I've been blessed to be able to read four chapters every day in the scriptures, having finished Amos today. I can't help but notice as I read the eye-witness accounts and revelations recording how these flesh-and-blood sons and daughters of Adam dealt with the same issues we all do today.

While I stress that the OT was addressed to and written by the Children of Israel - to whom were commited the oracles of God - that doesn't make it irrelevant for today. It's definitely written FOR us. Looking back, we can now clearly see the shadows and types of the promised Messiah.

Paul writes to us believers in the gospel of grace his preached, telling us all scripture is profitable, [2 Tim 3:15] yet emphasizes everything written before is for our learning. [Rom 15:4] The context will be expounded on below.

The world is currently in turmoil, despite rumors of peace, with wars and natural disasters on the rise. We in the US face unprecented societal and economic upheaval resulting from the will of who God has placed in power. More on that later.

Though we may feel all this has never happened before, the scripture assures me we're not the first. However, prophecy also seems to indicate that it's likely to be the last. I'm not concerned for myself, but for those who have yet to hear the gospel of grace while it's still possible.

Paul, just as the other apostles, believed that according to the Jewish prophetic timeline, the risen LORD's returning was just over the horizon.

Note that the other NT authors (James. Peter, John, Jude) were encouraging their flocks of Messianic Jews to physically endure the seven years of "Jacob's Trouble" during the tribulation, after which Christ Jesus will usher them into the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Contrast that with Paul revealing to his primary Gentile pagan converts that the body of Christ, his church, will be gathered up - meeting the LORD in the air as his spotless bride - to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

[2 Tim 3:16]

The OT authors wrote as the Spirit of God moved them, revealing his will to mankind - not all at once, but - according to his perfect timing. He doesn't hold anyone responsible for what He hasn't yet revealed, but once known, they are expected to abide by it [Deut 31:31]

The named covenants are only profitable to those to whom they are first revealed, though many are cumulative. The same doctrines given to Moses for Temple worship were unknown to Noah or Abram.

As the Christ fulfilled the law, the author of Hebrews ensures us the old covenant is superceded by the new, better one in His blood. [Heb 8:6][Heb 8:13]

[Heb 8:6][Heb 8:13]

The context of Romans 15:4 is the edification of one another in the body of Christ. We do this through the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to His church through the endurance and comfort learning the scripture provides. [Rom 15:4-9]

While it shows the Gentiles are the beneficiaries of this grace, God's chosen people are offered it first [Rom 1:16]

The following is formatted based on the book of Amos. How many parallels can you find besides these?

Here is a clear, side-by-side comparison of the major themes in Amos with conditions commonly observed in the modern world.

Amos vs. Today: A Side-by-Side Comparison

1. Social Injustice & Economic Exploitation

Amos describes:

• Selling the poor “for a pair of sandals” (Amos 2:6)
• Trampling the needy (5:11)
• Crushing the powerless (4:1)

Today:

• Economic systems that widen the wealth gap
• Predatory lending, exploitative labor, and human trafficking
• Increasing homelessness and food insecurity
• Essential workers underpaid while corporations profit disproportionately

2. Corruption in Leadership & Courts

Amos describes:

• Bribe-taking judges (5:12)
• Justice turned into poison (6:12)
• Righteousness thrown aside (5:7)

Today:

• Corruption scandals among political, business, and judicial leaders
• Unequal justice outcomes based on influence or money
• Lobbying that often serves elites over the public
• Distrust of institutions due to lack of accountability

3. Religious Hypocrisy

Amos describes:

• Lavish worship but no righteousness (5:21–23)
• People eager for worship to be over so they can cheat others (8:5)
• Empty rituals masking moral decay

Today:

• Churches preaching prosperity while ignoring the poor
• Leaders with public piety but private corruption
• Religious institutions aligning with power instead of justice
• Faith communities focused on performance rather than obedience or compassion

4. Moral Decline & Indifference

Amos describes:

• “They do not know how to do right” (3:10)
• Luxury and apathy toward societal ruin (6:4–6)
• A “famine of hearing the word of the LORD” (8:11)

Today:

• Entertainment culture drowning out moral reflection
• Societal numbness to violence, exploitation, and deception
• People more informed about celebrities than ethical issues
• Growing biblical illiteracy even among believers

5. Warnings of Impending Judgment

Amos describes:

• Disasters meant to call a nation back (4:6–11)
• The Day of the LORD as darkness for the unrepentant (5:18–20)
• No escape if corruption continues (9:1–4)

Today:

• Global instability: wars, economic fragility, political tension
• Environmental crises and natural disasters intensifying
• Moral and spiritual confusion growing
• Many sensing a turning point or reckoning approaching

6. Hope & Restoration After Judgment

Amos describes:

• Restoration of David’s fallen tent (9:11)
• A healed land with renewed blessing (9:13–15)

Today:

• God’s promise still stands: repentance leads to renewal
• Revival movements emerging in various places
• Future hope in Christ’s kingdom regardless of global decline