Hebrews 8:1-2

He’s there to save us from our sins forever.

• Hebrews 2:17

• Leviticus 16:15, 32-34 – The high priest made atonement for all Israel once a year.

• Hebrews 9:23-28; 5:6, 9-10 – Jesus made atonement for all mankind, once for all time.

  • Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20; Psalms 110:4). Jesus is a priest perpetually. Melchizedek was superior to Abraham (since Abraham paid him tithes), and thus his priesthood was superior to the Levitical priesthood. Thus, Jesus’ priesthood is also superior to the Levitical priesthood.

• The perfect high priest is in place and will always be there for us!

• Hebrews 7:3-4, 7, 17, 23-25; 6:19-20

He encourages us to confess Him and never turn back.

• Exodus 28 – The high priest garments.

• Exodus 29:9-10, 12, 21, 29

• Hebrews 5:1-3; 4:14-16 – The high priest was one of the people, so would sympathize with their weaknesses. Jesus lived and was tempted as we are, so we have an even greater advantage with Him as our high priest.

• Hebrews 3:1; 10:19-23 – We can have confidence through Jesus.

• Matthew 10:32-33

He has proved His love. Now it’s our turn.

• Hebrews 4:15

• Isaiah 59:2, 9, 15-16, 20

• Hebrews 2:17-18; 9:11-14

Amos 1-9

Introduction to the book

• Amos means “burden bearer.”

• Message of the book: doom.

• The book was written approximately 760-750 B.C.

Four major divisions of prophecy in the book:

• Judgment on six nations around Judah

  • Damascus (Amos 1:3-5) – for cruelty in war

  • Gaza (Amos 1:6-8)

  • Tyre (Amos 1:9-10)

  • Edom (Amos 1:11-12) – for hatred of Israel

  • Ammon (Amos 1:13-15) – for cruelty to people

  • Moab (Amos 2:1-3) – for burning the bones of the king of Edom

• Judgment on Judah (Amos 2:4-5) – for religious apostasy

• Judgment on Israel (Amos 2:6-9:10)

  • Amos 2:6-8 – God rebukes Israel for injustice, immorality, and idolatry.

    • See I Kings 12:30.

  • Amos 3 – Israel no longer walked with God.

  • Amos 4:12 – Summation of the book: “prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

  • Amos 5:23; 6:5 – Some try to misuse these verses to show that instrumental worship is not approved.

    • II Chronicles 29:25 – Instrumental music was approved for worship under the Old Covenant.

    • Doing the right thing with wrong motives is not approved by God.

  • Amos 7:10-17 – Amos was ordered not to prophesy in Israel by Amaziah.

• Messianic hope (Amos 9:11-15)

  • See Acts 15:13-18 (quotation of Amos 9:11-12).

  • This is the only optimistic message in the book!

Lessons for us:

• We are going to meet God in judgment, so prepare!

• God is righteous, both in punishment and blessing.

• Even right acts are an insult to God if done with wrong motives.

• All can be blessed in the restored tabernacle of David.

I Timothy 2:9-10 – The emphasis should be on being a godly woman. Appearance is secondary.

I Peter 3:1-4

So … how long, how tight?

• Proverbs 5:18-20

• Genesis 2:25; 3:7, 20 – The fig leaves covered the bare essentials, but God made them coverings to cover more.

• Genesis 29:17; 39:6 – “form and appearance”: Beauty involves shape and contours – not just the face.

• Esther 2:7

Lack of specifics does not mean God’s word does not powerfully direct us.

• Ephesians 4:29 (language)

• I Corinthians 16:2 (giving)

• Titus 2:12 (substance abuse)

Love for God and others

• Matthew 22:37-40

• Matthew 18:6-10

• I John 2:16-17 – We should not use our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness.

• Romans 6:12-13; 13:13-14 – Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

• I Corinthians 6:19-7:5 – Our bodies belong to God, so we should glorify God in our bodies.

• I Thessalonians 1:1 – See I Peter 5:12; Acts 15:22, 40 – Silvanus (Silas)

• The Thessalonians were already an example to others. We don’t get to a certain age and suddenly become examples to others!

• The Thessalonians were doing such a good job that other people were bringing news of their good deeds back to Paul! What a great example they were!

Galatians 2:20

First of all, it’s impossible to remove God from the world He created.

• Colossians 1:16-17

• Removing God from the world is like trying to improve the car by removing the engine!

• Good science has never been at odds with good Bible interpretation.

  • Fake science: We know the universe began through natural causes.

    • “We have not explained the beginning of the cosmos at all.”

    • Biblical truth: Genesis 1:1

  • Fake science: Some races are superior to others.

    • Original subtitle of Origin of Species: “Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life”

    • Biblical truth: Genesis 1:27. We are all equal before God.

  • Fake science: Dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago.

    • Now we are finding soft tissue in dinosaur bones!

    • Biblical truth: Genesis 5, 11

      • Present à Christ: 2,000 years

      • Christ à Abraham: 2,000 years

      • Abraham à Adam: 2,000 years

      • Total age of the earth: roughly 6,000 years.

    • See also David’s previous sermon: The Age of the Earth

Furthermore, the world is better when God is revered and obeyed.

• Proverbs 3:19-23; Psalms 119:160

• Genesis 2:15-17

• If we banish God, we are left with morals that are merely opinions!

• John 17:17

• Proverbs 14:34

• I Thessalonians 2:12-14; 4:3; 5:15-22

• James 1:22-25

• “Men have forgotten God. That’s why all this has happened.” – Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn