that is convenient but misplaced is not a good thing.

Amos carefully identified the God that Israel should be worshiping in Amos 5:8 — the God who made the constellations like Pleiades and Orion, turns the darkness into dawn, turns day into night, and makes the rain. “He (the LORD) brings destruction on the strong, and it falls on the fortress” (Amos 5:9 CSB).

This is the Lord who promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if His people humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways, He will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Amos clearly tells us “The LORD, not Baal, was his name” (Amos 5:8 CSB). This Lord is the Father of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Ten Commandments tell us in the first commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3 KJV). The real God leads us to obey all Ten Commandments.

Jesus simplified the ten into two great commandments. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39 KJV).

Amos tells us about some of the wicked ways he was encountering. At the city gates, the people of Israel would hate the one who convicts the guilty. Most of the business transactions and legal affairs were taken care of publicly at the city gates. Boaz arranged his marriage to Ruth at the gates of his city.

Unfortunately, the trials and transactions at the city gates were not honest or just.

Amos prophesied and accused the Israelites: “Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact a grain tax from him, you will never live in the houses of cut stone you have built” (Amos 5:11 CSB).  Amos continued under the leading of God’s Holy Spirit: “For I know your crimes are many and your sins innumerable.  They oppress the righteous, take a bribe, and deprive the poor of justice at the city gates” (Amos 5:12 CSB).

2 Chronicles 7:14 reads this way in The Message paraphrase: “…my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health.”

One of the ways we can apply this Biblical teaching is by participating in the prayer emphasis being promoted by the Mississippi Baptist Convention, “Praying for America, 21 Day Prayer Guide, October19 – November 8, 2022.”

The purpose of the prayer emphasis as set forth in the introduction is for the upcoming national elections on Nov. 8: “We are asking you to seek the LORD on behalf of our nation and its leaders.”  

Hicks is missions director for Jasper Association in Bay Springs. He may be contacted at donaldwhicks@gmail.com.