How Will It Be In the Last Days?

Scripture: Amos 9: 13-15

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from the hills. I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.

Scripture Commentary: God gives us a picture of the last days

Amos announces God’s warning of destruction as a consequence of people’s evil ways. And we get a picture of what those days will look like.

In Amos’ day, the Jews lost sight of God’s care and love for them. The rich refused to help those in need because they could live lives of comfort and carelessness. People observed religious rituals in an attempt to appease God, but they did not truly love him because they did not truly know him.

A relationship with God runs deeper than actions alone. Balance your actions with faith in God, and his power and love for you.

God expects our belief in him to penetrate all areas of our conduct and to extend to all people and circumstances because that exemplifies a true and absolute dedication to him. We should let Amos’ words inspire us to live faithfully according to God’s desires.

God’s desire for us is to love everyone as he loves us and to spread his Word throughout the world. He does not want to turn away from us. He wants to bring us into his kingdom and give us eternal life; however, in his perfect love is perfect justice.

Repent, seek forgiveness for your sins, and turn to the Lord. And tell people about Jesus Christ and what he has done in your life so that you can be an instrument of God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Amos Chapter 9

I Have Transgressed But Ask God’s Forgiveness

Scripture: Isaiah 66: 23-24

And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Scripture Commentary: I have transgressed and Jesus made intercession on my behalf

Isaiah closes his book with a dramatic juxtaposition between two ways of living. He speaks of people who have transgressed against God, don’t listen to the Holy Spirit, and go against what they know is right and in accordance with the Gospel.

Isaiah also speaks of the humble person who reveres God’s message and applies it to his life. This person asks for forgiveness, worships God, and lives a Christian life.

Do not make your place in the ways of this world.

Resist societal urges. Your earthly life is not eternal, not like your life with God in his kingdom. Winning the admiration of people does not mean you have the approval or mercy of God.

You have the freedom to choose, but don’t let that choice steer you away from God’s path.

This chapter gives us a vivid picture of the coming judgment. For the faithless, there is a sobering portrayal of eternal damnation. For the faithful, there is a glorious picture of an eternal life with our Lord Jesus Christ. The contrast is striking. It’s hard to believe that some people would actively choose an eternity without God.

We are reluctant to change our earthly ways, even knowing there is a price to pay. How reluctant are you?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Isaiah Chapter 66

The Multitudes of Heaven Stand Around the Lord

Scripture: Joel 3: 14-17

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, stronghold for the people of Israel. Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.

Scripture Commentary: The multitudes of heaven worship the Lord

Multitudes of people have lived on earth, and every one of them – dead, living, and yet to be born – will face judgment. Look around you. See your friend – those with whom you work and live. Have they received God’s forgiveness? Do they know the consequences of sin? Has someone told them that God can save them from the eternal fires of hell?

Final judgment belongs to the Lord

If we understand the severity of God’s final judgment, we will want to take his offer of hope to those we know. The last word will be God’s; his ultimate sovereignty will be revealed. We cannot predict when that end will come, but we can have confidence in his control over the world’s events.

The world’s history, as well as our own pilgrimage, is in God’s hands. We can be secure in his love and trust him to guide our decisions. There is full assurance of victory and peace for those who trust in God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Joel Chapter 3

Return to Me, Declares the Lord

Scripture: Jeremiah 4: 1-2

“If you, Israel, will return, then return to me,” declares the Lord. “If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast.”

Scripture Commentary: Return to the Lord, your God.

Jeremiah told the people to break up the hardness of their hearts and return to God’s will. They needed to remove their sin so that God’s commands could take root.

Likewise, we must remove the sin that hardens our hearts against the Lord. If we resist God’s word then it will not take root and grow in our hearts, and we will not truly walk with him.

We say we love God, but do we live by his ways and his law? Do we spread his word and testify to what he has done in our lives so that people will know that God is in our hearts?

Only you and God know the answers to these questions, and only you can make a change in yourself to welcome him.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Jeremiah Chapter 4

Turn to the Lord Who Loves You

Scripture: Ezekiel 18: 30-32

“Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

Scripture Commentary: Turn to God for a new direction.

Ezekiel’s solution to the problem of inherited guilt is for each person to change their life and turn to God. We cannot change our lives on our own, but only through God’s work in us. The Holy Spirit changes us, as said in Psalm 51: 10-12.

If we renounce our life’s direction toward sin and rebellion and turn to God, he will give us a new direction. He will love us in a way we’ve never experienced, and he will equip us with the power to change.

You can begin by faith, by trusting in God’s power of love.

His perfect love causes him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and turn back to him, but he cannot wink at those who willfully sin. Wicked people die both physically and spiritually. God takes no joy in their deaths. He prefers that they turn to him and have eternal life.

Likewise, we should not rejoice in the misfortunes of nonbelievers. We should do all in our power to bring nonbelievers to the faith.

God loves you!

