Scripture Readings
Psalms 5:12
Amos 8–9
John 15
Proverbs 2
Verse Focus (Psalms 5:12)
Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Meditation
Our verse focus today is from Psalms 5:12. “Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” Again, what a comfort this verse is! To know the certainty of God’s goodness. To know that He rewards the righteous. To know that God protects us and surrounds us with favor. Hallelujah!
This verse teaches us that God is faithful. “Surely.” Certainly. Unfailingly. God blesses those that trust in Jesus. What does blessing entail? Grace, of course. Unmerited favor. Sunshine and fresh air (oh, how I treasure fresh air after last year’s bout with smoke from the forest fires!). Birdsong. Wind. Flowers. Family. Friends. Fellowship. Peace. Joy. Scripture. The Holy Spirit — God with us. Creativity. Purpose.
I love that the verse tells us that God “surrounds” us. We are protected as we go forward. We are protected from behind. We are protected from above and below. I’m also fascinated with the idea that God’s shield is made up of favor. It’s not just that God protects us from bad things, but that He gives us good things that will prevent the bad things from getting us. His shield is not defensive, but offensive. It is proactive and positive.
Father God, thank you for your steadfast love. Thank you for blessing us and shielding us with your favor in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Amos chapter 8 contains the prophet’s fourth vision of judgment. He sees a basket of summer fruit. The LORD agrees with this, saying that the end has come for Israel. He must judge; He can no longer pardon them. Verse 3 speaks of wailing voices:
- “So many dead bodies!”
- “They are thrown everywhere!”
- “Silence!”
The basket of “summer fruit” comes from the last harvest and thus it symbolizes completion. The time is ripe for judgment. There is also a word play going on in the Hebrew. The word for summer fruit, qayits, sounds like the word for end, qets.
The Israelites sin because they desire more profit, but the LORD declares in verse 10, “I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation.” It will be “a bitter day (v. 10).”
Verse 11 strikes me. God says, “I will send a famine on the land — not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.” People will seek the word everywhere, but they will not find it. They shall faint of thirst.
Chapter 9, the final chapter in Amos, relates the fifth vision of destruction. Here, the prophet sees God standing by the altar. The LORD declares his judgment — He will destroy the kingdom. “All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword,” says verse 10.
Verses 2 through 4 strike me — it is almost like a backwards version of Psalm 139, verses 8 through 10. In Psalm 139, the psalmist takes comfort that there is no place that he can go where God cannot find him. Here, in Amos 9:2-4, we see there is no place one can go to hide from God’s judgment. Neither Sheol, nor heaven, nor the highest mountain, nor the depths of the sea can hide a fugitive from the LORD.
However, as with many prophecies, there is hope and redemption. In the immediate future, there is judgment. But in the far future, there will be a restoration of Israel. God promises to “raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches (v. 11).” It will be a time of such prosperity and blessing that the “plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed (v. 13).”
John chapter 15 contains the seventh and final “I am” statement. As Jesus says in verse 1, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” He repeats this in verse 5, saying, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” This is a metaphor that had a lot of meaning for his disciples, since, in the Old Testament, Israel is often likened to God’s vineyard (Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 2, and Ezekiel 19). By saying he is the “true vine,” Jesus is saying he is the one truly chosen by God. In effect, Jesus is saying he is the true nation of Israel, and the true suffering servant. Jesus also fully represents the promise to Abraham and his “seed” — in Christ, all the prophecies are fulfilled, and all the blessings for Israel are realized.
This vine metaphor has a lot of meaning for us, too. It helps us to understand that, as the branches, we receive all our vitality from Jesus. We have no life apart from him. We must continue to abide in Jesus in order that we may bear fruit. “Apart from me you can do nothing (v. 5).”
As I read this chapter today, the Holy Spirit really emphasized the importance of the fruit that the disciples are to bear. Jesus says in verse 16, “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” Jesus tells us that God is glorified by the fruit that we bear (v. 8). Indeed, the fruit is the proof that we are Jesus’ disciples.
In Proverbs chapter 2 we return to Solomon’s advice for his son, which concerns the value of wisdom. We should seek wisdom like hidden treasure, says Solomon. “Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God (v. 5).” When we find God, we find wisdom. But there are other benefits to fearing the LORD besides wisdom. Verse 7 tells us, “He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity.”
As I read the chapter today, I was struck by the closing verses:
21For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it,
22but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.
These verses are a compact summary of Deuteronomy 28. It is a chapter that details all the blessings for obedience, and the curses that accompany disobedience. This is the choice that we all must make — to obey God, or to disregard His commands. It is not surprising to find this is the central issue for wisdom as well.
As regards wisdom, we will search for it as “hidden treasure” if we are convinced it is worth it. And I am convinced that wisdom is worth it. Wisdom offers a lot of protection. It will keep us from making bad choices which in turn will help keep us out of bad situations. But even though God freely offers us wisdom, we have to actually implement what we read here in Proverbs.
Today, the advice is: “So follow the way of the good, and keep to the paths of the righteous (v. 20).” If you think about what it would mean for you to implement this verse in your life, I’m sure the Holy Spirit will bring something to your mind. You know what I thought of? Going to church (“the paths of the righteous”). Since my church started having virtual services online because of the pandemic, my attendance has gotten a little erratic. I’m looking forward to going back to services in person again! Soon, very soon. 🙂
Father God, thank you for giving us Scripture to teach us how to live. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that helps us understand and apply your word. Thank you for Jesus, the true vine. Help us to abide in Christ, and to bear fruit for your glory. Thank you that even when you prune us, or pass judgment on a nation, you still have in mind a greater glory than we realize. Thank you that Amos ends with a vision of the restoration of Israel. We pray for the day when your kingdom is fully revealed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
John 15 uses the word “Advocate” to describe the Holy Spirit – it advocates for believers. But the Holy Spirit, though to dwell in every believer, also serves to represent the Lord to unbelievers.