Major on the Minors: God Calls Us To Be Holy and Punishes Our Sin
2021-05-21
Pastor Jonathan Falwell
Today, we will begin a two-week series focusing on the 12 books called the Minor Prophets that bring the Old Testament to conclusion. Today we will focus on the first nine, next week the last three. And, being that this is a two week, two part series, I’ll go ahead and give you the theme of both weeks:
- God Calls Us To Be Holy and Punishes Our Sin (This week)
- God Promises To Restore and Renew (Next week)
Obviously, we won’t be diving into each book specifically over the next two weeks but the general theme of all of the minor prophets is basically broken down into two major ideas as I just shared. So, we will work from these themes and find encouragement for our journey.
God Calls Us To Be Holy and Punishes Our Sin
Today, I’ve pulled a passage from one of the books that seems to convey the message of all of the first 9 of the minor prophets.
Amos 5:1-6 (CSB) Listen to this message that I am singing for you, a lament, house of Israel: 2 She has fallen; Virgin Israel will never rise again. She lies abandoned on her land with no one to raise her up. 3 For the Lord God says: The city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left in the house of Israel. 4 For the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek me and live! 5 Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal or journey to Beer-sheba, for Gilgal will certainly go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. 6 Seek the Lord and live, or he will spread like fire throughout the house of Joseph; it will consume everything with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.
1. He calls us to listen
Vs 1a Listen to this message that I am singing for you
- Amid the noise of the day, listen!
2. There is always devastating consequences to our sin
Vs 2 She has fallen; Virgin Israel will never rise again. She lies abandoned on her land with no one to raise her up.
- We cannot live as we desire without paying the price
- A life lived for self and sin will result in a life filled with pain and fear
3. But, He never leaves us without hope
Vs 4 For the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek me and live!
- There is always a way out of our sinful self – “Seek Him and live”
- Taking our eyes off the world and focusing on Him leads to life
- Taking our eyes off Him and focusing on the world leads to death
4. But, we must obey
Vs 6 Seek the Lord and live, or he will spread like fire throughout the house of Joseph; it will consume everything with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.
Key Verses –
Hosea 5:15 I will depart and return to my place until they recognize their guilt and seek my face; they will search for me in their distress
Joel 2:12-13 Even now—this is the Lord’s declaration—turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. 13 Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster
Obadiah 1:3-4 Your arrogant heart has deceived you, you who live in clefts of the rock,
in your home on the heights, who say to yourself, “Who can bring me down to the ground?” 4 Though you seem to soar like an eagle and make your nest among the stars,
even from there I will bring you down. This is the Lord’s declaration
Jonah 3:10 God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—so God relented from the disaster he had threatened them with. And he did not do it
Micah 6:8 Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God
Nahum 3:4-5 Because of the continual prostitution of the prostitute, the attractive mistress of sorcery, who treats nations and clans like merchandise by her prostitution and sorcery, 5 I am against you. This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. I will lift your skirts over your face and display your nakedness to nations, your shame to kingdoms
Habakkuk 1:12-13 Are you not from eternity, Lord my God? My Holy One, you will not die. Lord, you appointed them to execute judgment; my Rock, you destined them to punish us. 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing
Zephaniah 3:15 The Lord has removed your punishment; he has turned back your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you; you need no longer fear harm