There are gifts God gave the Israelites in the book of Amos – and only one thing wanted in return. These are not normal gifts, nor easy to comprehend, but God is sovereign and his desires are often different from our desires. The single thing God wanted in the book of Amos (but didn’t get) was the hearts of his people turned toward him. Sadly, that did not happen, much like in the world today.
Gift #1 – Hunger
These gifts are all difficult to understand, but not in context of scripture. God cares about one single thing – hearts turned toward him, glorifying him alone. God took away much of the food in the Israelite cities, “yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.” Hunger alone is not enough to turn hearts toward Christ (4:8).
Gift #2 – Thirst
God then shows his power over the weather by choosing some fields to have rain, and others to go barren. “People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord” (4:7-8)
Gift #3 – Fear of the Future
With very limited food and limited water not working, God takes away their future crops – thus creating fear and uncertainty of the immediate future. Not only can they barely find enough to eat, but they also see next year’s crops dwindling away by the hand of God.
As if that was not enough, not just once but many times God sent blight and mildew, and locusts to eat off their trees. This was not enough because, “you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.” (4:9)
Gift #4 – Plagues
God sent plagues, killed many of their young men, many of their horses, and the plagues smelled wretched all around them. This was not enough to sway their hard hearts because, “you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.” (4:10)
Gift #5 – Destruction
God says that he has overthrown some of the Israelites as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah – a familiar story. The key word is “as” because it is a metaphor – it refers to a very recent event. Israel’s main captivity is often called the Babylonian captivity, but before that and during the time of Amos the Assyrians captured Israel. This was a very recent event, and it probably provoked a lot of anger by saying God was behind their destruction! “…yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord.” (4:11)
What God wants – our hearts
The dominant theme throughout the Old Testament is that God jealously and intensely desires the hearts of his people turned toward him. He cares about this so much He is willing to do whatever it takes – famine, thirst, curses, destruction – whatever it takes.
What will it take us to repent and turn toward the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength?
ESV Amos 4:1 "Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, 'Bring, that we may drink!'
2 The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks.
3 And you shall go out through the breaches, each one straight ahead; and you shall be cast out into Harmon," declares the LORD.
4 "Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days;
5 offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!" declares the Lord GOD.
6 "I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me," declares the LORD.
7 "I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither;
8 so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me," declares the LORD.
9 "I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me," declares the LORD.
10 "I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me," declares the LORD.
11 "I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me," declares the LORD.
12 "Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"
13 For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth-- the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name!
(Amo 4:1-13 ESV)
