Do you Fear the Lion's Roar? (Part 3)

Amos proclaims for us five truths about God that we must understand if we are to see God as He really is. Only this will allow us to rightly fear the Lion’s roar.

I. When we sin we offend the ONE who elects with undeserved kindness (vv. 1-2)

Amos 3:1–2 ESV

Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

II. When we sin we offend the ONE that permits with unrivaled providence (vv. 3-6)

Amos 3:3–6 ESV

“Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?

III. When we sin we offend the ONE that prophesies with unerring certainty (vv. 7-8)

God strongly invites the Israelites to think about the power of His roar, by following a pattern that only God can follow. The Lord God, is one Who declares first then acts. Declaring then doing is the pattern that God is boasting about here in these verse.

Amos 3:7 ESV

“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

The Lord God (Adonai Yahweh— the sovereign, covenant keeping God ) does nothing without first revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. Why is this order, declaring and then doing, so significant?

Illustration: Joseph shooting an “interesting shot” in pool.

God is not content to act in silence. It would have been one thing for the Assyrian arm to take captive the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 30 or 40 years and then for God to claim responsibility. But, to first foretell and forewarn by means of the prophets, to reveal the future events before they happen, and then sovereignly permit disaster to come upon a city in judgement is another thing entirely.

Why does God choose to act this way? Why tell the people first and then act? Moses gives us that answer in the book of Exodus in dealing with Pharoah.

Exodus 8:9–10 (ESV)

Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.”

And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.

Why did Moses invite Pharoah to name the day he wanted God to destroy the plague of frogs? Why did God choose to declare first and then act? So that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God!

Exodus 8:20–22 (ESV)

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.

But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.

Exodus 9:14 (ESV)

For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

Exodus 10:2 (ESV)

and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”

Exodus 14:4 (ESV)

And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

The Lord is following the same pattern here in the book of Amos.

Amos 3:7 ESV

“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Why? So that you might know that He is the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh— the sovereign, covenant keeping God), and that there is none like Him!

Amos 3:8 ESV

The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?”

If disaster is coming upon this city (and it is!), then God will declare it before hand by means of the prophets (and there is one preaching to you Israel). And if a prophet is prophesying, then it is the LORD GOD who has spoken. And if it is Adonai Yahweh speaking, the the people ought to be afraid!

Application: Do you fear the lion’s roar? How do you know? Do you ignore the promises that God has made to us today? Do you act like they will not happen? That is exactly what the Israelites did. Amos preached 30 or 40 years before the disaster came upon them. I am sure there were many Israelites who felt secure in their sin. They did not take Amos’ words seriously. They did not fear God. The did not fear the one who prophesies with unerring certainty.

How do we do this today?

2 Peter 3:8 ESV

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

What is the context of this verse? Scoffers in Peter’s day. What were they saying? Where is the promise of his coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.

What were they doing? Doubting God’s words! They didn’t know God as the one who prophesies with unerring certainty. They thought God was wrong.

So Peter tells us- don’t overlook this one fact!

2 Peter 3:9–10 ESV

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

God’s words will come to pass. We should heed them, we should fear them! Do we? Of course we do!

2 Peter 3:11 ESV

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

Do our lives give evidence of that fact? Do our lives show that we really do fear the lion’s roar? Is there an urgency about living holy and godly lives? Or do you shrug that off and think, “there is plenty of time, no big deal.”

2 Peter 3:12–13 ESV

waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

These are the promises that we are waiting for. Again, God has declared his intentions before he acts. Do we fear His words?

2 Peter 3:14 ESV

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

What changes might you make in your life this week if you really took God’s words seriously?

Amos 3:8 ESV

The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?”

Do you fear the lion’s roar?

He is the one who graciously elects. He is the one who providentially permits. He is the one who unerringly prophesies...

IV. When we sin we offend the ONE that acts with incomprehensible justice (vv. 9-11)

Amos now turns to the judgement that Israel rightly deserves for their sin. But, before he pronounces judgment he highlights the incomprehensible justice of God. Israel had grown overconfident in her strength. She thought herself untouchable. Protected and secured in her fortresses.

Amos 3:9 ESV

Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt, and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst.”

The key word to this section is the word for “strongholds.” The term indicates a fortified palace or a strongly fortified defensive or military structure. This term is used 32 times in the OT. 14 of those occurences are found in the book of Amos. Amos uses this term 6 times in these three verse alone.

God begins calling attention to his justice by using irony. In v. 9 Amos calls upon the people of the Philistine and Egyptian strongholds. And what does Amos call them to do? He wants these foreign nations, the enemy nations to come and assemble themselves upon the mountains of Samaria. Why? To see the great tumults with Samaria and the oppressed in her midst. Now why is this so ironic? The Philistines and the Egyptians were no slouches when it came to violence and oppression. They were especially remembered for their cruel brutality and oppression of Israel. The implication is that although these enemy nations were expects of violence and oppression, Israel could have given these experts a few lessons!

Israel was so bad, was so far gone that even her enemies would have recoiled at their actions. Even her enemies would have pronounced judgement. How much more a holy God?

Amos 3:10 (ESV)

“They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”

Friends, think on these words! Think on the danger of sin! Sin left unchecked will produce this kind of heart. God says of His covenant people, they have been sinning for so long that they no longer even know how to do right! How can that be?

“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.”—John Owen

Now, it being our duty to mortify, to be killing of sin whilst it is in us, we must be at work. He that is appointed to kill an enemy, if he leave striking before the other ceases living, does but half his work.

If, then, sin will be always acting, if we be not always mortifying, we are lost creatures. He that stands still and suffers his enemies to double blows upon him without resistance, will undoubtedly be conquered in the issue. If sin be subtle, watchful, strong, and always at work in the business of killing our souls, and we be slothful, negligent, foolish, in proceeding to the ruin thereof, can we expect a comfortable event?

