 Good morning everyone. Welcome to today's session. Today we are going to study on the two books from the minor prophets. That is Amos and Prophet Obadiah. So even before we could begin with our session, can I request one of us to lead us in prayer please? Sid, can you lead us in prayer? Yes ma'am, I am about to raise my hand. Good. Father, we come to the throne of grace. Thank you for this time Lord, you have given us as we are going to learn about your prophet book, about the books of the prophet Lord. Whatever they have done Lord, whatever the eventing they were before this light Lord, let their anointing be a sign upon us Lord. Whatever they have done Lord, whatever the work they have given for the kingdom Lord, for the kingdom special Lord, let there be a percentage of their work in our lives also Lord. Whatever you study Lord, whatever we will be studying Lord. Saturns would not draw us of that knowledge Lord. As we are working Lord, as we are studying about your kingdom Lord, whatever we are learning here Lord, it should be used for the kingdom specialness. Lord your name should be glorified. In Jesus name we pray Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Welcome again. Let me share the slide. I guess most of the subjects, they are completing the portion, isn't it? When we should be completing the Old Testament service soon. You can see this here. I hope you can see the presentation. Okay. Yes, it's available now. So we're going to study on the book of Amos, prophet Amos. Okay. There are some people still logging in. Let me accept them. One second please. Okay. So Amos was the author of this book and based on Amos chapter one verse one, we see that who lived during this time when Israel was divided into two kingdom. That is the northern and the southern kingdom and Amos was a shepherd and also a farmer of sycamore things. He resided in the town of Techo. And so Amos was a shepherd and being a farmer, he turned to be a prophet as well. And where God used him to share the message to talk to the people of Israel about, you know, he prophesied very boldly about the sin nature of Israelites. You know, very courageously he went and, you know, he rebuked the sin nature what the people were in. And he was trying to visualize the nearness to God's judgment and, you know, he started mobilizing to the nation to repent. The nation like the basket, he compared the nations like the basket of the rotting fruit and stands ripe for judgment because of its hypocrisy and spiritual difference. Well, the name Amos is derived from the Hebrew root word called Amos to lift a burden or to carry. Thus as per his name means burden bearer, Amos lived up to the meaning of his name. He actually bore the burden of this nation and we kept declaring the judgment toward the rebellious Israel. So this book is divided into the four divisions. Let me resend it to you. One second. I'm going back to the slides. Okay, totally there are about nine chapters and the book is divided into three. Yeah, not for three. The first talks about the series of messages and then there's a collection of poems from chapter seven to nine. We see contains a series of visions, visions, or there are five visions listed. The vision of a locus got sense swan of locus that devastated Israel's crop. The outcome of that was Amos praise and God relents on sending judgment. And then we see the vision of fire got sense fire that dries up the water and it was Israel's land. And then we see again Amos praise and God relents on sending judgment. Somebody has logged in. I'll just accept them. Yeah. Then we see the vision of a plumb line. God compares Israel to a wall built true to plumb. Like God's people fail to meet his standards. And here we see when Amos prayed God destroys Israel's high places and sanctuaries. And later we see the fourth vision that is a basket of ripe fruit where God declares that Israel is ripe for judgment. And God sends death destruction and darkness to Israel and God refuses to answer is the plan. The fifth vision was the Lord by the altar. God tells Amos to strike the tops of the temple pillars and God destroys the Israelites who are crushed by the collapsing temple or killed by the sword. So these are the five visions that are covered from chapter seven to nine. And there are some key verses here which we can study in this book saying that to walk together unless they have agreed to do so. And in chapter three verse seven talks about surely the sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to a servant. The prophets which he does even now among our mates. He always reveals things to us and then he does our God is a God. Not a God of surprise, but then our God releases things among his people. He talks to us a God who's a God is a God who has a relationship with his people. He shares things with us and then Amos 524 we see a God is also a God of justice and righteousness. We see let justice roll on like a river and righteousness like a never failing stream is a God of righteous and justice. And Amos 915 says I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land. I've given them, says the Lord God. This is the promise that God gives us no matter. Yes, he's