Amos 4 - 6 - "Stupid Is As Stupid Does"

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Millions of people world-wide have watched the old movie "Forrest Gump." Out of that one movie came many unforgettable lines that you'll hear from time to time. One of those famous lines as told by the legendary actor Tom Hanks, who played the main character, Forrest Gump, was "Stupid is as stupid does." It simply means a stupid person naturally does stupid things. And that's exactly what God is trying to tell the nations of Judah and Israel in this book - that they're doing a ton of stupid things! Why? Because they've become spiritually ignorant of God and their past history of what God has done for them.

Like a loving father who repeatedly warns his children that further discipline will be needed if they don't change their rebellious way, so God does the same to His people.  It's so sad to see the progression of destruction God brings to them just to get their attention - but it doesn't work!

Notice in chapter 4:6-12 how God takes measured steps of discipline, each getting worse when the first or second spanking doesn't work. After each spanking, God says the very same thing, "But still you wouldn't return to me."

First...God brought hunger to every city. But it didn't change their hearts!

Second...He created a severe drought. But it still didn't do any good!

Third...He brought locust upon the land to eat up every crop. Still no change.

Fourth...God sent plagues. Yet, the people still continued to sin.

Fifth...He outright destroyed cities. And no one repented.

In chapter 5, God condemns them for these 5 sins:

1) The people hated honest judges.  

2) The people despised those who tell the truth.

3) The people used heavy tax burdens and unfair pricing to devastate the middle and poor class.

4) They corrupted good people by forcing them into bribes.

5) They deprived the poor of real justice within the court system.

Wow! Does any of this sound familiar with what's going on today?

Later in chapter 5, God even brings up the idea of His Son Jesus!  He says in verse 18 - "What sorrow awaits you who say, “If only the day of the Lord were here!” You have no idea what you are wishing for. That day will bring darkness, not light."

God was actually referring to what the Israelites have been hoping and praying for for many years - the coming Kingdom where Jesus, the Messiah, would rule the earth. But, little did they know, that their future grandchildren many hundreds of years later would actually nail the Messiah on a cruel cross. They, like the Israelites in Jesus' day, were nothing more than spiritual hypocrites.  That's why God said in 5:21 - "I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living."

Even Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-38 - “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."

The people had become religious, but did NOT have a relationship with God. Therefore, their religion was dead!  And that's exactly what religion will do to most people. It can cause one who practices it think they're righteous, but righteous people live righteously before the loving God they desire to have a relationship with. Do you know of anyone like this?

In chapter 6, God gets real with them. He says - "You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgement closer."

Sinful people rarely think of the future consequences of their actions. They've become spiritually stupid - stupid about what their evil ways will one day bring against them in the judgement of God.

We must live our lives for that day - the day of Judgement.  For life is nothing more than a preparation for eternity!