AMOS CHAPTER 6

Heart Issues
-I changed from things I learned today to heart issues. I also want to begin there and place my notes at the end. I think that is the most important part of bible study, always letting it penetrate my heart and not just my head. I feel that I have been doing that, but I wanted to put it under another heading to keep myself focused and to encourage us to take to heart the things of the Lord.
-Today I am thankful that God does take us through hard times and through periods of needing Him. The main thing I noticed from the passage today is that the Israelites did not credit God with the glory, victory, or honor from their lives, but they credited themselves. They were judged for their complacency and false security. They thought that since they had so much and were so comfortable they were good to go, but God challenges that and points them to the other nations who served false gods as they were beginning to and their ruin. God is also found here abhorring their pride, which challenges me, knowing that my main vice that continues to creep up in my life is my pride. It is easy for me to think of myself more highly than I ought and to live a self-exalting life. It challenges me when I notice that God abhors that in my life. He is not okay with that and does not gloss over it, but it sets a holy God against me. I can very easily give myself the credit for things I do instead of giving glory to God when I know that it is only by His hand that I have accomplished the things I am so proud of.

OTHER NOTES
-Calneh, Hamath, Gath, and Philistia were all kingdoms that were destroyed for their worship of false gods.
-The Israelites were very rich at this time period, but there was still a great divide between the rich and the poor even in their own kingdom.
-There is a pretty big debate and a great source of controversy in verse 5. This is where a great deal of the debate over instruments in worship for today should be allowed or not. David invented his instrument to play with, sometimes to the Lord and many time with himself. It seems the idle use is condemned here for they waste time with it. This really makes me think about our use of time as well and how easy we have it in America. It leads us to use idle time as well to do nothing for God, but please ourselves. What is a better use of our time and what is the balance between enjoying life and all that God has for us and serving Him with all that we have? I have not yet found a sure answer for this difficulty.
-The great house was Israel and the small house was Judah, they are both descendant from Jacob.