Amos 4:13 - Homiletics

The God with whom we have to do.

God always acts in character. From the thing he is may be inferred the quality of the thing he will do. We see him here—

I. AS REVEALED BY HIS NAMES . Each Divine name and title is a Divine revelation; sets forth some one of God's incomparable perfections.

1 . Jehovah. "The Being;" "the Living One." In contradistinction to idols, having real existence. In contradistinction to created things, having eternal existence. In contradistinction to all outside himself, having necessary existence. Jehovah is the true God and alone claiming faith, the self-existent God and alone giving life, the eternal God and alone conferring immortality.

2 . God. "The Adorable One." The Sum of all excellence. The Object of all worship. The Inspirer of all veneration. The Being who at once deserves and commands the heart s whole allegiance and devotion.

3 . Of hosts. "God of the armies." The hosts are the heavenly bodies ( Genesis 2:1 ; Deuteronomy 4:19 ), the angels ( Joshua 5:14 , Joshua 5:15 ; 1 Kings 22:19 ; Psalms 103:21 ; Psalms 148:2 ), and men ( Exodus 12:41 ). All these he made, owns, keeps, controls, and uses. He is the universal Sovereign, and "doeth according to his will" everywhere, always, and without appeal. Such a Being it is no light thing to meet. Just as it is done will utter ruin or absolute safety result.

II. AS REVEALED BY HIS WORKS . The worker puts something of himself into his work—the author into his book, the painter into his picture, the mechanic into his machine. And so with God ( Psalms 19:1 ).

1 . He produces physical phenomena. Three kinds are enumerated:

Matter in all forms is the creature of God. Its mutations are the doing of his power. Its elements are the instruments of his hand. He does to it and by it what his own moral excellence prompts. And thus it reveals him. We

"View great Nature's open eye,

And see within it trembling lie

The portrait of the Deity."

2. He reveals mental phenomena. "Maketh known to man what is his [man's] thought." The power of introspection is peculiar to man of earthly creatures. He takes cognizance of what passes in his own mind; reads his thoughts, and analyzes the process of thinking. This is among the highest exercises of reason. It is a revelation of its marvellous powers, and so of the wisdom and power of him by whom the faculty was bestowed. If a man's thoughts are open to himself, much more are they to God. The mind can do all this; what cannot the Maker of it do ( Jeremiah 17:9 , Jeremiah 17:10 )?

3 . He rules moral phenomena. "Goeth over the high places of the earth." The "high places" are the exalted people. All these he rules. The highest do his bidding. From prince to peasant all are but clay in the Potter's hands. Who, then, shall strive with him? What can avail against his transcendent might? All natural forces, all creaturely existences, are but tools in his hand, and ministers that do his will. This is the God we must meet, and to meet whom we may well prepare.