Scripture Union Daily Guide 22 January 2024 – Judgement Is Sure

Scripture Union Daily Guide 22 January 2024 Message

Read Scripture Union Daily Guide 22 January 2024 , Monday SU Daily Guide Reading

TOPIC: Judgement Is Sure

OPEN PRAYER: Plant my steps in the sure promises of your word today, dear Lord.

INTRODUCTION TO AMOS
The prophet Amos was a man from Judah and was called to prophesy in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He was a respected man in the community. He was not a professional prophet, but a layman, a shepherd. He ministered during the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah and Jeroboam, king of Israel. It was an era when both kingdoms had reached new political and military heights; there was peace and business was booming. Hypocrisy and idolatrous religion were popular in society. People were extravagantly indulgent, immorality rampant, the judicial system corrupt and the oppression of the poor, commonplace.

Amos’ message was to announce the coming judgment upon the nations, and he called for repentance. Even though the nation would be destroyed, there was a promise of preserving a remnant and restoring them to political prominence and covenant blessing.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: AMOS 1:1-2:3

1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

2 And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.

3 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:

4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.

5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord.

6 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:

7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:

8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God.

9 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:

10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

11 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever:

12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

13 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:

14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:

15 And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the Lord.

AMOS 2:1-3

1 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:

2 But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:

3 And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord.

Question(s) for Reflection
• Q2: Is there any example for me to follow or not to follow?
• Q5: Is there any warning for me to heed?

Scripture Union Daily Guide 22 January 2024 – MESSAGE

Observe the background of Amos (1:1). With God, your background does not matter. He can call one from any background, so be open to all the special ways in which God might want to use you to make your secular job a mission field. Can you follow Amos’ example? Note the repetition of the phrase in v. 3. Perhaps it means, “for the many, many sins, especially the one named!”

Also, note the five nations mentioned and pick out the specific sin of each of them for which they will face judgment. To know more about their backgrounds, see Genesis 25:30 (Edom) and Genesis 19:36-38 (Ammon and Moab). V.13 – Ammon’s sins bring to mind the violation of human rights, atrocities, and gender-based violence accorded to women in areas of conflict in our modern world. Has human nature changed since the days of Amos?

Is there a warning we must heed to avoid facing judgment?

Practice/Word Application
Remember: Amos calls us to self-examination.

• Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?

CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, open my ears to hear your voice and help me to deliver your message to all those who need to hear it.

Offer a prayer of faith in line with Matthew 24:46

One Year Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading Plan: Day 22 – Genesis 30-31

NATIONAL PRAYER BULLETIN
Mon Jan 22, 2024

PRAYER FOCUS
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.
1 Corinthians 12:1

THANK GOD FOR:
• Not leaving us ignorant concerning the need for spiritual gifts in the body of Christ
• His desire to distribute these spiritual gifts to every one of us, for the profit of all

PRAY FOR:
• A holistic and deeper understanding of this benefit for us His people, particularly in SU
• A desire to have these spiritual gifts manifest among us

PRAY AGAINST:
• Every way the devil has been cheating us, for lack of understanding of all that is made available for us in Christ Jesus.

Scripture Union Daily Guide 22 January 2024 Devotional. Scripture Union is an international, interdenominational, evangelical Christian organization. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world. The organization’s stated aim is to use the Bible to inspire children, young people and adults to know God.