Tag: day of the Lord

Major Message: Minor Prophets

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

blond man with goatee smiling at camera with blazer on
Dale Pollard

MAJOR MESSAGES FROM A MINOR PROPHET: AMOS 

Who’s The Prophet?

  • Shepherd and fig tree farmer. 
  • Lived on the border of northern and southern kingdoms 
  • The North was ruled by Jeroboam the 2nd who brought wealth and prosperity to the people 

What Are His predictions?

  • Warning Israel, Judah, Benjamin and all nations of a coming destruction described as “the Day of the Lord.” 

What Was His Purpose?

  • He about the oppression of the poor, sexual immorality, greed, and corrupt government In the Northern kingdom 
  • The wealthy Israelites had become apathetic and spiritually lazy 

SIMPLE CHAPTER BREAKDOWN 

  • 1-2 messages to the nations and Israel 
  • 3-6 poems expressing the message to leaders and people 
  • 7-9 God’s judgment is explained 

SKY HIGH SNAPSHOTS 

  1. The 9 chapter book spends time circling the surrounding nations and pointing out their evil. He starts with the nations furthest away from the people and works his way closer to the target, the Northern tribes.
  2. Amos expresses God’s anger towards Damascus, Gaza, Ammon, Moab, Edom, and even Judah 
  3. Finally, the primary audience is shocked to hear that they (Northern territory) are the source of God’s anger as well 

Top 2 Practical Lessons From The Book 

Our lives will also be lessons for future generations. When they look back they will either say, 

“we ought to live as they did” or 

“we ought not live as they did.” 

PLUGGING IT IN 

“WHAT DOES GOD NEED FROM US?”

  1. God needs more fig tree farmers. He needs community preachers in the form of plumbers, school teachers, electricians, nurses, surveyors, dentists, accountants, mechanics, and engineers. 
  2. We need more preachers. It’s more common than it was, but there’s a great need for gospel preachers in the LORDs church. Amos spoke for God, but he was in the minority.
  3. We need more elders. Great elders are rare. It’s been said and proven to be true, “The church will never outgrow the shadow of her leadership.” 
  4. We need more seriousness. Not more piety, not an immovable allegiance to man’s tradition, more people who take their God seriously. 

Amos in a sentence: 

“Service does not mean salvation if our service is not from the heart.” 

Real faithfulness means worship that is holy— not habitual. He wants committed people, not costume parties. He wants our attention to be placed on our purity, not our performance. 

“HAVING OUR ‘I’S’ ON THE DAY OF THE LORD”

Neal Pollard

The Thessalonians had a misunderstanding about the day of the Lord as it related to their dead loved ones.  Paul, moved by the Holy Spirit, set the record straight for these Christians.  As he helps them with their struggle, he gives the faithful great heavenly perspective to help them along.

  • INFORMATION–Paul helps them overcome ignorance concern- ing their dead loved ones and the Day of the Lord (13).  The information should alleviate suffering and instead bring hope.  So many are improperly informed about the Day of the Lord.  Information brings proper perspective.
  • INVITING–Our belief in the resurrection of Christ and the power involved in it to raise the dead in Him makes the prospect of the Day of the Lord more attractive (14-15).    What Paul says about that day for the living and the dead makes it something for which the spiritual mind should long.
  • INCREDIBLE–The description of the details of that day are amazing (16-17).  We can try and imagine it, but what we experience goes far beyond that.  Yet, these images do not frighten us.  They are an assurance to us.
  • INSPIRATIONAL–The net effect of Paul’s words in this paragraph is “comfort” (18).  Contemplating how that Day will be for the saved makes us long for it.  We are not living for here and now.  We live now for that endless Day!