correcting for us and then there are consequences that we need to face for us. But then God is a God of mercy and hope even though people were rebelling they were not hearing the voice of the prophet. But there's always a message of hope. We have been studying in every prophetic book. There is a message of hope that God will not give up Israel no matter how rebellion they are. God is not ready to give up on them. But then he's trying to talk to them. He's trying to relate to them. He's trying to change them. He's trying is waiting for them to repent and turn back so that he may save them. So here God is saying that I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted. Now he's saying when people have been killed, destroyed and then exiled. And this is the time God is giving them a message of hope. Hey listen, I will not leave you the way you are. But then I'm going to restore you back. There is a message of restoration to those who are seeking God, to those who are waiting upon him and his promise. Because there's a promise that God made to Abraham saying that I will bless you to be a mighty nation. I will bless your nation. Your seed will be blessed. And also God makes another covenant with her day with saying that I will raise a king from your lineage. So there is a promise that God made to David and God made to Abraham. God will keep the promise that he makes. He's a promise keeper. Yeah. So with this, give me a minute please. With this we will move on to the chapter by study. Chapter one to two. Chapter one to two, we see that this book opens with a series of short poems that accuses all of Israel's neighbor of their violence injustice. And this is kind of odd because the book opening line says that Amos is going to speak against Israel. But we need to read this chapter to know how this works. So as Amos is naming all these neighboring nations around them like Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Abnen, Moab, Edo, Judah, Israel and all these nations are in the circle. And Israel lies right in the center like a target. And so on Israel, Amos is releasing a poetic accusation that's like three times longer or more intense than any of the other. Here we see that he accuses Israel's wealth of ignoring the poor and allowing grave injustice in their land, especially by allowing the poor to be sold into debt slavery and then going on to deny any of these people legally representation, legal representation. And this way Amos is Amos asks these questions like is this the family that was once denied justice and enslaved in Egypt. This is the family that God rescued from oppression and slavery and Amos is very annoyed with the very nature of people and he's saying everything is over. God is done putting up with you. And you know he goes on with this judgment on Judah, judgment on Israel. We see that in chapter 2 and then he moves on to chapter 3 to 6. He explains why. Can I request one of us to please turn to chapter 3 verse 2. Can anyone read? Sid, can you read? Should I read? Yes, Divya. He verse 2, right? Yes, yes. You only have I known of all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your inequities. Yes, thank you so much. Yes, we see that God is saying I choose you Israel from among all the families of the earth. This is an allusion to Genesis 12 the promise that God made with Abraham how God called him from the family to become God's blessing to all the nations. So then God says below we see that so this is why I will punish you for all your sins and Israel had a great calling which came with great responsibility. So it's not only for Israel even today for you and me. And if there is a great call there is a great responsibility that is placed on us that needs to be fulfilled. So we need to take in charge of that. So here we see Israel so that they sin and the rebellion brings great consequences as well. So now this chapter brings together a lot of Amos poems and we'll see a few key themes repeated over and over again. So he is constantly Amos is constantly exposing the religious hypocrisy of Israel's wealth and their leaders. And he describes how they faithfully attended the religious gathering giving offering and sacrifice to all while neglecting the poor and ignoring injustice. And we also see Amos says it's all a shame. It's all a shame that is you're just pretending. It's all a pretence that God actually hates their worship and he says it's totally disconnected from how they treat people. And God says a real relationship with him will transform people's relationship. A real relationship with God will transform people's or the person's relationship. Remember this the relationship that we have with God will transform how we relate ourselves to the people around us. So Amos calls the true worship. Can I request one of us to please turn to chapter five verse 24 and read. Amos chapter five verse 24. But let justice roll on like a river righteousness like a never failing stream. Amen. So what does it say? It says let justice flow like a river and righteousness like a never failing stream. Our God is a God of justice and righteousness. These two words they are super important. They are very, very important to Amos. He