“There is not a day but sin foils or is foiled, prevails or is prevailed on; and it will be so whilst we live in this world.”

Sin will not only be striving, acting, rebelling, troubling, disquieting, but if let alone, if not continually mortified, it will bring forth great, cursed, scandalous, soul-destroying sins.

Sin aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, might it have its own course, it would go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression, every thought of unbelief would be atheism, might it grow to its head.

Sin is “like the grave, that is never satisfied.”

Amos 3:10 (ESV)

“They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”

This is were sin will lead you if you do not daily kill it! If you are not daily killing sin, the sin will be killing you!

Hebrews 3:12–13 (ESV)

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Look at what the hardened hearts of the Israelites caused them to do:

Amos 3:10 (ESV)

“They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord, “those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”

What does that mean? What do you typically put in your stronghold? Your safe? You put treasure, valuables, wealth. But God said that they were storing up violence and robbery! In what way? How did the wealthy obtain their riches? By means of plundering and violent oppression. Their wealth had become so important to them, they would do anything to store it up and keep it. They no longer knew how to do right.

So what is God going to do about it?

Amos 3:11 (ESV)

Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall surround the land and bring down your defenses from you, and your strongholds shall be plundered.”

Justly, God pronounces judgement upon the people. An adversary shall (future tense), surround the land.

Amos 3:6 ESV

Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?

This adversary will bring down your defences from you. No matter how secure you think you are, God is always in control. I am going to bring up a nation that will surround you, will bring down your walls, and your stronghold shall be plundered! Do you see the irony? The ones who stored up plunder by means of violent oppression in their strongholds, would have those same strongholds plundered by a violent foreign enemy.

Do you fear the lion’s roar? He is the one who acts in incomprehensible justice. God shows no partiality. You cannot escape his judgement. You cannot build walls high enough or strong enough to escape. God knows what you have stored up for yourselves.

Romans 2:5 ESV

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

If you fear God’s roar, then turn from your sin. Repent, turn around, go in a different direction.

Isaiah 55:7 ESV

let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

If you think yourself secure within your stronghold, and you think little of God’s justice, then you do not yet fear His roar.

How can we fear His roar? We must know God as He truly is:

He is the one who graciously elects. He is the one who providentially permits. He is the one who unerringly prophesies. He is the one who acts with incomprehensible justice...

V. When we sin we offend the ONE that punishes with inescapable judgement (vv. 12-15)

Amos 3:12 ESV

Thus says the Lord: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.

Illustration: Grace leaving pieces of her dinner on the deck.

“Just as a shepherd retrieves “two legs or a piece of an ear” from a lamb mauled by a lion, so the remnant of Israel would be taken out in bits and pieces (v. 12).”

Fuhr; Yates. The Message of the Twelve (p. 124).

Amos 3:13 (ESV)

“Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob,” declares the Lord God, the God of hosts,

The identification of the Lord as “God of Hosts” is a significant theological message in Amos. Seven times Amos uses LORD (‘Yahweh’) in conjunction with “God of Hosts” (or “Armies”) (4:13; 5:14, 15, 16, 27; 6:8, 14). One time Amos uses the compound “The Lord God of hosts” (וַאדֹנָ֨י יְהוִ֜ה הַצְּבָא֗וֹת). The full form of this name occurs in 3:13, “the Lord God, the God of hosts” (אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַצְּבָאֽוֹת).

The meaning of the extended name of God as “God of Hosts” has been suggested to signify that the Lord is a great warrior-king where He leads his armies (human or heavenly) into battle against the rebellious nations. Amos pictures God as warrior-king descending in the storm clouds and stepping on the peaks of the mountains (4:13). His battle cry is that of a mighty lion (1:2; 3:8) and he brings darkness over the land (5:20; 8:9). His fierceness causes the world to shake with fear (8:8; 9:5). His weapons of destruction include fire (1:3-2:5; 7:4), famine (4:6), drought (4:7-8), pestilence (4:9; 7:1-2), disease (4:10) and the sword (4:10; 7:9; 9:4). R. B. Chisholm Jr., 242.

And what does the Lord God, the God of Armies testify against Israel?

Amos 3:14 ESV

“that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.

“Continuing the line of irony, Amos shifts attention to one of Israel’s centers of religious ritual, Bethel. The “horns of the altar” in Bethel were viewed as a place of refuge.”

1 Kings 1:50 ESV

And Adonijah feared Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

“but they would provide no such safety or refuge in the day of the Lord’s visitation (v. 14).In the course of destruction the very horns of the altar would be cut off, so that when reached, there would be nothing to grab!”

Fuhr; Yates. The Message of the Twelve (p. 124).

Amos 3:15 ESV

I will strike the winter house along with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end,” declares the Lord.

Amos is targeting Samara's wealthy rulers who were living in luxury. Where did that wealth come from? From violence and oppression! They had stacked upon in their strongholds ill-begotten wealth. Now God says there is coming a day when I will strike down the winter house as well as the summer house. The house of ivory and the great houses shall all come to an end.

Do you fear the lion’s roar? There is coming a day, for those who do not repent, where God will pour out his judgment for sin, and that judgment will be inescapable.

For now God might be forestalling that judgement. God is rich in patience and kindness and forbearance. But that patience is meant to lead you to what? Repentance. If you will not repent, then all you have to look forward to is inevitable judgement.

Can you feel the roar of God? Do you fear it?

He is the one who graciously elects. He is the one who providentially permits. He is the one who unerringly prophesies. He is the one who acts with incomprehensible justice. And He is the one who punishes with inescapable judgment.

Good News!

John 5:24 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.