Rebuked for Selfishness

                              
                                                                Sunday School Lesson                                          

Lesson: Amos 6:4-8, 11-14
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock” (Amos 6:12).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  Throughout history there have been those with a lot and those with much less.  There is nothing wrong with affluence, but when people focus on accumulating things, and pleasure becomes the main goal of life, God often gets pushed aside.  This happened in Amos’s day.  In this week’s lesson, Amos is speaking primarily to the rulers in Israel, the upper class if you will.  There was no middle class in the country, only the very rich and the very poor.  The rich kept religious rituals.  They gave tithes, went to places of worship and offered sacrifices.  But they were greedy and unjust and they took advantage of the poor and helpless.  The people of Israel were proud of their wealth, but never gave any thought to using that wealth to help others.  As a result, God warned His people through Amos saying “Woe to them that are at ease” (see Amos 6:1).  The prophet went on to condemn the corrupt leaders both in Israel and Judah who were living in luxury and being complacent (see Amos 6:2).  God reminded His people that great cities to their east, north, and west had been destroyed because of their pride.  The same thing would happen to them.  The leaders in Israel were supremely confident about their future.  They claimed that there was no danger to their nation which caused God to say “Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near” (see Amos 6:3).  In other words God said that the corrupt leaders in Israel were acting as if no punishment awaited them, but their deeds were really bringing their day of judgment near.  Our lesson this week declares that judgment from the Lord would soon fall upon Israel.  
II. THE PEOPLE’S LOSS (Amos 6:4-6) 
A. Israel living in luxury (Amos 6:4-5).
1. (vs. 4).  In verse 1 God pronounced woe unto the corrupt leaders and now in this verse He depicted them as those “That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall.”  Instead of heeding Amos’s warnings of judgment, they reclined on expensive “beds of ivory.”  “Ivory” was an imported luxury, rare and extremely expensive.  Even a small amount of ivory symbolized wealth.  Something as extravagant as a bed inlaid with ivory shows the gross waste of resources that should have been used to help the poor.  Note:   In Amos 3:15, we are told that the people used ivory to decorate both their summer and winter homes.  These homes are described as “great” or very large.  The leaders were living in great luxury while the common people were probably just surviving.  God also said that these corrupt leaders “eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall.”  In other words, they ate meat from the tenderest lambs and the choicest calves instead of the mature animals. 
2. (vs. 5).  In this verse God goes on to describe the leaders as those “That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David.”  While enjoying all this extravagant living, the corrupt leaders sang “to the sound of the viol” meaning they sang with stringed instruments, which most likely refers to the harp or psaltery.  The Lord had previously told His people through Amos that because of their hypocrisy in worship, He wouldn’t hear the music they played (see Amos 5:23).  They also invented other musical instruments to add to their pleasure just as David had invented the “viol” or harp (see I Chronicles 23:5).  Note:  These upper class Israelites were indulging themselves in music composed for their own pleasure.  However, in the church and among the people of God, the music should be designed for worship and centered on Him.  It should be based on sound doctrine and bring honor to God and His ways.  It should honor His works and His prophecies, and should never be for the entertainment of the people or play to their emotions.
B. Israel will lose their privileges (Amos 6:6-7).
1. (vs. 6).  In this verse God also depicts the corrupt leaders in Israel as those “That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.”  The fact that they would “drink wine in bowls” indicates that the upper class was so concerned about their own pleasure that they were drinking wine excessively.  Instead of using glasses or cups, they used “bowls.”  Since they had lost all sense of true worship, no doubt these “bowls” were the same ones used to catch the blood from the offerings of sacrificial animals normally used to sprinkle on the altar.  They showed no regard for the things of God.  They truly believed that as God’s chosen they could do anything they wanted and not face God’s judgment.  In addition, the people would “anoint themselves with the chief ointments.”  In other words they sought the strongest perfumes to please the smell, and to make them more in love with their own bodies.  No ordinary ointments would suffice; they had to have the best, most expensive perfumes, and lotions like those that came from faraway places, when cheaper ones would have been sufficient.  It was self-pampering taken to the extreme.  God said that they did all of this “but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.”  This means that the people did these self indulging things, but were not concerned about the “affliction” or oppression of those who were in need, nor did they care about the “affliction” or punishment the entire nation, here called “Joseph” was soon to experience.  They were living only for the present, with no thought of the future consequences of their excesses.  Note:  The corrupt leaders in Israel paid no attention to the wrongs and hardships suffered by the poor nor to the troubles they were in.  Neither did they do anything to relieve them.  They should have been more like Job, who, when he was in prosperity, wept with those who were in misery and his soul was grieved for the poor (see Job 30:25).  This is a lesson for the church. The Lord is greatly offended when His church is mired in its own pleasures, and can care less about the troubles of others and is not grieved about it.  It can lead to only one thing: God’s chastisement as we shall see in the next verse.
