The Lord is his name
Amos 9:6 - This one simple verse from a relatively unknown Biblical prophet can remind us today that we are living under the terms of a new covenant that Jesus made.
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“he builds his lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth; he calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land— the Lord is his name.”
Amos 9:6 NIV
Amos is a minor prophet in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, with one of his claims to fame being that he is somewhat of a reluctant prophet. He was from the southern part of ancient Israel (the Kingdom of Judah), yet his preaching during the years 760 - 755 B.C. was done in the north in Samaria (the Kingdom of Israel).
Why was Amos reluctant? Wikipedia explains:
Amos's prior professions and his claim "I am not a prophet nor a son of a prophet" (7:14) indicates that Amos was not from the school of prophets, which Amos claims would qualify him as a true prophet. Amos's declaration marks a turning point in the development of Biblical prophecy. It is not mere chance that Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and almost all of the prophets given significant coverage in the Hebrew Bible give first of all the story of their special calling. All of them seek to protest against the suspicion that they are professional prophets because the latter discredited themselves by flattering national vanities and ignoring the misdeeds of prominent men.[5]
The prophets were used by God to be His human mouthpieces, and during his active years, Amos would bring messages of justice, the omnipotence (unequalled power) of God, and His divine judgment to the people. Today’s verse continues words of praise to the Lord that Amos is speaking at the end of his book of prophecy, in particular about God’s power over His creation
The translations of the ancient Hebrew vary somewhat in their definitions, and the first part of this verse —“he builds his lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth“ — could either refer to God’s realm in the heavens or (more likely to me) to God’s creation of “the heavens”; in other words, the entire universe. With His unlimited power, God built the universe with the ease that a master builder would construct a “lofty palace”. Amos brings up a very good point here: Any being who could create a universe also has absolute control and power over everything in that creation.
Amos reminds the Israelites that the Lord “calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land,” once again acknowledging his infinite power. God is in control of the affairs of the earth, including nature:
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
The prophecies of Amos lay out truth to the Israelites. God established a covenant relationship with them, and they agreed to honor their part of the covenant. Their agreement is captured in Exodus 19:8:
“The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.”
Here, and elsewhere in Scripture, we are reminded of God’s omnipresence as well. God is everywhere, and He knows all we do and say. Psalm 139:7 captures this perfectly:
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”
The point? The Israelites would not be able to escape God’s judgment. The implication, of course, is that only through repentance and a return to following God’s commandments would the people of Israel escape judgment in the form of captivity in a foreign land… or worse.
This one simple verse from a relatively unknown Biblical prophet can remind us today that we are living under the terms of a new covenant that Jesus made, a promise from God to forgive sins and restore His relationship with believers through faith in the mediator — Jesus Christ. The covenant is based on the sacrificial death of Jesus, the fulfillment of God’s promise to renew His relationship with humanity.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, I pray to you today in recognition of Your authority over all of Your creation, and in acknowledgement that You control all situations in my life and the world around me. Provide me with the wisdom to understand Your will, and guide me. May Your judgment lead to continued purification and renewal in my life, bringing me closer to You each day. AMEN.