176 - withdrawing themselves from subjection to their God

Chareen's Thoughts

• The Lord shows Amos visions and declares the end.  Amos speaks about Israel's doom..
• The Lord declares His judgements to Amos.
• Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy (a pleading contention) with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness, love, pity and mercy, or knowledge of God [from personal experience with Him] in the land. There is nothing but [false] swearing and breaking faith and killing and stealing and committing adultery; they break out [into violence], one [deed of] bloodshed following close on another. Therefore shall the land [continually] mourn, and all who dwell in it shall languish, together with the wild beasts of the open country and the birds of the heavens; yes, the fishes of the sea also shall [perish because of the drought] be collected and taken away. Hosea 4:1-3
• The Lord's accusation and worship condemned.
• ... For the spirit of harlotry has led them astray and they have played the harlot, withdrawing themselves from subjection to their God. Hosea 4:12
• Jeroboam dies and Zechariah becomes king after he dies Shallum, Menahem become king.
• Uzziah grew strong and arrogant entered the Lord's house to offer incense.  He is rebuked by the priests. 
• As a consequence the Lord afflicted him with a skin disease till he died.
• Menahem died, Pekahiah took his place and walked in sin.

Hear this, O you who would swallow up and trample down the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail and come to an end, Saying, When will the New Moon festival be past that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath that we may offer wheat for sale, making the ephah [measure] small and the shekel [measure] great and falsifying the scales by deceit, That we may buy [into slavery] the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals; yes, and sell the refuse of the wheat [as if it were good grade]? Amos 8:4-6. I found these words interesting.  It speaks so clearly about the attitude of the heart

blessings
Chareen