Nothing New Under the Sun*

When considering the troubling events of this week, my wife, Pastor Mary, made a comment that "there's nothing new under the sun". This is found in Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon: "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun...it hath been already from old time, which was before us." (Eccl. 1:9-10). The prophets were given the Word of the LORD in warning to God's people, and they were often ignored or accused because of it. The prophet Amos, a humble shepherd who was called by the LORD to be a prophet to Israel, wrote of the threat of war and conflict, and the judgment of the LORD upon those nations who attacked Israel. Amos wrote of the judgment against Damascus and Syria (Amos 1:1-5, see also Isa. 17:1). Amos also wrote about Gaza, the territory in our headlines today: "...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: I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof...and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the LORD God." (v. 6-8). Against Syrian cities and princes, and Edom, the LORD promises fire, battle, and a whirlwind of tempest, because they "remembered not the brotherly covenant", "did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity", "kept his wrath for ever", and "they have ripped up the women with child..." (v. 9-15). We have seen the same attacks today against women and children, and brother against their brother, Israel, all without pity. The war cry of these nations, especially Iran, is still today, "From the River to the Sea", meaning the total destruction of Israel from the land God promised to them. Many historians say that Damascus, Syria is the oldest continually inhabited city on earth, but Syria, under the influence of Iran, is currently firing rockets into Israel. There's nothing new under the sun. God's prophetic Word against these nations still stands. However, Amos also received the Word of the LORD against God's people, Israel: "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? Surely the LORD God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets? The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the LORD God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:1-8). The prophetic warning is coming from the LORD. Shouldn't God's people take it seriously, and react appropriately? Through Amos, the LORD indicts His people with robbery and violence, and knowing right, but not doing it (v. 10). "Therefore thus saith the LORD God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled." (v. 11, see also Amos 6:14). We again see Israel surrounded by adversaries. The LORD called the small remnant of His people that are left from the calamity to come back to Him: "For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek me, and ye shall live." (Amos 5:1-4). We see this call from God in 2 Chron. 7:14 also. Amos, as Moses had previously done, interceded before the LORD on behalf of His rebellious people, and the LORD relented from the judgments of locusts and fire against His people that He had shown to Amos (Amos 7:1-6). However, the LORD told Amos that He will set a plumbline "in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more." (v. 7-8). That plumbline of righteousness is the Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus, who was rejected. However, because of that blindness of Israel, the Gentiles were able to be grafted into the faith. Again, though, there is the assurance from God that all of Israel shall be saved. The Church does not replace Israel, but is grafted into Israel. What happens to Israel, happens to us. As often happens with the prophet and the prophetic Word that is not pleasing to us, Amos was accused of being a false prophet by a priest, Amaziah, to the king of Israel: "...Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam (the king) shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land." (v. 10-11). Then the priest told Amos to flee away into Judah, and prophesy there, but he was not to prophesy anymore at Bethel, the city of the king. (v. 12-13). Amos reminded the priest that he was not born of a prophetic line, but had been called by God out of the flock, having been a shepherd. The prophetic Words delivered by Amos were fulfilled. We do not ask for our calling in the LORD, but the LORD sovereignly determines, as He did Amos, how we shall each serve Him. Amos warned the people of Israel that there would be no escape from the judgments of God against them: "...I will set my eyes upon them for evil, and not for good", as the LORD said. (Amos 9:1-4). However, the LORD was not finished with Israel, and made a marvellous promise of restoration to them: "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen (see Zech. 12 also), and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this...And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God." (Amos 9:11-15). There are many verses in scripture that repeat the promise of God to return Israel to their land forever. This is God's purpose for Israel, and we have seen that promise fulfilled. A remnant of Judah were ready to run to Egypt in order to escape the conquest and captivity of the king of Babylon (Jer. 41:17-18). All of the people sought out the prophet Jeremiah, asking him to pray for them to the LORD, and bring to them the Word of the LORD for them in their desperate situation. They assured Jeremiah that they would do whatever the LORD told them to do. (Jer. 42:1-5). However, ten days later, when Jeremiah brought back the Word of the LORD to them, they didn't like it. The Word of the LORD repeatedly warned and forbade them to go into Egypt to escape, as they had planned to do, but to stay in the land He had given them. The LORD assured them that if they obeyed Him in this, He would not bring the evil upon them, that He would save them from the king of Babylon, and would build them up instead. If they went into Egypt, the LORD said that they would die.(Jer. 42:9-19). Jeremiah then told the people that they had not been honest when they asked him to seek the Word of the LORD on their behalf: "And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn." (v. 21-22). Will we hear and obey the Word of the LORD in these last days? After Jeremiah had delivered this Word, all the proud men said to Him: "Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there: But...for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon." (Jer. 43:1-3). So, as with Amos, above, the prophet was accused of delivering a false prophecy, and the leaders and all of the people disregarded the voice of the LORD (v. 5). Although Israel was repeatedly disobedient, and had to suffer the consequences of that disobedience, God was not finished with Israel. The LORD made continual promises to bring Israel back to Him, thereby being glorified in the earth as a result. (See Isa. 59:19-20 and Joel 2:32). Psalms 120 through 125 assure us that God has His eyes and heart upon Jerusalem and Israel continually, and God has exalted His Word, above even His own name (Ps. 138:2). He will keep His Word. The current conflict that we see today in the Middle East is not Armageddon, but could lead to Armageddon. God's prophetic timetable is based upon Jerusalem and Israel, and not upon any other nation. Scripture says that He who keeps Jerusalem neither slumbers nor sleeps. Jesus wept over Jerusalem twice, with one reason being that Jerusalem did not know the time of (His) visitation. We are expected to know the signs of the times and of His soon return, and to live and act according to that knowledge. If you know someone who doesn't yet know Jesus, share with them. Jesus is coming soon. **Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 11/19/23 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705.