Amo 2:12 | KingComments | STEP | What is the people’s answer to God’s care? You can imagine that the bad mood of the people manifests itself simply by not listening to those people and ignoring their message. But their evil state manifests itself in a more terrible way in the spirit of rebellion. Instead of allowing themselves to be incited to a holy life by the examples of the Nazirites, the people want the Nazirites to drink wine in order to break their vow. Here, giving wine does not mean that they are offering wine, but that they are violently forcing the Nazirites to drink wine. The prophets meet the same spirit of rebellion. God’s witnesses are unbearable to the people and they do everything they can to silence them. Amos has experienced this himself ( ; cf. ; ; ). And what are we experiencing today? What answer do we give to God’s care? Many ‘Nazirites’ are tempted to drink ‘wine’ again. Satan will do everything in his power to take in young people, so that they do not respond to the call of God, but listen to the voice of people. Christians who do not take it very seriously feel itchy when they see other Christians who want to live fully dedicated to the Lord. Of course, there are some things to be criticized about the lives of committed Christians. They are not perfect people. But instead of being appealed to by what can be seen of devotion, dedicated Christians often try to do something in which it is not Christ but their own pleasures that are central. If such Christians succumb to that pressure, their lives will no longer be a ‘condemnation’ for less or not-dedicated Christians. The sting is out. By the way, dedicated Christians will not want to condemn others who live less dedicated lives. It is a more or less automatic consequence, something that cannot be avoided. The Lord Jesus above all, and following in His footsteps also Paul, have been completely devoted to God. The hatred experienced by the Lord and Paul was unavoidable. Anyone who wants to live dedicated, must count on what Paul says to Timothy happening to him or her: “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” ( ). What the Nazirite experiences will also be experienced by the faithful prophet. A clear, radical preaching of God’s Word is generally not appreciated in professing Christianity. As long as you leave the conscience out, you will be listened to. But if you point out evil, you will meet with rejection and they will try to make it impossible for you to speak.

‏ Amos 2:12

Rebellion

What is the people’s answer to God’s care? You can imagine that the bad mood of the people manifests itself simply by not listening to those people and ignoring their message. But their evil state manifests itself in a more terrible way in the spirit of rebellion.

Instead of allowing themselves to be incited to a holy life by the examples of the Nazirites, the people want the Nazirites to drink wine in order to break their vow. Here, giving wine does not mean that they are offering wine, but that they are violently forcing the Nazirites to drink wine.

The prophets meet the same spirit of rebellion. God’s witnesses are unbearable to the people and they do everything they can to silence them. Amos has experienced this himself (Amos 7:12; cf. Isa 30:10; Jer 11:21; Mic 2:11).

And what are we experiencing today? What answer do we give to God’s care? Many ‘Nazirites’ are tempted to drink ‘wine’ again. Satan will do everything in his power to take in young people, so that they do not respond to the call of God, but listen to the voice of people. Christians who do not take it very seriously feel itchy when they see other Christians who want to live fully dedicated to the Lord.

Of course, there are some things to be criticized about the lives of committed Christians. They are not perfect people. But instead of being appealed to by what can be seen of devotion, dedicated Christians often try to do something in which it is not Christ but their own pleasures that are central.

If such Christians succumb to that pressure, their lives will no longer be a ‘condemnation’ for less or not-dedicated Christians. The sting is out. By the way, dedicated Christians will not want to condemn others who live less dedicated lives. It is a more or less automatic consequence, something that cannot be avoided.

The Lord Jesus above all, and following in His footsteps also Paul, have been completely devoted to God. The hatred experienced by the Lord and Paul was unavoidable. Anyone who wants to live dedicated, must count on what Paul says to Timothy happening to him or her: “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12).

What the Nazirite experiences will also be experienced by the faithful prophet. A clear, radical preaching of God’s Word is generally not appreciated in professing Christianity. As long as you leave the conscience out, you will be listened to. But if you point out evil, you will meet with rejection and they will try to make it impossible for you to speak.