actually calls, you know, all of the prophets. Very important. So righteousness in Hebrew. Let me turn to that slide please. Yes. So here we see righteousness in Hebrew means Sadak. Sadak refers to a standard of right equal, equal relationships between people no matter their social differences. And then we see the justice. Justice in Hebrew means Meshpah refers to concrete. So actions that we take to correct injustice and create righteousness. So both of these are to permeate the life of God's covenant people. Like a rushing stream filling the dry riverbed. So next thing we see in Amos is a repeated accusation of Israel's idolatry. So remember that the northern kingdom broke away from the southern kingdom Judah. Their kings built two temples to match up with Solomon's temple in Jerusalem. As we also, we went through this in the first Kings chapter 12 that how the Israelites placed the golden calf in the temple. So since then the Israel had only accumulated more idols. They perverted the temple. They perverted the very nature within them and with others. They worship the gods of sex, weather and war. They worshiped the other gods of the Baal and the other Canaanite God. And in the prophet's view, the worship of these gods always led to injustice. Because these gods don't require the same degree of justice and righteousness as the God of Israel. But then these gods were immoral by themselves. So what kind of nature would come among the people who are worshiping these gods? So they can't be the same and be different ease of high standard, high degree. A God of integrity, God of righteousness, God of justice. So we see in chapter five verse four. Sorry, we see that. But that says the law to the house of Israel, seek me and live. So God says to Israel in one place that is in five four, chapter five verse four, seek me and you shall live. And right after below the passage in same chapter, chapter five verse 14, we see, seek good, not evil, that you may live. You see how important is a moral value and integrity? Seek good, not evil, that you may live, that we may live in the land. So true worship of the Creator and a God of Israel is like he's doing good with generosity, with justice. He's a God who's seeking justice and righteousness in us. So the final theme in these chapters is that because Israel and its king have rejected Amos and this prophecy and also the same time the other prophets as well. So God sends the day, God will send the day of the Lord. So here he's talking about the great day, the judgment day. This is a great and terrible act of justice on Israel. So specifically Amos predicts that a powerful nation will come and conquer and decimate the cities and take the people away into exile. And we know his prediction came true. Same 40 years later, what happened? The Assyrians, the Assyrian Empire came and swapped in and did exactly what Amos had prophesied. So we see in chapter 7, chapter 7 to chapter 9, we see that the book closes with a series of visions that Amos has experienced and their symbolic depiction of the coming day of the Lord as we went through. So he sees Israel being devastated with a locus war and then by a scorching fire and then they have been swallowed up like overripe fruits. And in the final vision, Amos sees God violently striking the pillars of Israel's great idol temple at Bethel and the whole building comes crumbling down. It's an image of God's justice on the leaders and the God of Israel. Their end has finally come. But then all of a sudden in the final chapter, that is chapter 9 verse 11 to 15. Can I request one of us to please read? Sid, you there? Miss, can I read an NLT version? Yes, please go ahead. Verse 11, In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be mine. The Lord has spoken and he will do these things. The time will come, says the Lord, when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested. Then the terraced vineyards on the hills of Israel will drip with sweet wine. I will bring my exiled people of Israel back from distant lands and they will rebuild their ruined cities and live in them again. They will plant vineyards and gardens. They will eat their crops and drink their wine. I will firmly plant them there in their own land. They will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them, says the Lord your God. Amen. Amen. Out of all this what the Israel has done. Out of all what the Israel has done, still we see the message of hope. How amazing God is, God of restoration. That's why it's called God of restoration, God of rebuilding, God of second chance. God never gives up. Tell me from the day we have seen the formation of Israel till now. Continuously people are rebelling against God. Though they all have the Torah, they read through the Torah. But then because they have been perverted in nature, they got mixed up with the other people. They are not able to seek God in this world. They are not able to discern that God, the God of Israel is the true God. They went behind the other gods which were there in the land. And here we see the message of hope that it picks up this image of Israel as a destroyed building. And God says that out of the ruins, he will one day restore the