2. (vs. 7).  In this verse, God pronounces the doom to come for the leaders in Israel.  He said “Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.”  In other words, the upper class, composed of Jewish leaders would be among the first to be carried into captivity, and at that time, “the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.”  God was declaring that their plenty and wealth will be taken from them, and they will be taken from it because they made it the food and fuel of their lusts.  Those who lived in luxury would lose even their liberty; and by being brought into servitude shall be justly punished for the abuse of their dignity and power.  Those who trusted in the delights and pleasures of their own land would be carried away into a strange land, and being made ashamed of their pride and confidence, they would be “the first that go captive.”   Those who placed their happiness in the pleasures of self, and set their hearts upon them, will be deprived of those pleasures; the “banquet(s)” that they enjoyed while they “stretched themselves” on ivory couches shall be removed, and they will know what the poor already knew: what it is to suffer and do without.
C. Israel will leave their extravagance behind (Amos 6:8).  As a guarantee that what God said would come to pass, in this verse Amos said “The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.”  The coming judgment upon Israel is bound by the “Lord the God of hosts (armies),” by his almighty hand, which no one can resist.   Israel’s punishment is bound with an oath by the Lord Himself.  Since God could swear by none greater, Amos said that “The Lord God hath sworn by himself.”  There is no greater authority than God.  Therefore, this oath would stand without revocation.  Before pronouncing His oath against Israel, God said “I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces.”  The word “abhor” means to despise or loathed something or someone.  The word indicates intense hatred.  God said that He hated “the excellency of Jacob” meaning that He despised everything that they were proud of, and valued. The things that they were proud of and valued didn’t include the poor and oppressed.  Being God’s chosen people and the privileges that came with that, plus their temple, the altar, and priesthood, were all part of “the excellency of Jacob.”  Of course the term “Jacob” here refers to the nation of Israel composed of its twelve tribes.  “The excellency of Jacob” also included the “palaces” in Israel.  The term “palaces” can refer to strongholds or fortresses, but can also refer to the fortified homes of the rulers or royalty.  All of these had been profaned and polluted by the people’s sin, therefore God abhorred them; he hated and despised them.  Then the Lord declared what He would do as a result of His hated for how they lived and ignored Him.  God said “therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.”  The “city” mentioned here is Samaria, the capital city of Israel, the northern kingdom.  The Lord said He would “deliver up the city with all that is therein.”  In other words, God would destroy the entire nation.  The Lord was completely disgusted with His people and would soon destroy them.  This happened when Assyria invaded the land.  Note:  God had earlier stated that He abhorred  Israel’s feast days and would no longer smell or accept their holy gatherings (see 5:21), because of their hypocrisy.  The Lord abhors any form of godliness which hypocrites keep up.  Since He also abhorred their temple, for the iniquity committed there (see Amos 2:8), it’s no wonder that he hated their palaces, for the injustices and oppression He found there (see Amos 2:6-7; 5:12).  And, if God abhors them, it immediately follows that He “will deliver up the city with all that is therein,” into the hands of the enemy, who will lay it waste, and make a prey of all its wealth.  It’s true that those who are abhorred and abandoned by God are finished for all intents and purposes.           
III. GOD’S ACTIONS AGAINST THEM (Amos 6:11-14).  Verses 9-10 are not part of our lesson, but in those verses Amos gives us a picture of God’s fearful judgment upon Israel.  He stated that if there are as few as ten people left and only one house, they too will perish.  A man’s uncle will be the only one left to care for the body, and when he goes in to carry the body from the house, he will ask the only one still alive inside, “Are any others left?” And the answer will be, “No,” and he will add, “Shhh . . . don’t mention the name of the Lord—he might hear you.”  It’s interesting that the one being questioned in verse 10 tells the questioner not to mention the Lord’s name.  No doubt they were so afraid that they thought the mere mention of the Lord’s name would result in their deaths as well.  This is where the remainder of our lesson begins.
