Misery of Complacency
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Introduction
Introduction
Complacency is a danger that is always lurking and waiting to rear its ugly head and come and take up residency in our attitudes and lives. It is something that must be battled constantly for with it comes grave consequences and misery. The greatest potential threat of falling into complacency comes at a time when we feel we have arrived or we have become comfortable enough to let our guard down. Complacency usually comes with a great cost many are unaware of and are not ready for.
Someone who becomes complacent in handling firearms will experience a negligent discharge or other catastrophic incident. One who is complacent in awareness will miss the signs of danger about to happen. Complacency in the job leads one to stop achieving and start coasting as if they have arrived. Complacency causes maintenance, training, and otherwise developing to stop happening.
Complacency is a state of mind characterized by an absence of fear. If there really were nothing to fear, there’s nothing to hurt you. When there is something that can hurt you and you’re not fearful, beware: being fearful makes you careful.
Being complacent about a hazard is often confused with being unaware of a hazard. “I did not know there was a hazard” is one problem; “I was sure that hazard wasn’t going to hurt me” is an entirely different problem. Thinking “It’s never going to happen to me” often causes behavior that can make an injury more likely to happen.
That’s the big problem with complacency!
There is another complacency to beware of - spiritual complacency. Amos chapter 6 is a continuation of his third sermon message to Israel. It is separated out as the second declared woe on Israel. Ou tof the message where Amos is lamenting Israel, he declares this second woe. This woe is against Israel and her complacency as a nation that has lulled her to ignore the danger of losing the fear of the Lord. Spiritual complacency comes from a place of comfort and enjoyment but its fleeting leaving only misery as the complacency results in judgment coming upon them. As we read this message of woe to Israel notice how easily it could also be spoken of America and some churches. We must heed this woe and warning that we might be vigilant against spiritual complacency in our own lives.
1 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and to those who feel secure on the hill of Samaria— the notable people in this first of the nations, those the house of Israel comes to. 2 Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?
3 You dismiss any thought of the evil day and bring in a reign of violence. 4 They lie on beds inlaid with ivory, sprawled out on their couches, and dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall. 5 They improvise songs to the sound of the harp and invent their own musical instruments like David.
6 They drink wine by the bowlful and anoint themselves with the finest oils but do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. 7 Therefore, they will now go into exile as the first of the captives, and the feasting of those who sprawl out will come to an end.
8 The Lord God has sworn by himself—this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Armies: I loathe Jacob’s pride and hate his citadels, so I will hand over the city and everything in it. 9 And if there are ten men left in one house, they will die.
10 A close relative and burner will remove his corpse from the house. He will call to someone in the inner recesses of the house, “Any more with you?” That person will reply, “None.” Then he will say, “Silence, because the Lord’s name must not be invoked.” 11 For the Lord commands: The large house will be smashed to pieces, and the small house to rubble.
12 Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does anyone plow there with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood— 13 you who rejoice over Lo-debar and say, “Didn’t we capture Karnaim for ourselves by our own strength?”
14 But look, I am raising up a nation against you, house of Israel— this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Armies— and they will oppress you from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.
False Security
False Security
1 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and to those who feel secure on the hill of Samaria— the notable people in this first of the nations, those the house of Israel comes to. 2 Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?
3 You dismiss any thought of the evil day and bring in a reign of violence.
Amos declares woe to those who are at ease in Zion (Judah) and those who feel secure on the hill of Samaria (Israel). Those who are at ease - that word in the Hebrew is sa-anan — “sha nahn”. This word speaks of one who is free from fear or doubt, easy in mind -secure. This speaks of those who are comfortable and have no lingering fear or concern. They are marked by a confidence or assurance. Amos says woe to those in Zion - Judah who are free from fear or doubt and have a confidence and assurance. Then Amos also includes in this woe those who feel secure. This word for secure is a different word and means unsuspecting - reliant and confident in the hill in which they dwell in Samaria (Northern Israel).
Look at last part of verse one - Amos is specifically speaking to the notable people in this first of the nations. Those distinguished as noteworthy - the leaders. The first of the nations is a reference to their inflated sense of self as the highest or the best nations. Those that the house of Israel comes to. The leaders of Samaria - Israel are living in such a way as to lead the people into believing that they were safe and secure and that this is a time to take it easy.
The nation was enjoying prosperity and a relative time of peace. The leaders were living the example that they had arrived and now it was time to enjoy the good life and rest on their achievements.