house of David. In other words, he is going to bring the future messianic king from David's line. And then he will rebuild this family of God's people. Which surprisingly they are told and is going to include the people from all the nations. And all of the devastation caused by Israel's sin and God's judgment will that day be reversed. Now this final paragraph is very, very important. It says, it's the only sign of hope on the other side of judgment. And it helps us to see how this book is going to explore the relationship between God's justice and his mercy. Well, if God is good, he has to confront judge evil among Israel and the nations. But his long-term purpose are to restore the world and build a new covenant family. Build the relationship with his people. So through the book of Amos, we see that, you know, Amos words still today. We hear this call to learn from Israel's hypocrisy and disaster and to embrace the true worship of God. Which should always lead us into the justice and righteousness and loving our neighbors. That's what the book of Amos is all about. And here we see the portrayal of Christ in this book where it clearly, the clearest anticipation of Christ and Amos is found at the end of the book that he has all authority to judge. But evil also restores people. So through Christ, we have been restored not only Israel, but everyone. Everyone who believes in Jesus will have eternal life. That's what the New Testament says, because he died on the cross. He came into this world to save us, to redeem us and restore us back to him. So that we will have eternal life. The salvation is a free gift that we can have through Jesus Christ. So how do we apply this book into our life? Well, we see that injustice permeates our world. Yet as Christians, we often turn the blind eyes to the suffering of others for more important like work like praying, preaching and teaching. But the book of Amos reminds us that those works, yes, need it. But while, you know, for believers, for us, which we think is, you know, when we think like we allow, we don't love and serve others in our own lives. And we find ourselves falling into the trap of time like prioritizing between his prayer important or service, which is more important. How do we serve? How do we pray? Should we choose any one thing? Well, the book of Amos says we should do both. Both are important. Both are equally important. We need to pray at the same time. We need to serve others. It is more essential because God is called Christians, not only, sorry, just clearing my throat. So God is called the Christians, not only to be in relationship with God, but also to be in relationship with others. It is equally important. In relationship that what we have with God, we can see it permeate from us. Okay. We cannot contain that love to ourselves, but then to love others, love neighbors as ourselves. That is one of the command which Jesus gave to us in New Testament saying that love your neighbor as yourself. We're both the physical and the spiritual needs of people matter in God's justice. With this, do you all have any questions? We end this book of Amos and we can move on to the other book. But if there's anything that you would like to share, please go ahead. Okay. So it's all clear. Sorry. So we can move on to the next book, the book of Obadiah. Let me change the slide of Obadiah. So this is a very short book in the whole of Old Testament. We see it as only one chapter with 21 verses. So it is a series of divine judgment poems against the ancient people of Edo. Now, which was a nation that a neighbor Israel on the other side of the Dead Sea. So first we see the backstory of this place. The people of Edo were very unique because they had shared an ancestry with Israel. They both belong to the same family. Well, we all know Abraham, Abraham had a son Isaac and Isaac had twins. The two sons were there Jacob and Esau. Now, when we look at the book of Genesis, it tells us the story of these two brothers where they always had a tension in their relationship. They were not very good terms, but later part we see how Jacob, you know, changed himself. He realized his mistake. Then he says, I will go and reconcile with my brother. Yes, he came back. He reconciled with his brother on certain ground. But then the descendants of Esau were called as Edomites. And the descendants of Jacob were called as Israelites. Now we know the story. So though the brothers consigned, but then their descendants always had a tension within them. The tension which were there with the brothers actually carried on, carried on among the families. And not only then, even in centuries it started and still it is the same. And it's that bond that betrayed and shattered in the tragic event of Israel's fall to Babylon. So when Israel was invaded and conquered by the Babylon, the people of Edom, who was the neighboring, took advantage of plundering Israel's cities. Instead of being there to help them, they took this as an opportunity. When the time came for Babylon to conquer Israel, instead of helping the Israelites, they joined and they took this situation as an opportunity to plunder the Israel's cities. And then capturing the Israelites