Whoso Is Wise And Shall Understand The Loving Kindness Of The Lord - Part 2304

"Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them ..." (Hosea 14:9) 

"Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord." (Psalm 107:43)

"The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity." (Proverbs 10:29)

When the body of Christ church rises up in faith, wherein believers recognize Jesus as both Lord and Christ -- the Head of the One and Only Body of Christ Church -- wholly submitting in their hearts and minds to the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, the King of kings and Lord of lords -- then shall we know, as the Lord saith, "that I AM the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain; then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall be no strangers pass through her anymore." (Joel 3:17)

But for this to happen, we like Amos require the Lord to reveal His plumb line to us in our hearts (Amos 7:7) We need to understand God's plumb line in relation to our own doings. [As an fyi, Amos prophesied against Israel during the reign of King Jeroboam II in 785-745 B.C. At the time, there was much peace and prosperity. However, in speaking the Word of the Lord, Amos prophesied that Israel was headed in the wrong direction. Why? Because they sell the righteous for silver and oppress the poor and take bribes and push aside the needy at the gate.

"Hear this Word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, "Bring, and let us drink." (Amos 4:1)]

For further clarity, Merriam-Webster defines plumb line in two ways: as a line (as of cord) that has at one end a weight (such as a plumb bob) and is used especially to determine vertically; or a line directed to the center of gravity of the earth : a vertical line.

Scripturally, the plumb line Amos (who was a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit when the Lord called him to prophesy against Israel) refers to is more than a physical object, pointing specifically to the spiritual, and our personal relationship to our Lord God our Saviour. Do we love the Lord God who became our Saviour with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Does our heart dwell in His presence in everything we do?

As well, God's plumb line is a reflection of how we extend His love to our neighbours. His righteousness bubbling over in our hearts so that we can proclaim His justice and right standing to the world around us. From Amos' example:

"Thus, He showed me; and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plum line in his hand. And the Lord said unto me, "Amos, what sees thou?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then said the Lord, "Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more; and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." 

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jerobaom king of Israel saying, "Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not Abel to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, "Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land." Also, Amaziah said unto Amos, "O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread and prophesy there. But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel and it is the king's court." 

Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an Herman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit; and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, "Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. Now therefore, hear the Word of the Lord: thou sayest, "Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not Thy Word against the house of Isaac." Therefore, thus  sayest, "thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shall die in a polluted land; and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land." (Amos 7:7-17)

A couple of points worth noting. First, when we willingly decide to follow the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, He lifts us to the place where He can use our talents for His glory -- for His purpose. Certainly, Amos is a prime example. Neither a prophet, nor a prophet's son, he was still called to prophesy. In terms of stature and profession, Amos was a herdman and a gather of sycamore fruit. Amos did not dwell in the king's palace. But as he proclaims, the Lord said unto him to go prophesy unto His people in Israel -- which Amos did. 

Second, Amos did not create his own plumb line, but responded to the plumb line that the Lord had put in the midst of the people of Israel. And even though Amos beseeched the Lord, Amos understood what was at stake, and that God's message was to those that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail. (Amos 8:4) 

David the psalmist alludes to the same when he wrote: "Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?who eat up My people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord." (Psalm 14:4)

Right now, there is a famine in the land. As Amos states, it is not a famine of bread or water, but of the Word of God. This is our downfall within current societal bounds. But there is an answer -- JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins ... Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us. (Matthew 1:21-23)

Remember too that whosoever is wise, shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord, and that His love extends to the family the Lord desires to bring into His fold. Proclaim His Word to one and all today. Stand in the offering point.