Amos after telling them how they feel they are so safe and secure and have nothing to worry about directs them to go and see a few city ruins. In verse 2 Amos says cross over to Calneh and go from there to see Hamath and finally go and gander at Gath of the Philistines. The first two are ruins left behind by Aram and Assyria, and the last Gath is a city that was on more than one occasion decimated by Israel. Amos say go and look, observe and understand the cities carefully. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory any larger than yours? Is Israel better to fend off an attack? No! Was their territory larger? Yes. Though their greatness and their large territory they were unable to keep from being overrun.
Amos now in verse three hits them with his point - they dismiss any thought of the evil day. They dismiss and refuse to accept. Arrogantly or foolishly confident they dismiss any thought of coming calamity. False security sets in not during trouble and struggle but afterwards in the calm and the quiet. God is rebuking Israel of their prideful complacent and false security. He did this by comparing them to their pagan neighbors. These pagans whom Israel knew had suffered the judgment of God already. Yet here was Israel saying - it can’t happen here, or it wont happen yet. They bring in reign of violence - display or bring out a reign of terror.
Washington times reported a conversation from Captain Edward John Smith who stated he believed the Titanic to be absolutely unsinkable. “Even God Himself cannot sink this ship.” It was the remotely sealable compartments that caused the ship to be deemed unsinkable. When the ship hit the iceberg, the rivets popped off effectively “unzipping” the hull at the seams. The hole in the hull allowed these compartments to flood, causing the unsinkable ship to not only sink but to do so very rapidly.
3 When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Lulled by Indulgence
Lulled by Indulgence
4 They lie on beds inlaid with ivory, sprawled out on their couches, and dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall. 5 They improvise songs to the sound of the harp and invent their own musical instruments like David.
6 They drink wine by the bowlful and anoint themselves with the finest oils but do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. 7 Therefore, they will now go into exile as the first of the captives, and the feasting of those who sprawl out will come to an end.
The complacency of Israel came from their indulgence. The comforts afforded to them lulled them into a sense of complacency. Obviously it is ok to enjoy the fruits of our labor - the bible doesnt prohibit us from enjoyment.
2 You will surely eat what your hands have worked for. You will be happy, and it will go well for you.
13 It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts.
18 Here is what I have seen to be good: It is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward. 19 Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God, 20 for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
What Amos speaks against and what the Bible speaks against and what leads us into danger is the over indulgence. Israel truly over indulged. Amos says they laid down in ivory beds ans sprawled out on their couches. They rested in luxury and comfort. Sprawled out - fully extended and stretched out. The idea behind the word sprawled out lounging, not necessarily sleeping indicating a lazy rest. A sprawled stupor from satiation and drunkeness. Dining on lambs and calves from the flocks and stalls. The picture here is not eating for necessity but over eating and over-indulging to excess.
The over indulgence filled their bellies and drunkeness over took their minds that they just sprawled out and laid around without a care of any responsibility only to their desire for more and for comforts. Lulled by indulgence their hearts are now turned and set on the pleasure of the world, its food and drink and things.
Israel’s heart was set on their pleasures and not on God. It lead them to vigorously pursue the earthly things, leaving them paralyzed in spiritual issues. It produced a spiritual fatness and lethargy. We are lulled to complacency when we make pleasures our priority and pursuit Food, fun, television, internet, hobbies, - rest. Work, business, family, friends or even money, possessions, electronics - etc
Its not having these things - it is the over indulgence of them. Over indulgence of things happens when they take the place of our relationship with God. Amos describes this sort of self-delusion by saying they improvise songs to the sound of harps and invent their own musical instruments like David. In their revelry they imagined themselves to be like David and using the instruments to worship and praise God but really all they were doing was appealing to their flesh. Their were not content to just drink wine from goblets and cups - no it was by the bowlful.
They did not even grieve over the ruin of Joseph. Another name for Israel - the coming disaster the coming ruin and utter destruction. The departure from holiness and righteousness as a nation. The loss of fervency for God. Instead of heeding the warning of Amos they were fulfilling their hedonistic pleasures.
A picture of what was occurring along with a stern warning for us today is this “Prosperity from God brings an obligation to use what He provides to serve and glorify Him, not to indulge ourselves.”
Ends in Devastation
Ends in Devastation
7 Therefore, they will now go into exile as the first of the captives, and the feasting of those who sprawl out will come to an end. 8 The Lord God has sworn by himself—this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Armies: I loathe Jacob’s pride and hate his citadels, so I will hand over the city and everything in it.