and even they went to an extent of killing the Israelites refugees. This was not right in the sight of God. So we'll see how God speaks through Obadiah to Edomites. Obadiah's name meaning worshipper of Yahweh. Offers an interesting counterpoint to the message of judgment he pronounced on Edom. So Judah's neighbor toward the southeast as a worshipper of God or Yahweh. Obadiah placed himself in a position of humility before the Lord. He also embraced his lowly place before the Almighty God. That God sent a man named worshipper of Yahweh to the people of Edom. And it was not a mistake because Edom has been found guilty of pride before the Lord. We see that in Obadiah chapter 1 verse 3. Can I request one of us to read please? Obadiah chapter 1 verse 3. You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. Who can ever reach us way up here? You ask boastfully. Thank you. Thank you. So we see that they thought themselves much greater. They actually were so great enough to mock, steal from and even harm God's chosen people. But then the Lord God who named Obadiah used to stress God's sovereign power over this nation. And he says that I will not see my people suffer forever. And through Obadiah God reminded Edom. Obadiah is talking to the Edomites saying that of the poor treatment toward the people of Israel. We see that in verse 12 to 14 we see that but you should not have gazed on the day of your brother. When the Babylonians came to attack Israel they should not have just watched them go and plunder them. But then they should have been there to help them instead of helping them. They also took part in their, you know, took an opportunity to kill, steal and destroy our people. So your God is saying that in the day of his captivity, nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah. So in the day of their destruction, nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress 13. He says you should not have entered the gate of my people in the day of the calamity. Indeed you should not have gazed on their affliction. So in the day of the calamity, not laid hands on the substance in the day of their calamity. Now you should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped. Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the days of distress. You know, so God is promising redemption to Israelites but not to the Edomites. Yes, he is concerned about Israel and Judah, but then not with Edomites. The nation of Edom, which eventually, you know, when we look back in the history, it's eventually disappeared into history. It remains one of the prime example of, you know, which goes like this in Proverbs 1618 which says pride goes before destruction. Pride goes before destruction or pride goes before fall. So this is what happened to Edomites. They were very proud about their strength and they rejoiced over the destruction of Israel. But then there is a God who will restore Israel. They never saw that. They have never thought about that. But then they pride brought their own fall. In verse 16 to 21, we see where Obadiah announces the day of the Lord but not only for Edom. He also widens his focus to all the neighboring nations. He says some, you know, you also could have helped Israel but then you rejoiced over them. So Obadiah says that all prideful nation, the very act just like how Edomites behaved on the face of God's justice in the same way they will also fall. For their prideful heights will come to Rohan. He wants the Edom and the neighboring nations as well. But as in all the prophets, we see God's judgment is never his final word. Especially remember the conclusion of these two books that came right before Obadiah was Joel and Amos which we studied yesterday. Well, in Joel chapter 2 and 3, Joel said, he created a picture of what will happen after the day of the Lord against all nations. Well, he also said that God would perform a new act of salvation in Jerusalem and that all who humble themselves and call upon the name of the Lord will be delivered or will be saved. And we also see in Amos chapter 9 verse 11 to 15, we saw today saying that in the conclusion of Amos, well he said that after the day of the Lord as judged Israel's evil, God would raise up the house of David, a message of hope he's saying and build a new kingdom for Israel and would include Edom and all the nations called by the name. And so the book of Obadiah has been placed right after Joel and then Amos to expand on these very promises about the hope of God's kingdom over all nations. So the book, we see the book concludes with a very hopeful future saying that God says that he is going to restore his kingdom over the new Jerusalem so that he repolluted it with faithful remnant God's kingdom will expand to include all the territories and the nations around Israel. Yes, there's this message of hope that Obadiah says Edom's downfall points to the day when God will deal with the evil in our world. But at the same time, he will also bring his healing towards the kingdom of peace over all the nation. And that's what the book of Obadiah is. And as we conclude this book, we also see the Christ in this book Christ is seen in Obadiah as the judge of the nation as a savior