A.  God’s command (Amos 6:11).  In this verse Amos continued to say “For, behold, the Lord commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.”    Amos goes on to describe the destruction of Israel here.  First, God would “smite” or destroy “the great house with breaches.”  In other words, the homes of the leaders or rulers would be broken up.  In addition, God would also destroy “the little house with clefts.”  This means that the Lord would also break up the homes of the common people into bits and pieces.  This description shows how complete the destruction would be.  The point here is that the princes’ palaces are not above the rebuke of divine justice, nor the poor men’s cottages beneath them; neither shall escape destruction.  When sin has marked them for ruin God will find ways to bring it about.  It’s because “the Lord commandeth” that  the destruction would be complete, including both members of the rich class and the poor class.
B. God’s questions (Amos 6:12-13).  
1. (vs. 12).  In this verse, Amos still speaking for God posed two questions.  He asked “Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock.”  Of course both of these questions are absurd and the answer to both of them is “no.”  With these questions, God was showing how Israel’s leaders had replaced things that were lawful and just with unlawful injustice.  It is just as unthinkable for horses to run on rocks as it was for a person to plow with oxen over rocks.  Both of these would be dangerous and unproductive.  Likewise, what the leaders in Israel were doing was unthinkable, dangerous and unproductive.  God said that they “have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock.”  The word “gall” refers to something bitter (see Matthew 27:34).  God was saying that the courts which should have provided justice for people, especially the poor, gave them bitterness or ill treatment instead.  The term “hemlock” refers to a poison.  Just as “judgment” had become bitter to the poor, “the fruit of righteousness” which should have been right treatment of the poor, was like poison to them.  It was sickening!  Note:  If we look at our own nation, we can easily understand what was happening in Israel.  Judges in our courtrooms often render decisions that are contrary to Scripture and these decisions are dangerous and unproductive to those needing help; mostly the poor and unfortunate.
2. (vs. 13).  In this verse Amos went on to say “Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?”  The phrase “Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought” means that the people were rejoicing and had confidence in their own strength, something they really didn’t have.  They were actually rejoicing in “nought” or nothing.  They indicated this by asking “Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?”  In other words the people were saying “haven’t we achieved great dignity and dominion by conquering our enemies and gaining our victories, and this ‘by our own strength,’ our own skill and courage, our own wealth and military force?  Who then, should we be afraid of?”  Note:  Israel’s leaders were rejoicing over military victories that resulted in the nation recapturing land they had lost east of the Jordan (see II Kings 14:23-27).  Israel was attributing some of God’s blessings to their own strength and skills.  They were about to find out that apart from the Lord, they had no strength at all. For sure, prosperity and success often make men secure and haughty. Those who have done a lot think that they can do anything, anything without God.  What they are really doing is everything against God.  Trust me, that’s a very bad place to be!
C. God’s determination (Amos 6:14).  In our final verse, God said “But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the Lord the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.”  Because of the pompous attitude of Israel’s leaders, God was determined to deal with them.  The One who would bring judgment upon them is “the Lord the God of hosts,” who may do and can do what He pleases; who has all creatures at His command, and who, when He has work to do, will not be at a loss for instruments to do it with.  Even though “the house of Israel” was God’s own people, yet he declared “I will raise up against you a nation.”  We are not told here what nation God would use to chastise His people, but II Kings 17 reveals that it would be the Assyrians and also gives  us the reason why God did it.  This nation shall “afflict them,” meaning that Israel would be oppressed, from the “entering in of Hamath,” which was in the north, to “the river of the wilderness” in the south.  In other words, the Assyrians would oppress Israel by entering in at Israel’s northern boundary at Hamath and continuing to its southern tip, the river of the desert.  Some think that this “river of the wilderness” refers to the Nile in Egypt, but most likely it refers to a “wadi” or brook in the southern desert that flows into the Dead Sea.  Note:  God would bring the Assyrian army into the land and give them the responsibility of chastising His people.  The whole nation had shared in the iniquity, and therefore must expect to share in the calamity.  When men are in any way used as  instruments of affliction against God’s people, we must see it as God raising them up against us, for they are in his hand—the rod, the sword, in his hand.      
                                    
IV. Conclusion.  Being led by selfishness, egotism, self-worship, and greed, people come to believe that they don’t need God.  They blow their own horns.  Ironically, such behavior only paves the way to a bitter downfall (see Proverbs 16:18).  We can see in this week’s lesson the foolishness and selfishness of Israel.  Yet while it may be in a different way, we can be guilty of committing nearly the same hard-hearted sins.  As God’s children, we will eventually be in heaven, but in the meantime, we are not exempt from God’s chastisement to correct our attitudes and actions.