May 26, 2013 Stunning Silence

Read Amos 8 Stunning Silence Amos 8:1-3 This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. 2 “What do you see, Amos?” he asked. “A basket of ripe fruit,” I answered. Then the Lord said to me, “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 3 “In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “the songs in the temple will turn to wailing. Many, many bodies — flung everywhere! Silence!” HAVE you ever disciplined a child? Likely you have in some context as a teacher, leader, parent or coach. What often happens? They speak back to you, don’t they? Or they say they’ll listen to you but then act as if the conversation never occurred. If you persist in the discipline, you might come to the point where you forcefully say, “Quiet!” You are done waiting for them to choose to obey. Now you are giving them no choice. They must obey or be punished. It’s judgment time. That is the context of this scripture. Amos tells the people there is a time when God will stop talking to them and start administering his righteous judgment on them. Silence comes as the time for talking is done and the time for action has come. This day did come for Israel. This day will come for the entire world. Revelation 8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. In the days of final judgment there will be silence in Heaven as all of God’s creation awaits his next move. Before he unleashes the 7 angels with their 7 trumpets of judgment, silence will come. And every living creature will breathlessly, fearfully await God’s great judgment on the world. The time of listening to God is now. Listen while he’s still talking to you. It’s True! Judgment’s silence is a fearful thing. Be prepared.