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ezekiel Chapter 18

Additional Reading:
Psalms Chapter 51

Those Who Turn From God Bring Disaster Unto Themselves

Scripture: Obadiah 1: 5-8

If thieves came to you, if robbers in the night – Oh, what a disaster awaits you – would they not steal only as much as they wanted? If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? But how Esau will be ransacked, his hidden treasures pillaged! All your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you; those who eat your bread will set a trap for you, but you will not detect it. “In that day,” declares the Lord, “will I not destroy the wise men of Edom, men of understanding in the mountains of Esau?”

Scripture Commentary: God has the power to save you from your disasters and calamities.

God pronounced disaster against Edom to bring justice. Our God is not a vengeful God, but he is a God of perfect justice. He is morally perfect and demands complete fairness. God will not give you eternal life in return for sin and disobedience. He will not show mercy unless you ask for it and show your dedication and love for him.

The Edomites murdered, robbed, and took advantage of others. Don’t talk yourself into sin, thinking that “nobody will know.” You will get caught because God knows all your sins, and he will be just.

Anyone who hurts God’s people is God’s enemy.

Anyone who does not help God’s people is God’s enemy too. If you have withheld your help from someone in a time of need, that is a sin. In other words, inaction can be as sinful as unholy actions. Don’t ignore or refuse to help those in need. Instead, be an instrument of the Lord.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Obadiah Chapter 1

Serve Only the Lord Your God

Scripture: Joshua 24:15

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Am’-or-ites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Scripture Commentary: Who or what you serve is your choice

Who or what do you serve? Yourself? Money? Another person, maybe?

In life, obstacles are placed in your path to distract or inhibit you from reaching your destination. Often, those obstacles are choices you make. They are decisions between the way of the world or your walk with God.

The nation of Israel had a choice, the same choice you face today. Follow God or follow gods. “Gods” refer to man-made idols, but it can be symbolic of the other material/worldly things that you idolize; like money, attention, and people.

You may boldly claim that you’ll never forsake God, but if you follow the way of the world then you are doing exactly that by are turning your back on God and the life he chose for you.

Accepting God into your life means accepting the commandments.

Breaking one is equivalent to breaking them all. God knows you are weak. He grants forgiveness only if you are truly sorry and repent.

Joshua told the Israelites – and is telling you – to throw away foreign idols and follow God. You are to love and serve God alone. Each day that God gives you is a day that you can serve him.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Joshua Chapter 24

We Need a New Heart and a New Spirit to Live Right by God

Scripture: Ezekiel 18: 30-32

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Scripture Commentary: Create in me a new heart, O God

God gives everyone a moral compass, a way to distinguish good from evil and right from wrong. When you do something wrong you tell God that you are deviating from his path. The wrong action calls for punishment, and we almost always believe it is unfair. We call God unfair when in reality we need to live up to his ways of fairness and follow the path he has set for us. We need to take on a new heart and a new spirit according to God’s ways.

Our God is a God of love and perfect justice.

He shows mercy on those who recognize their sin and ask for forgiveness, but he cannot tolerate those who knowingly go against him.

Wicked people die both spiritually and physically.

God takes no joy in these deaths. He would prefer they turn away from their ways and do good. He wants to give them a life of love.

What do you choose?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ezekiel Chapter 18

Additional Reading:
Psalms Chapter 51

Let Nothing Separate You and Your God

Scripture: Isaiah 59:1-2

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Scripture Commentary: For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.*

God can and will do everything for you. He will love you unconditionally, show you mercy, and give you eternal life. In return, he seeks openness, confession, and your request for forgiveness. Let nothing separate you and your God.

Sin offends God and separates us from him.

God can neither ignore nor tolerate sin as if it did not matter. If someone treats you poorly and doesn’t apologize, do you continue having a relationship with them, or do you shut them out of your life? Why shouldn’t God do the same when you treat him wrong?

If you live a life of sin, you force God to turn away from you.

Dying with sin means no forgiveness, and we separate ourselves eternally from God. God wants us to live with him forever, not live in eternal damnation.

Choose to live the life with God.

If you confess that you believe God gave his only Son to save the world so that neither you nor I, nor anyone, should perish; and you choose to live a Christian life, then God is with you.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Isaiah Chapter 59

**Additional Reading:
Isaiah Chapter 41

The Wicked Do Not Seek God

Scripture: Psalms 10: 3-6

For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

Scripture Commentary: Why are you upset when wicked people prosper?

Some people succeed in everything they do, and they brag that no one, not even God, can keep them down. There is an incompatibility in the wicked between blind arrogance and the presence of God in their hearts.

We may wonder why God allows these people to amass great wealth while they despise God as they do. Why are you upset when wicked people prosper? Are you angry about the damage they’re doing or are you just jealous of their success?

God will punish the wicked in his time

Keep in mind that God’s guiding influence is not in these people’s lives. We must gain the right perspective on wickedness and wealth. The wicked will surely be punished because God hates their evil deeds.

Wealth is only temporary. Do you know of anyone who was able to take their wealth with them into death?

It is not necessarily a sign of God’s approval if a person is wealthy. Don’t let wealth or the lack of it become your obsession. True wealth is with the One and Only, Jesus Christ.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 10