Yahweh Roars from Zion
“The LORD roars from Zion and makes his voice heard from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds mourn and the summit of Carmel withers.”
This is how the prophecy, or we could say sermon, of Amos begins. His first word is YHWH—Yahweh, the LORD, the God of Israel. Yahweh roars like a divine lion from Zion. This is no friendly roar but a ferocious roar about to devour its prey; it incites fear in the land.
Why is God angry?
First, he is angry about the sins committed against humanity by the nations. The nations, which are listed and condemned in 1:3-2:3, are guilty of human trafficking and slavery, inhumane violence, and other atrocities in warfare. Second, he is angry with his own people. Judah is singled out as having rejected God’s Law, and Israel is indicted for having committed sins against its own people in what can be categorized as abuse of power, sexual immorality, and injustice.
They trample on the head of the weak into the dust of the ground, and they thrust aside the way of the afflicted. (2:7)
As Amos’ prophecy continues, we read more about the sins of Israel. They have profaned his holy name by false worship coupled with an immoral life. Their sins are both theological and ethical. The way they live undermines their worship of Yahweh. Listen to what he says:
I hate, I despise, your feasts! I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. Even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will have no regard for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle. Take away from me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice flow like water, and righteousness like an unfailing stream. (5:21-24)
The LORD roars from Zion.
The Chronicles of Narnia’s description of Aslan the lion fits with what we read about the Lord in Amos.
“Isn’t he safe?” said Lucy. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
I grew up in conservative evangelicalism that emphasized right theology and moral living. Yet, the sad reality is that many conservative evangelicals have been living behind a veneer. The sins are many: abuse of power, racism, sexism, misogyny, sexual immorality, celebrity culture, pride, and the list goes on.
Podcasts like Christianity Today’s, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, and Gangster Capitalism’s season 3 on Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University are deeply troubling and revealing about the culture of Christianity in America.
I also have been disturbed for some time by the celebrity Christian culture and how so many evangelical, low-church, local-church-autonomy congregations seem to be built on or around the personality of the pastor. Thus, like Mars Hill, a church can easily rise and fall based on the rise and fall of its human pastor.
I’m grateful to have been trained and to now work at a seminary that does not tend to raise up celebrity pastors. Most of our alumni are not well-known to the world. If our graduates look anything like our faculty, which more often than not they do, then our alumni are marked by a character of humility, faithfulness, perseverance, love, and service.
Our faculty are not interested in being flashy or in having a big name for themselves. One faculty member, who by the way is one of the most accomplished and prestigious scholars on staff, said he just wants to be a footman: “I only want to be a footman who opens the door of God’s kingdom to people through teaching his Word.” Another faculty member, who is likely the most well-known of the bunch, likewise often refers to himself as a doorman in God’s kingdom.
This is the kind of perspective we should have on our roles and ministries.
But somewhere along the way many American churches and Christians have capitulated to the culture: interested in building up a name for ourselves and enticed by power, money, fame, etc.
Scripture is clear: the God we claim to serve in life and ministry is not interested in our pride, our name, or our accomplishments. Instead, he is searching for the humble, the lowly, those who love him and others. He gets angry and hates when we exalt ourselves and treat others with contempt and evil.
Only He is exalted, and the Exalted One wants to make his home among the lowly. In fact, he himself became lowly. He came down from heaven and took the form of a servant (Phil. 2:5-11). There are so many texts in Scripture that speak about pride and humility, but I have chosen just a few. Read them slowly and meditate on them. Ask the Lord to protect and help you, because none of us are exempt from the temptation of pride and its consequences. We all need his help and his mercy.
For the High and Exalted One, who lives forever, whose name is holy, says this: ‘I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed.’ (Isa. 57:15)
Amen.
Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them.
He remains faithful forever, executing justice for the exploited and giving food to the hungry.
The Lord frees prisoners.
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects resident aliens and helps the fatherless and the wisdom, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. (Psalm 146:5-9)
Amen.
There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God.
Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him. …
The Lord brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.
The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap.
He seats them with noblemen and gives them a throne of honor. (1 Sam. 2:2-3, 6-8)
Amen.
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.
He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors. (Luke 1:26-55)
O God, the King eternal, who divides the day from the night and turned the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when the night cometh, rejoice to give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.