Sharper Iron — The Day Is Surely Drawing Near: Amos’ Vision of the LORD

Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Amos 9:1-4.

In Amos’ fifth and final vision, he sees the LORD Himself. The dead heterodoxy of Israel is about to yield its terrible result. The LORD has told His people to prepare to meet Him, and now He meets them, only not in grace, but judgment. He stands beside the idolatrous altar in Bethel to destroy the false temple there, along with all of the priests and worshipers. Even those who escape the crumbling building will not escape. There is no place high or low where Israel can flee such that the LORD cannot find them. Neither hell nor heaven, neither the highest mountain nor the lowest depth will provide a refuge from His judgment. Their friends will not be able to hide them, nor will exile amongst their enemies. The LORD will bring destruction upon His people, because His eye is fixed upon them for evil and not for good. The Law hits hard in this passage in order to point us to Christ. He is the true temple, crucified for our sins and raised for our justification. In Him alone is our refuge from the judgment of God. Hidden in Christ through the water and Word of Holy Baptism, we find that God’s wrath has been spent upon His Son so that eternal life is bestowed upon us. Christ is our only refuge.

“The Day Is Surely Drawing Near” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the book of Amos. This Old Testament prophet speaks the LORD’s roaring Word in order to call us first to repentance over our idolatry and injustice and second to faith in the Messiah in the line of David, Jesus Christ. Only through faith in Him will we stand forgiven and redeemed on the coming Day of the LORD.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Amos 9:1-4

The Destruction of Israel

9 I saw the Lord standing beside^[a] the altar, and he said:

“Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake,
    and shatter them on the heads of all the people;^[b]
and those who are left of them I will kill with the sword;
    not one of them shall flee away;
    not one of them shall escape.

²“If they dig into Sheol,
    from there shall my hand take them;
if they climb up to heaven,
    from there I will bring them down.
³If they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
    from there I will search them out and take them;
and if they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,
    there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them.
⁴And if they go into captivity before their enemies,
    there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them;
and I will fix my eyes upon them
    for evil and not for good.”

Footnotes:

Amos 9:1 Or on
Amos 9:1 Hebrew all of them

English Standard Version (ESV)

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).