Amos Chapter 5

Scripture Reading:  Read Amos Chapter 5. 

Seek the Lord who created all things:

Amos 5:8 – “He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land— the Lord is his name.” (NIV) 

One of my favorite things to do is look at the stars. Whether I’m sitting in a hot tub under the stars or sitting around the campfire in the summer gazing into the sky, I love looking up at night. Amos refers here to the constellation Orion, which we so often recognize when the stars come out at night. 

The simple yet profound reminder for us today is that our God has created our vast universe; He is worthy of our worship and devotion.  Before Amos shares this statement about God creating the stars, Amos pleads with Israel to turn from their sin and rebellion and seek the Lord.  

Read what Amos says in verses 4-5 –

“This is what the Lord says to Israel: “Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.” (NIV)

Israel’s version of faith and devotion to God was deeply misguided.  Throughout this chapter, Amos highlights their disobedience, persistent idol worship, and oppression of the poor.  And yet, they thought if they continued to worship at their historic places like Gilgal and Bethel, everything would be right with the Lord. 

But their flawed ideas about worship and devotion were wrong.  Amos calls Israel and us today to seek the Lord who created the heavens and earth.  Furthermore, the God who created all things determines genuine worship and devotion, not us. 

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for your vast greatness that is too wonderful to comprehend.  Lord, help me seek you with a sincere and contrite heart.