READING FOR DECEMBER 22, 2025: AMOS 1, REVELATION 14, PSALM 127 AMOS 1 The prophet Amos was given visions about the future. This occurred during the latter days of the divided kingdom when Jeroboam II was king of Israel and Uzziah (also known as Azariah) was king of Judah. This means Amos was contemporaneous with Isaiah. He was from Tekoa, which is an area about 10 miles away from Jerusalem. Later in the book we learn more about him: “I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit” (Amos 7:14). In verse 2, Amos says God roars from Zion, meaning Jerusalem. Perhaps this is a reminder to Israel that God’s desired center of worship was Jerusalem, not the rival centers the northern kingdom set up at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-30). The text suggests this roaring of God brought judgment upon the entire land of Israel.
While the bulk of the prophetic word in the Old Testament is directed at God’s chosen people, there is also significant evidence that God is involved in the affairs of the entire world. This chapter is one such instance. This chapter describes how God plans to hold Israel’s and Judah’s neighboring countries accountable. God uses the rhetorical device of “three and four offences” several times. It does not mean that God suddenly remembered a fourth offence, but rather the offences kept happening. The main offence of Aram/Damascuswas ruining Israel’s Gilead territory, which was east of the Jordan River. Assyria was the instrument God used to fulfill this prophetic judgment: “The king of Assyria went up against Damascus and took it, carried its people captive to Kir, and killed Rezin” (2 Kings 16:9).
The text describes the offence of the Philistines as capturing people and then selling them for profit to Edom. God promised a series of judgments against the Philistines and their fortifications. There is no national group identified here as the instrument of God’s judgment. A blogger today even suggests that the current destruct- ion of Gaza is part of this judgment. David Levy’s thoughts appear to be better connected to this time period: “The Assyrian, Tiglath-pileser III, attacked Gaza in 743 B.C., making a vassal city out of her and the whole area. Decades later the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar totally destroyed Philistia, her cities, kings, and people.”
Tyre likewise is judged for selling captives to Edom, thus breaking what is called a “covenant of brotherhood.” This could be a reference to the deal Solomon made centuries earlier: “Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solo- mon with cedar and juniper timber and gold, satisfying all his desire), that King Solomon then gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee” (1 Kings 9:11). Edom was judged for violence against his brother, referring back to the founding fathers of each nation: Jacob-father of Israel/Judah and Esau-father of Edom. Ammonwas judged for its forced abortions on the women of Gilead, the part of Israel east of the Jordan. The big principle here is that our Holy God holds accountable all who sin. For those who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, God the Father held Jesus, God the Son, accountable at the cross for all the sins we have committed.
Revelation 14 In the midst of great chaos and persecution, chapter 13 called us to two things: patient endurance and faithfulness. This call is repeated in chapter 14, “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” (14:12) These are neededbecause the chapter continues the story of the antichrist and the chaos he brings to the earth. However, this chapter
ends with Jesus appearing with a sickle in his hand to begin the harvest of the earth. This is a fulfillment of one of Jesus’ parables: "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels” (Matthew 13:37-39). Those who are not prepared for this harvest will face the winepress of God’s wrath. (14:29) One of the most
READING FOR DECEMBER 22, 2025 CONTINUED: REVELATION 14, PSALM 127 terrifying verses in the Bible says, “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved." (Jer. 8:20) Knowing that the harvest is coming should inspire us to pray for those who are not saved and to do all we can to help them find the Lord.
Those who are saved do not need to fear the harvest. In fact, even before the end-time harvest we can be encouraged by these words that are spoken directly from heaven: “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them" (14:13). Death is a blessing for those who die in the Lord. To die “in the Lord” means that we have accepted the gift of salvation that is freely given through Jesus Christ. This is the greatest gift of all and is the reason we will celebrate Christmas in a few days. If you have not received this gift, you can receive it today by choosing to surrender to God with this prayer.
Father in Heaven, I don’t want to miss the greatest gift of Christmas. It is hard to believe that you love me so much that you want to give me the gift of eternal life. I am thankful that you sent Jesus to earth to save a sinner like me. I confess that I have sinned against you but I understand that you have paid the penalty for all of my sin through the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross. I accept His death as a payment for my sins and I accept the forgiveness that you freely give me. I willingly turn from my sinful ways and ask for your strength to keep me pure and holy. I want to be made brand new and to start over. I want to be a part of your family. I accept my adoption into the family of God. Thank you for loving me in spite of my mistakes and failures.
I renounce all the work of Satan in my life, and I cancel all of his strongholds. Please cleanse me and remove every evil thing from within me. Remove every barrier that would keep me from knowing you more. I ask that you fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I might live the life that you would desire. I offer myself to you and ask that you would use me in your service until the time of my death or the end-time harvest. Amen.
PSALM 127 Notice the first two verses talk about workers building a house while the last three verses talk about the joy of having lots of kids. At first glance, it’s an odd paring. A legitimate possibility is that the word “house” is meant to be interpreted in two senses. One sense is as a literal building and one meaning an ex- tended family, such as in 2 Sam. 3:1: “The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.” Certainly, it is true that whether it is a family, a house, or any initiative, if the Lord isn’t both the rea- son for and the power behind it, there is no lasting value to it. Paul uses similar construction language: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foun- dation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light” (1 Cor. 3:12). The Psalmist could not be clearer about the benefit of lots of children. Our current culture is more geared to personal satisfaction than the family orientation of the Bible. Could our current culture have it wrong? Yes, that’s the value of the Bible. It stands above culture, giving us the best way to live no matter what our current transitory moment promotes. (Ask Louise Luke to show her extended fam- ily picture.) The Psalmist shifts to more military metaphors (e.g., arrows, warriors, quivers, and opponents). Perhaps having many children protects us from being dangerously self-absorbed, while increasing the total number in the Kingdom of God as we battle the “powers of this dark world” (Eph. 6:12).
