Amos 2:6-16 Dr Greg Forbes Hebrews 1:7-13

• 7 In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire. " • 8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. • 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." • 10 He also says, "In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. • 11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. • 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end." • 13 To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet“? 1:1

The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of King of Judah and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake. :2

And he said: The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from ; the pastures of the shepherds wither, and the top of Carmel dries up. Structure of the Amos Oracles against the Nations Thus says the LORD: For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron. 4 So I will send a fire on the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad. 5 I will break the gate bars of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven, and the one who holds the scepter from Beth- eden; and the people of shall go into exile to Kir, says the LORD.

Amos 2:6-16 Oracle against Israel Thus says the LORD: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals-- 7 they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way; father and son go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; 8 they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink wine bought with fines they imposed. 9 Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of cedars, and who was as strong as oaks; I destroyed his fruit above, and his roots beneath. 10 Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. 11 And I raised up some of your children to be and some of your youths to be . Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel? says the LORD. 12 But you made the nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, "You shall not prophesy." 13 So, I will press you down in your place, just as a cart presses down when it is full of sheaves. 14 Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain their strength, nor shall the mighty save their lives; 15 those who handle the bow shall not stand, and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves, nor shall those who ride horses save their lives; 16 and those who are stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, says the LORD. • 1 John 1:8-9; 2:1

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; Hebrews 2:1

Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 1 Peter 2:1-3

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation-- 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 1 John 3:2-3

2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.