Book of Small Prophets
Amos
Chapter
2
Before reflecting on the second chapter of the book of the Small Prophet Amos I would like to share the following joke:-
Two prophets met on Mount Zion. One was a small prophet and one was a more established prophets. The more established prophet started boasting that his blessing was greater than that of the smaller
prophet. In protest the small prophet proclaimed that God created us all equal. The popular prophet replied " Ok then why are you referred to as a 'Small Prophet'!
1. Thus says the LORD: For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because he burned to lime the bones of the king of Edom. 2. So I will send a fire on Moab, and it shall devour the strongholds of Kerioth, and Moab shall die amid uproar, amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet; 3. I will cut off the ruler from its midst, and will kill all its officials with him says the LORD.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 1 to 3)
Oh God my Father if Moab is to be judged in such a way, for having burnt to lime the bones of the King of Edom, how much more do we deserve to be burnt for the lives that were taken in the gas chambers and the beheadings and cases of rape and murder that are taking place in the world. In the name of such perpetrators I plead forgiveness both for myself as a sinner and even for the word at large Amen.
4. Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes, but they have been led astray by the same lies after which their ancestors walked. 5. So I will send a fire on Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 4 to 5)
Oh God my Father we also merit Your fire, for we have also broken Your commandments, one after the other .You told us not to kill and we commit murder, abort our young ones, meddle in embryos that contain life, meddle with the course of nature, wars, uprisings, injustice, poverty, corruption among many other which result in a lack of love which is the greatest commandment of them all Amen.
6. Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals-7. they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way; father and son go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; 8. they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink wine bought with fines that they imposed.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 6 to 8)
Oh God my Father if You had to take into consideration our sins today, they are very similar to those of yesterday. I pray that as humanity we aim to improve and not become worse than our predecessors. Amen.
9. Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of cedars, and who was as strong as oaks; I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath. 10. Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 9 to 10)
Oh God my Father, words are not enough to thank You for the wonders that You have performed and are still performing in my life. On reflecting, I remember important events that took place, where the enemy was defeated, as in the time that I was unemployed. This was a big and powerful enemy, that You uprooted from the earth and destroyed from above. Oh God, there is none like You. I thank You, God my Father.
11. And I raised up some of your children to be prophets and some of your youths to be nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel says the LORD.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my Father You did all things well, we needed vocations and You gave us vocations, we cried out for rain and may other issues and You responded to them. However, on the other hand, have we remained faithful in our commitment to You, my God and Father. This is an answer that we all have the responsibility of answering. At times oh God with Your divine help I have stood firm but at other times when I did not place my focus on You I sinned again and again. Mercy and forgiveness my God and Father. Amen.
12. But you made the nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, "You shall not prophesy." 13. So, I will press you down in your place, just as a cart presses down when it is full of sheaves.
(Book of Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 12 to 13)
Oh God if You had to analyse our lives You would find many faults, however as humans, we always try to do our best to live according to Your ways.
14. Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain their strength, nor shall the mighty save their lives; 15. those who handle the bow shall not stand, and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves, nor shall those who ride horses save their lives; 16. and those who are stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, says the LORD.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 14 to 16)
Oh God my Father, if we ever had to stimulate Your anger, even though You are a kind and merciful Father, I could not imagine the terror that we would experience, for even though humans may think that with all the advances in nuclear energy, warheads and arms, we cannot stand a chance against You and the forces of heaven. For You are in control of both the natural and even the supernatural. If You were to command the sea to cover the earth, nobody on earth could ever stop You. Amen.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
Oh God, my Father I pray for mercy, mercy and more mercy! For although there are many good people on the earth, there are also others, whose hearts are determined to invoke evil and sorrow in our hearts. I pray also for such people who for some reason have their hearts filled with hurt, anger and sorrow and have been possessed by the spirit of evil in order to wreck harm and destruction on others. May we have peace and tolerance and love, even if our team does not win the Euro-Cup or the World Cup we do not need to vent our anger on others and harm innocent people and destroy other's property Amen.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 1 to 3)
Oh God my Father if Moab is to be judged in such a way, for having burnt to lime the bones of the King of Edom, how much more do we deserve to be burnt for the lives that were taken in the gas chambers and the beheadings and cases of rape and murder that are taking place in the world. In the name of such perpetrators I plead forgiveness both for myself as a sinner and even for the word at large Amen.
4. Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes, but they have been led astray by the same lies after which their ancestors walked. 5. So I will send a fire on Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 4 to 5)
Oh God my Father we also merit Your fire, for we have also broken Your commandments, one after the other .You told us not to kill and we commit murder, abort our young ones, meddle in embryos that contain life, meddle with the course of nature, wars, uprisings, injustice, poverty, corruption among many other which result in a lack of love which is the greatest commandment of them all Amen.
6. Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals-7. they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way; father and son go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; 8. they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink wine bought with fines that they imposed.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 6 to 8)
Oh God my Father if You had to take into consideration our sins today, they are very similar to those of yesterday. I pray that as humanity we aim to improve and not become worse than our predecessors. Amen.
9. Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of cedars, and who was as strong as oaks; I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath. 10. Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 9 to 10)
Oh God my Father, words are not enough to thank You for the wonders that You have performed and are still performing in my life. On reflecting, I remember important events that took place, where the enemy was defeated, as in the time that I was unemployed. This was a big and powerful enemy, that You uprooted from the earth and destroyed from above. Oh God, there is none like You. I thank You, God my Father.
11. And I raised up some of your children to be prophets and some of your youths to be nazirites. Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel says the LORD.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verse 11)
Oh God my Father You did all things well, we needed vocations and You gave us vocations, we cried out for rain and may other issues and You responded to them. However, on the other hand, have we remained faithful in our commitment to You, my God and Father. This is an answer that we all have the responsibility of answering. At times oh God with Your divine help I have stood firm but at other times when I did not place my focus on You I sinned again and again. Mercy and forgiveness my God and Father. Amen.
12. But you made the nazirites drink wine, and commanded the prophets, saying, "You shall not prophesy." 13. So, I will press you down in your place, just as a cart presses down when it is full of sheaves.
(Book of Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 12 to 13)
Oh God if You had to analyse our lives You would find many faults, however as humans, we always try to do our best to live according to Your ways.
14. Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain their strength, nor shall the mighty save their lives; 15. those who handle the bow shall not stand, and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves, nor shall those who ride horses save their lives; 16. and those who are stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, says the LORD.
(Book of Small Prophets Amos Chapter 2 verses 14 to 16)
Oh God my Father, if we ever had to stimulate Your anger, even though You are a kind and merciful Father, I could not imagine the terror that we would experience, for even though humans may think that with all the advances in nuclear energy, warheads and arms, we cannot stand a chance against You and the forces of heaven. For You are in control of both the natural and even the supernatural. If You were to command the sea to cover the earth, nobody on earth could ever stop You. Amen.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
Oh God, my Father I pray for mercy, mercy and more mercy! For although there are many good people on the earth, there are also others, whose hearts are determined to invoke evil and sorrow in our hearts. I pray also for such people who for some reason have their hearts filled with hurt, anger and sorrow and have been possessed by the spirit of evil in order to wreck harm and destruction on others. May we have peace and tolerance and love, even if our team does not win the Euro-Cup or the World Cup we do not need to vent our anger on others and harm innocent people and destroy other's property Amen.
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