10.c. “Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”

Amos 8:11  “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.

1 Samuel 3:1    Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Ezekiel 7:26    Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.

Romans 11:7-10    What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,  as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

Isaiah 30:20-21    And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.  And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

2 Timothy 3:7     always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

“Behold, the days are coming”.  Amos proclaimed a day when there would be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.  A day when the people were hardened.  A day when the Teacher does not hide and ears will hear Him speak to their heart, mind, and soul.  They will hear “this is the way, walk in it”.  Don’t you wonder if people will listen  and walk in it?  Or will they harden against it?  “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and water of affliction” they will either listen or not.

I am sooooo tired of hearing people blaming China, the President, governors, mayors, and anyone else for the current pandemic.  As if they could do anything to stop the spread of this.  If we do not see God sovereign over this bread of adversity and water of affliction then I guess you end up looking for someone to blame.  Could God be speaking to the world one last time before the end of days.  Could He be graciously reaching out through this to call the hearts, minds, and soul of man to Himself.  How long will He wait?  I wonder how many during this time will reject His calling out.  I wonder for how many this will be their last chance to hear His calling.  We never know when our last day is.  We never know the moment we will enter into eternity.  Life never gives us a heads up.  Hear today and all is good and then bam, eternity.  Know this there is no second chance apart from while we are alive on this side of eternity.  Sin must be recognized and owned or there will never be seen the need of Jesus Christ, redemption, forgiveness, salvation, and repentance.  As the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ perishes from a society, nation, and culture there will be no hope, peace, or rest for the people.  Come to Him, confess your sin, repent and turn away from it, and believe in the work Jesus Christ did on the cross to redeem you.  Follow, trust, and obey Him.  Eternity is nearer than you think.