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 ...