Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Amos 5:23-24 KJV
The Context and Focus:
God has constantly warned us about the danger of sin, and told us quite clearly what the consequences of sin are. He leaves no one in any doubt as to what follows unconfessed sin. It does not matter who you are, or how much God has used you, or how many lives you have touched. Sin in the camp will destroy a man, and that is what happened to Israel. Israel was the favoured of God, chosen out of many nations to be His treasured possession, but when they sinned, God punished them. This has to be a warning to all of us today; God has no favourites when it comes to sin. He will punish it, no matter in whom it is found. This was the warning God sent through his prophet Amos in the verses above. It is still the same God; dispensations or generations may have changed, but the standards have not. I must keep my heart focused on these standards, so that I do not slip away. May sin not become such a part of me that I become hardened by its deceit. I have to keep myself under constant check, so that I can avoid sin. Eternity is too long a time not to be sure where you will spend it.
The Message:
I must also be careful about keeping up appearances, without a corresponding commitment to the things that make God's heart glad. There is the danger of keeping up 'good works', at the expense of a good walk with God. These verses were addressed to people who knew how to look the part, but not what God really wanted. They would come to the house of God and sing beautifully; they could make lovely music and melody with the instruments, but God was not impressed. The service would be appreciated by mortal men, because it would move them, but God was far away from them. That is the danger of a life devoted to works only, with no corresponding inner conviction to match it. I have to be very careful about my life's pursuits and priorities, so that I do not just have the applause of men, and no approval from God. At the end of the day, it won't matter what men said or did; the only thing that would matter would be what God has said. As it was then, so is it now. Men will continue to be men, and God remains God. Should a mortal man like myself, who is also subject to judgment like me, be strong enough to deny me eternal life with God?
The Conclusion:
This is why today's verses are critical. God has made it clear what his standards are. He is a God of judgment, and with Him, there is no partiality. He does not like hypocrisy or eye-service, but where a man does what pleases God, God is pleased and he will bless such endeavours. His desire is to have justice flow like waters. The picture here is that God wants to walk and work unhindered or unfettered in our lives, if only we will allow Him. His nature is justice, because he is a fair God, and the One who will judge the whole world. How can he demand from me what is not in his nature to give? How can he command from me that which He has not supplied abundant grace for? This is what makes God unique: he will never put on me more than what I can bear. Righteousness is also His nature, and all who claim to know and follow Him must look, talk, walk, see and live like Him. May I not offer unto God a sacrifice that He will not accept, but may my life and its offerings be acceptable in His sight. He wants to take glory in and through me. Would you let Him? God's time of favour is here.
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