Session 4 Amos 9:5-15

THE SHAKING (AMOS 9:7-10)

excuses given for exemptions from God’s judgment.

7 Israelites, are you not like the Cushites to me?
This is the LORD’s declaration.
Didn’t I bring Israel from the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor,
and the Arameans from Kir?

8 Look, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom,
and I will obliterate it from the face of the earth.
However, I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob —
this is the LORD’s declaration —
9 for I am about to give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel
among all the nations, as one shakes a sieve,
but not a pebble will fall to the ground.
10 All the sinners among my people who say,
“Disaster will never overtake or confront us,”
will die by the sword.

COMPARE:

Direct the group to review comments about verse 7 (p.41)
for background on the comparison kingdoms pointed to by Amos.

Ask:

• To whom might people compare themselves to today to excuse themselves from guilt?

DISCUSS:

• How does comparing ourselves to others lead to a false sense of security? (p. 39)

PROPOSE:

reasons a person might give for being exempt from God’s judgment.
Lead the group to compare this list to ways the people in Amos’s day felt exempt.

TRANSITION:

The message delivered by Amos appears to be pessimistic and full of gloom,
but thankfully it doesn’t end on that note.
Even though the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom would fall,
a new day was coming. A remnant would remain,
and the lineage of David would continue to provide the Messiah realized in the coming of Jesus Christ.