As Christians, we often like to focus on the love of God – how He is ever merciful, always forgiving our transgressions.
For many of us, it is unsettling to behold the other side of God – the God of justice, One who judges, condemns, and does not spare wrongdoers.
This is the side of God that is depicted in the book of Amos, with the first chapter listing God’s judgements against the Gentile nations of Syria (v3-5), the Philistines (v6-8), Tyre (v9-10), Edom (v11-12) and Ammon (v13-15).
God repays viciousness with viciousness.
These nations were described as cruel (e.g. “ripped open the women with child”), hateful (e.g. “he kept his wrath forever”), and driven by selfish ambition (e.g. “that they might enlarge their territory”).
In return, God repaid them with captivity and the destruction of their palaces.
For the extreme misery they inflicted on others, God returned the same amount of misery on their own heads.
This is the same God we worship today.
He protectively numbers the hairs on our head, but He also numbers our transgressions if we remain unrepentant.
God does not turn away from saving anyone, but He also will not turn away from punishing a willful sinner (Hebrews 10:26-27).
God’s love is not a love that indulges us.
It is not about giving us or letting us do whatever we want, even at the expense of our spiritual life.
God’s love does not rejoice in iniquity but in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6), because God’s love is a love that directs us to where He is, so that we can enjoy true everlasting peace and joy.
God’s love is a love that zealously burns for our soul, not tolerating any sin that will cost it its salvation.
So today, while we can still hear His angry voice, do not harden our hearts!
And he said:
“The LORD roars from Zion,
And utters His voice from Jerusalem;
The pastures of the shepherds mourn,
And the top of Carmel withers.”
(Amos 1:2)
