Amo 4:12 | KingComments | STEP | deal with the punishments that God has brought upon the people in the past. This verse is about the actions of God in the near future. If all God’s actions to bring them back on the right track have no result, only one thing remains: that they will come face to face with God Himself as Judge. To say it with James: “Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door” ( ). In God’s majesty is impressively represented. The moment will come when God will ask them to account for their actions and then have to judge them. The call here is not to make the people repent, although that should never be ruled out. The die is cast. The people have sworn in all tones that they do not want to repent. The prophet now calls on the people to prepare themselves to appear before God. Let them have their defense ready to respond to the questions God will ask about their behavior. Not that they will be able to save themselves by doing so. Therefore, let the people brace themselves to hear God’s judgment and bow to its execution. While the people as a whole are being addressed, there may be a few in the people who repent at this thought and do not let it come to a confrontation with the Judge. For us Christians, too, the call “prepare to meet your God” has an awesome meaning. For those who believe in Christ as their Savior, this encounter with God will not be an event to be faced with fear and trembling. Such a person may know God as his Father. Nevertheless, there may be things present in our life as Christians that do not make the thought of an encounter with God an event he looks forward to. If that is so, let us confess sin and get rid of the wrong. Let us no longer maintain ourselves and honestly judge ourselves. If we do, we will not be condemned with the world ( ).

‏ Amos 4:12

Prepare to Meet God

Amos 4:6-11 deal with the punishments that God has brought upon the people in the past. This verse is about the actions of God in the near future. If all God’s actions to bring them back on the right track have no result, only one thing remains: that they will come face to face with God Himself as Judge. To say it with James: “Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door” (Jam 5:9b). In Amos 4:13 God’s majesty is impressively represented.

The moment will come when God will ask them to account for their actions and then have to judge them. The call here is not to make the people repent, although that should never be ruled out. The die is cast. The people have sworn in all tones that they do not want to repent.

The prophet now calls on the people to prepare themselves to appear before God. Let them have their defense ready to respond to the questions God will ask about their behavior. Not that they will be able to save themselves by doing so. Therefore, let the people brace themselves to hear God’s judgment and bow to its execution. While the people as a whole are being addressed, there may be a few in the people who repent at this thought and do not let it come to a confrontation with the Judge.

For us Christians, too, the call “prepare to meet your God” has an awesome meaning. For those who believe in Christ as their Savior, this encounter with God will not be an event to be faced with fear and trembling. Such a person may know God as his Father.

Nevertheless, there may be things present in our life as Christians that do not make the thought of an encounter with God an event he looks forward to. If that is so, let us confess sin and get rid of the wrong. Let us no longer maintain ourselves and honestly judge ourselves. If we do, we will not be condemned with the world (1Cor 11:31-32).