First of the Exiles and Firstfruits
In preparing for the readings for this upcoming Sunday, the Old Testament lesson struck a chord with me. There is just something about the “hellfire and brimstone” language of the Old Testament that makes one wonder if the original recipients of the message thought they were really all that bad. This is the question I would have you contemplate: How does God see his people today and do we believe that he is just and correct in seeing his people that way?
How did an unchanging God (Hebrews 13:8) see his people in Amos’ time? From Amos 6…
Woe to you who are complacent in Zion,
you who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
you distinguished people of the leading nation,
to whom the house of Israel comes.
Travel to Kalneh and look.
Go from there to Hamath Rabbah,
and go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are you better than those kingdoms?
Are their territories greater than your territory?
You who are trying to put off the evil day,
you bring near the session for violence!
Those who lie on ivory beds,
sprawling upon their couches,
eating lambs from the flock
and calves straight from the stall,
improvising tunes on the lyre,
composing music for themselves on musical instruments like David,
drinking large bowls of wine—
they slather themselves with the most expensive perfumed oils,
but they do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
That is why they will go into exile as the first of the exiles.
Those who sprawl out at their feasts for the dead will depart.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Amos+6&version=EHV>
That’s the great thing, I think, about the Old Testament: It shows the affects of sin on this world. King Solomon points this out vividly:
Whatever has been is what will be again, and whatever has already been done is what will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. Is there a single thing about which one can say, “Look, this is new”? It was already here ages ago, long before us. No one remembers the people who came before us, and as for those who are coming—after they are gone, no one will remember them either. From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%201&version=EHV>
This brings us to the Gospel reading “The Rich Man and Lazarus” (Luke 16:19-31). Let me quote here the last verse, ” ‘Abraham replied to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ‘ ” From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16&version=EHV>
Yeah, Amos is a prophet. Did the people in his day listen to him? Are we listening to him today? Let’s not forget to mention Moses, are we listening to him? Maybe we need a Lazarus to rise from the dead… Would that convince us? The rich man and Lazarus? Jesus has fulfilled both rolls:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich. From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%208%3A8%2D10&version=EHV>
Even more than the poverty of Lazarus, Jesus is raised from the dead.
If our hope in Christ applies only to this life, we are the most pitiful people of all. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came by a man, the resurrection of the dead also is going to come by a man. From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2015%3A19%2D21&version=EHV>
Just as disturbing as Amos calling us “the first of the exiles”; I find something comforting in Jesus’ resurrection as the promise of firstfruits. How does God see his people today? Look to Jesus.
Trust the Promises
Steve Skiver