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Amos 5:18-20 Perspective on "the Day of the Lord" - Day 320

Good evening friends,

Today we look at a passage that appears to conflict with other passages.  "The day of the Lord" is good news for some and bad news for others.  The question is which is it for you.

Blessings

Jeff

Wait a minute.  When we pray "Your kingdom come", one of the things we are praying is that the kingdom of glory would be hastened.  Aren't we supposed to be eagerly awaiting Christ's return?  But Amos seems to be discouraging such thinking.  So let's try to resolve this apparent conflict.  

First, it can only be an apparent conflict.  Because we know that all scripture is God breathed, it cannot say one thing in one place and contradict it some place else.

Let us think about the audience of Amos.  He is in the time of Jeroboam II in the northern kingdom.  They have been idolaters since the kingdoms divided.  And yet they think that they will be delivered in the day of the Lord.  All their enemies will be vanquished.  After all "we are God's people".  Amos is telling them that they are greatly mistaken.  

Then contrast with the Jesus' audience in the Sermon on the Mount.  The prayer He teaches is to his disciples only.  Only believers would want Satan's kingdom destroyed and the kingdom of grace to advance.

So the warning to apostate Israel is not in conflict with the promise to faithful believers.  

Of course there are "good church going people" who are trusting in their own good works.  Who think that saying "Lord, Lord' is good enough.  Jesus has a warning for such people that is no less dramatic than Amos.  Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.  I never knew you.


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