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Daily Devotions

Amos

Amos 
Day 
Day 46

"Yet you have not returned to Me"

Text: Amos 4:8

ANOTHER EXPRESSION OF CHASTENING

Another form of chastening from the Lord God involved the rain. A national economy that is based on agriculture depends on the seasonal rains that must come on time. Any fluctuation could cause havoc to the plans and hopes of the farmers.

“‘I also withheld rain from you,
When there were still three months to the harvest.
I made it rain on one city,
I withheld rain from another city.
One part was rained upon,
And where it did not rain the part withered.
So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water,
But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,’
Says the LORD.”
Amos 4:7-8

1. “I also withheld rain from you, when there were still three months to the harvest”

a) Rain does not depend on “the weather”.
b) It depends on the Lord God and His blessing.
c) If the rain is withheld, the plants would wither away and perish.

2. “I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city”

a) It was the Lord who was the Divine Rainmaker.
b) He determined where the rain would fall.

3. “One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered”

a) The fields that had rained would see their crops harvested in due time.
b) The fields that did not have rain would see the withering of the crops.

4. “So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water; but they were not satisfied”

a) This problem is that of water shortage (drought).
b) This is a different problem from the one mentioned above.
c) This was about severe water shortage.
d) People wandered around just to find water to drink.
e) The drought caused many to feel and experience great dissatisfaction.
f) This is on top of severe crop failure.

5. “‘Yet you have not returned to Me,’ says the LORD”

a) The people had not understood the chastening of the Lord God.
b) Neither had they returned to their God.

The whole nation was in grave peril! Yet the need to seek God and to return to Him was totally ignored!