9 And if there are ten men left in one house, they will die. 10 A close relative and burner will remove his corpse from the house. He will call to someone in the inner recesses of the house, “Any more with you?” That person will reply, “None.” Then he will say, “Silence, because the Lord’s name must not be invoked.”
11 For the Lord commands: The large house will be smashed to pieces, and the small house to rubble. 12 Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does anyone plow there with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—
13 you who rejoice over Lo-debar and say, “Didn’t we capture Karnaim for ourselves by our own strength?” 14 But look, I am raising up a nation against you, house of Israel— this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Armies— and they will oppress you from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.
The declaration from the Lord through Amos is THEREFORE — because of this over indulgence and false security causing their complacency they will be going NOW into exile. These leaders and these dignitaries will be the first of the captives. Then he says their feasting and sprawling will come to an end. Those who fall into complacency it will end in devastation, that is the path of complacency. The devastation will be utter and complete for the complacent are not acknowledging or ready and are therefore caught by surprise.
The Lord has sworn by Himself - there is nothing more sure and so this is God saying absolutely this will happen. It is the declaration of the LORD (Yahweh) and the God of Armies.
Why will it happen? because the Lord loathe’s Jacob’s pride and his citadels. The Lord hates his pride and his sense of security.
15 And he told them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight.
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
31 Look, I am against you, you arrogant one— this is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies— for your day has come, the time when I will punish you.
12 For a day belonging to the Lord of Armies is coming against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—it will be humbled—
So completely will God deliver them that He describes ten men being left in a house and they will die. A close relative will be a burner of the corpses and will come to remove the corpse and find one alive and will command him to silence lest again the Lord in wrath is awakened.
Using the example of a single house - all will die - the relative/kinsman (Hebrew for Uncle) will come remove the bodies. Upon asking if there are any survivors one left in the house would respond None - to be silenced immediately with a warning about speaking the name of the Lord.
This is saying they will know it was Yahweh who punished them - not some foreign invading army. God judged and therefore only God can forgive.
Small houses and large houses both utterly destroyed. Here is the stark reality - indulgence and complacency and the coming judgment isnt only against the rich and elite. Their is just more obscenely gross and easier to catch. Poor will suffer likewise. All because of Israel’s prideful denial of God and being complacent towards Him. Going against what He has commanded them.
Horses running on cliffs and oxen plowing the same - both of these proverbs speak of not contuing to labor in vain. It is utter and stupid folly to waste effort on something nobody would consider doing because the return is nothing. This is what they have done going against God’s commands. They have done the unimaginable - turning righteousness into wormwood and justice into poison.
Complacency leads to pride and arrogance which only brings devastation.
Amos reminds them of the boasting of their victories in Lo-debar and Karnaim - Near Gilead and in Bashan. You say you got it by your own strength - what will you do when I bring this nation against you? The oppression will be total - because you are complacent and forgot who brings victory.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The idea of rest is not all bad. Jesus wants to give us rest.
28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
There is a promised rest waiting for the people of God and there is ultimate rest in heaven. This is about a sinful kind of rest that comes from complacency leading to laziness and indifference and indulgence.
Spiritually Complacent Barna Research reports that since ’91, Americans have become more spiritually complacent. 40% of born again Christians do not attend church or read the Bible in a typical week, 30% are not "absolutely committed to the Christian faith" and 70% are not involved in a small group that meets for spiritual purposes. The percent-age of adults who can be classified as "born again" rose from 35% in ‘91 to 41% in ‘01. However, participation in 4 key behaviors declined; Bible reading (down from 45% to 37%); church attendance (from 49% to 42%); volunteering at church (from 27% to 20%); and adult Sunday school attendance (from 23% to 19%). (Barna Online 3/5/01)
Complacency is one step away from apathy or indifference. Complacency is an insidious sin based on lies, motivated by pride and leads to trusting something other than God. We see this in the church of Laodicea
17 For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
In Israel complacency led to
the death of the nation
rejecting their covenant with God
denial of their destiny as a nation
In the Church complacency
leads to some churches death - Jesus in Revelation warns the churches
robs the church and God people of servants
robs us of our joy now and rewards in the next life
leads to apathy for the lost and the coming judgment
What is the cure for complacency?
Understand when nations get pleasure mad - the end is near. Belshazzar was enjoying a feast when Babylon fell. Romans were enjoying free food and entertainment as the empire decayed and fell.
The mark of the end of days is found in 2 Timothy 3:4 people will be
2 Timothy 3:4 (CSB)
4 … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Jesus warned us as His followers to not become complacent
34 “Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly
Complacency - Apathy - Useless