QT 06/11/2025 Thu. Amos 7 Truth or Power, when they differ? 真理或权柄，当它们相悖时？

QT 06/11/2025 Thu. Amos 7 Truth or Power, when they differ?
READ http://www.esv.org/Amos7

📖 The Plumbline
"Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them."— Amos 7:8 (ESV)

🔍 Reflection: The Plumb Line of God

In Amos 7, God shows the prophet a vision of a plumb line — a tool used by builders to check whether a wall is straight. It’s a powerful metaphor. God is holding His people up to His standard, not theirs. This is not about comparison with others, but alignment with God Himself.

The message is clear: Israel's moral and spiritual "walls" are crooked. No longer will God "pass by" or overlook their sin. Judgment is coming because they have failed to live by His standard of justice, righteousness, and covenant faithfulness.

This raises a deeply personal question: If God were to set His plumb line against your life today, would you be found straight? Not perfect, but upright in heart? Not flawless, but repentant and aligned?

⚔️ Amaziah vs. Amos: A Clash of Voices

In verses 10–17, the prophet Amos clashes with Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Amaziah represents the religious system of Israel — compromised, self-protective, and politically aligned with power rather than truth. He tells Amos to "flee away to the land of Judah" (v. 12), effectively saying, “Preach somewhere else. We don’t want your message here.”

Amos responds with boldness:

"I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son… but the Lord took me… and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (v. 14–15)

Amos was a shepherd, not a religious elite. He was called by God, not hired by a king. That’s what gave his voice authority. And it’s what made Amaziah so uncomfortable.

📌 The tension here is timeless:
When God's truth confronts power, the status quo resists. People often prefer religious comfort over prophetic correction. Like Amaziah, we may be tempted to silence voices that disrupt our peace — even when they speak for God.

🙏 Devotional Takeaways

(1) God still uses the plumb line. His Word reveals where our lives are out of alignment. It is an act of mercy when He exposes our crookedness — so we can repent before judgment falls.

(2) God still calls unlikely prophets. Amos was just a shepherd, yet his obedience made him a powerful mouthpiece for truth. Don’t wait to be qualified. When God calls, He equips.

(3) God still confronts false religion. Like Amaziah, we must beware of practicing religion that serves comfort, culture, or control — and reject truth that challenges us.

🙌 Prayer

Lord, set Your plumb line in my life. Show me where I have drifted from Your truth. Give me the courage of Amos — to speak truth, to live righteously, and to obey even when it's costly. And keep me from the pride of Amaziah — resisting conviction and silencing Your voice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

📖 Suggested Reading for Deeper Study:
Micah 6:8 – What does the Lord require?
James 1:22–25 – Be doers of the Word.
2 Timothy 4:2–5 – Preach the word… in season and out of season.

QT 06/11/2025 星期四.   阿摩司书 7 真理或权柄，当它们相悖时？
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/amo/6/

📖 垂线
耶和华对我说：“阿摩司，你看见什么？”我回答：“我看见准绳。”主又说：“看哪！我把准绳放在我民以色列中间，必不再放过他们。——阿摩司书7:8

🔍 默想：神的准绳

在阿摩司书第七章，神向先知显明准绳的异象——这是建造者用来检验墙壁是否笔直的工具。这象征着神正以祂的标准衡量子民，而非人的标准。这无关与他人比较，而是要求与神自己对齐。

信息清晰：以色列的道德与属灵“墙垣”已然歪斜。神不再“容忍”或“宽恕”他们的罪。因他们未能遵行公义、正直与立约信实的标准，审判必临。

这引发深刻的个人叩问：若神今日用他的准绳衡量你的人生，你是否正直？不必完美，但心志正直？不必无瑕，但悔改顺服？

⚔️ 亚玛谢与阿摩司：讯息的碰撞

第10-17节记载先知阿摩司与伯特利祭司亚玛谢的冲突。亚玛谢代表以色列的宗教体系——妥协自保，政治上依附权势而非真理。他命令阿摩司“滚回犹大地去”（第12节），实则宣告：“另觅他处传道吧，此地不欢迎你的信息。”

阿摩司却以刚毅回应：

"“我原不是先知，也不是先知的门徒；我本是牧人，是修理桑树的，但耶和华选召我，叫我不再跟随羊群；他对我说：‘你去，向我民以色列说预言。’ （vv. 14b-15)

阿摩司是个牧羊人，而非宗教精英。他受上帝呼召，而非受王雇佣。这赋予了他的声音权威，也正是这点让亚玛谢如此不安。

📌 这种张力永恒存在：
当上帝的真理直面权势，现状必将抵触。世人常宁愿沉溺于宗教的安逸，而非接受先知的纠正。如同亚玛谢，我们或许也会试图压制那些扰乱我们安宁的声音——即便它们是代神发声。

🙏 灵修要点

(1) 神依然使用准绳。祂的话语揭示我们生命中失衡之处。当祂显明我们的歪斜时，实乃怜悯之举——使我们在审判降临前得以悔改。

(2) 神仍拣选平凡的先知。阿摩司不过是牧羊人，但他的顺服使他成为真理的有力代言人。不必等待资格备全，神呼召之时必赐装备。

(3) 神仍斥责虚假宗教。当如亚玛谢警醒，勿行迎合舒适、顺应文化或谋求控制的宗教，更要弃绝挑战我们的真理。

🙌 祷告

主啊，求祢在我生命中立起准绳。显明我偏离真理之处。赐我阿摩司的勇气——说出真理、活出公义、即便代价高昂仍顺服。求祢保守我免于亚玛谢的骄傲——抗拒责备、扼杀祢的声音。奉耶稣的名求。阿们。

📖 深度研读推荐：
弥迦书 6:8 —— 耶和华要求什么？
雅各书 1:22–25 —— 务要行道。
提摩太后书 4:2–5 —— 无论得时不得时，总要传道。