Amos was a gatherer of sycamore fruit and a keeper of herds. He was called to be a prophet. It was a tough job, and I wouldn’t have blamed him for trying to get out of it. However, he was obedient. It is tough to digest his writings, but it is relevant to every generation from Amos to here and now. The Lord gave him a vision of what was coming. It was bad, but it was good. The transition from bad to good would be tough. There would be a sifting, and God will provide the sieve. He’ll keep only that which is good.
Amos 9: 8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord.9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old.
The Lord will have a sifting and all will be part of it whether dead or alive. The dead in Christ will rise in the first resurrection making a separation of those who died in the Lord and those who died lost. The alive saved will be taken at that time. The unsaved will be left behind. It’s a sieving. People in Amos’ day needed to hear this to consider their ways. The same is for us. Right choices, right living, and being faithful to the Lord pay off. On sifting day, there will be no respecter of persons. No matter how esteemed by others or ourselves, it’s what God thinks that will count.
We see first a lawless kingdom. Seen as a whole, this is a time of great deception and futility. Leaders have no real answers. Each nation’s sin kills it across the world. Every nation is in chaos of some sort. Things are failing. Technology far surpasses its ability to control itself. Medical science can’t heal all ills. The common practice is that people won’t let go of sins, which are a reproach to any people. All are on collision with God’s judgment.
Within this is Christendom. For many it is only a religion. People have strayed from God’s Word and Truth—from everything that makes Christianity real. The foundations have been forsaken. Within is a struggling remnant trying to stick with the cross and believe the gospel, trusting Jesus regardless of how doing so is viewed by society.
Amos 9:1-3 states I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.
There is no way of getting around the sifting of God. My beliefs and what I hold to will be sifted. Amos tells us about the plumb line. A plumb line does not lie, and it will be of God’s choosing. Chapter 9:8 says behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. The sinful kingdom will be destroyed. Its reign will be short lived. It won’t be long. Doctors know by signs when someone’s life is short. The signs of the time tell us the same. God will have his way.
Amos 5:18-20 says woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
What? Are you sure you’re ready to see the Lord? What will the end do for you? Why does the Lord say this? They were not ready and fooled that they were. They had gotten away from the temple and become derelict in faithfulness to the Lord. They deceived themselves that their “imperfections” would be fixed and they would go to heaven. Regardless of how I think I should stay in the sieve or slip through the holes, it depends on how God sees me. Being a Christian is worth being a real one. This is the only way for that day to be good. People will be left behind because they are not ready. God won’t make mistakes. His eye is on the sinful kingdom, and nothing goes on anywhere that God doesn’t see including my and your heart and life.
We won’t be looked at collectively. No matter which group (s) we’re identified with, when the time comes for the sifting, God will deal with individuals and their sin. The unsaved will not be spared. There will be an utter end to wickedness and evil. Those who names are not in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire; they will not go to heaven. No matter how many new beliefs come out stating there is no hell and all will go to heaven won’t make it true. Since the dawn of time, people have tried various ways to get to heaven. Jesus is the only way. No one will be able to run and hide. Ready or not it will happen. People will be taken or left behind based on readiness. Those left behind will be erased from the face of the earth to hell. This is not annihilation as if they never existed. They will simply not be remembered in the minds of family in heaven. Otherwise, it would not be heaven knowing a loved one was in hell.
God will not destroy his people with the wicked. There will be a sparing of those who choose to believe and stick with what God says. It’s not about my own beliefs or perceptions; it’s about what God says, and He’s in charge. God is equitable and just. I’ll go my turn into the sifter, and you will too. All will give an account.
God’s eye is on the sinful kingdom, but it is also on his people. The sifting time is coming. Are you ready?
Study it out. Look at chapters 5-7 and see how it winds up for those who choose to be on God’s side. One day it will be better. One day many will see how foolish they have been not to stick with God.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 