Message of the Day: God Is gracious To All Who Hate Evil And Love Good!
“Seek good and not evil,
That you may live;
So the Lord God of hosts will be with you,
As you have spoken.
Hate evil, love good;
Establish justice in the gate.
It may be that the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” (Amos 5:14-15, NKJV)
A lament over the fall of Israel (vv. 1–3), another appeal to turn to God (vv. 4–9), and another denunciation of their evil ways (vv. 10–27). Verses 18–26 seem to indicate that they were willing to turn and offer sacrifices to God instead of to the calf. However, what Amos wanted was not sacrifices but a reformation of the heart, a radical change in the way they lived.
The “gate” in an ancient eastern city was the business and community center, the place where people gathered to talk ad where the city elders gave judgements in disputes. The people of Israel will escape God’s punishment only if they change their ways individually and restore justice in their society. Even a widespread change of attitude would need the test of time to prove its genuineness.
We cannot seek good without first putting away evil, as it is written, “cease to do evil, learn to do well” (Isa. 1:16-17). We will not cease to seek evil unless we hate it; nor will we seek good, unless we love it. God is gracious to all who hate evil and love good.
Sources:
Halley, Henry H. Halley’s Bible Handbook. ePub Format. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2000.
MySword for Android. Riversoft Ministry, 2011-2019.
Olive Tree Bible Software, 1998-2020.
Zondervan NASB Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1999.
The NKJV Bible
Thank you. God bless you.
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