of Israel and as the possessor of the kingdom. As we see this now, how do we apply this to ourselves? How we can apply the book of Obadiah which comes as a strong message though it may be small but it carries a very strong message about yes, God is judging the nation. God will bring the pride to a downfall but at the same time God is merciful towards Israel. God is merciful not only to Israel but towards all the nation, those who believe on the sun, Jesus. Now Obadiah prophesies focusing on the destructive power of pride. He reminds us the consequence of living in a self-serving manner. Maybe you're falling through on our own feeling and desires without considering the impact on those who are around us. So do we sometimes struggle to set aside our own wants or desires for those of God and others? We need to look at that. Though such pride has been part of our lives of the fallen human being which is there, Obadiah offers us a reminder to a place where ourselves under God's authority subject our passion, our desire to his purpose, to find our hope in being his people when the restoration of all things comes. So with this we need to be mindful of God. Obadiah is asking us to search within us if there's any pride to uproot it out and seek God because we will be saved. There is a blessing in humility. He's asking us to stay humble and be there to help others. And also the book of Amos says be mindful of your neighbors and hear the book of Obadiah says stay humble. Stay humble as pride will bring you down. A very, very powerful message that we get from these two books. And we see some of the comparison between Amos and Obadiah that Amos lived at the same time as the other prophets, that is Hosea, Micah and Isaiah, where Obadiah lived at the same time as Jeremiah. There is a mistake here. So Amos emphasized God's righteous and sovereignty over history. And we see Obadiah emphasized how much God hates the pride. And well, yes, these are the two parts in the book of Obadiah. The first part verse 1 to 14 talks about the accusation against the leaders of Edo. And then verse 15 to 21 talks about the day of the Lord is near against all nations who destroyed Israel. And the reflection we have here is the prophecy of Obadiah speaks to us. Do we struggle with our pride? Are we suffering from our enemies around us? Do we have any time the situation or circumstance that we are and give us a misconception about God? But then here it can be cleared. We should seek if there is anything within us that is prideful to be uprooted because pride will have a fall. God is asking us to stay humble in every area of our life. And he's also saying if you're suffering around, if there's enemies around you and you're suffering because of them, do not worry because God himself is much greater in you. And he will fight your battle. No weapon, fashion against you shall prosper because God himself is with you. You may look at everything is falling apart from you in your life, in your business, in your career, in any area, but then trust God that God will fight your battle. And those who trust God will never be put to shame. We need to place our trust in God. The God who were with Israel, he never gave up on Israel no matter what he stood. He restored them, he rebuilt them. He blessed them. The same way God will rebuild us, restore us, rebuild us and bless us when we seek him. And yes, if there's any misconception about God, just get that cleared because that should be a priority of restoring our relationship with God. That should be a priority. Only when our relationship is restored with him, we can build it. We can have a good fellowship with God so that only through that relationship we will have a victory. We will have a blessed life together with God. So with this, I end these two books, the book of Amos and the book of Obadiah. I'll open it to the class. If you would like to add, share, please go ahead. Class, is there anything that you would like to add or share? Okay, so I understand that the book is clear. You understood. Everyone, Rosalind, do you have anything to share? Divya, John, Brother Lubega. Thank you. Yes, Divya, it's clear. Zellie, would you like to share something? Okay. Yes, it's clear. Great. So we can dismiss this class with a word of prayer. Can I request one of us to please lead us and pray? Rosalind, you will pray? Father, we want to thank you for this time you have given us to learn from your word to understand how you dealt with the people of Israel in the Old Testament and helping us to understand how serious it is to be very diligent in your presence of God. And we pray that you would be able to continue in that attitude of God. We pray that you would offer our life as sacrifice before your presence and help us to honor you in every matter of our time of God. We pray and submit all of us to your hands and help us to walk closely with you and to have an attitude of thanksgiving in our hearts forever, Lord. Thank you for us dying now. Thank you for enabling her to share the word with us, Master. We give you praise and honor in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you so much. God bless you. Thank you. See you all tomorrow. Thanks. Bye.