8 of 8 I will not relent

“The Lord says: I will not relent from punishing Israel for three crimes, even four, because they sell a righteous person for silver and a needy person for a pair of sandals.”

‭‭Amos‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/amo.2.6.HCSB

Israel is the last nation to have an I will not relent passage in Amos. Israel is the northern 10 tribes that split from Judah during the kings after Solomon. Israel has a unique I will not relent passage in the fact that it lasts until Chapter 6 verse 14. If I was to continue with the 8th I will not relent it would have 5 parts. But I hope to wrap it up today but also not go through chapter 6. 

“I raised up some of your sons as prophets and some of your young men as Nazirites. Is this not the case, Israelites? This is the Lord’s declaration. But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets, “Do not prophesy.”

‭‭Amos‬ ‭2:11-12‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/amo.2.11-12.HCSB

The Nazirites are some of my favorite people. I like the oath that they swear for a period of their lives. 

“The Lord instructed Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow, to consecrate himself to the Lord, he is to abstain from wine and beer. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or from beer. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins. He is not to eat anything produced by the grapevine, from seeds to skin, during his vow. 

You must not cut his hair throughout the time of his vow of consecration. He must be holy until the time is completed during which he consecrates himself to the Lord; he is to let the hair of his head grow long. He must not go near a dead body during the time he consecrates himself to the Lord. He is not to defile himself for his father or mother, or his brother or sister, when they die, because the hair consecrated to his God is on his head. He is holy to the Lord during the time of consecration.”

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭6:1-8‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/num.6.1-8.HCSB

A Nazarite vow takes place for a certain time frame, set by the person. And as obedience to God, they are not to drink beer and wine. They are not to eat anything relating to grapes. They are not to cut their hair and they must stay away from dead people. Two people who come to mind that were lifelong Nazarites are Samson and John. Samson was made incredibly strong because his parent vowed to raise him as a Nazarite. John was used by God to bring the ministry of Jesus to the public eye. Both of these men’s births were announced by an angel to one of their parents. Both of these men wavered later in life in their call but also finished strong while in captivity. 

I like the idea of sanctification of our lives before God as a Nazarite would do. To live holy and blameless before God. Avoid alcohol and grapes for a season or a lifetime. My biggest hang-up is that I like my hair short. 

Back in March, I took the time to take up communion in the morning instead of eating breakfast. I used the time to pray. I would drink grape juice and eat homemade communion bread. During that time I drew closer to God and was baptized by the Holy Spirit. In a way, I took a break from not eating grapes and drinking grape juice to draw closer to God. 

What are you going to do differently today to find a closer walk with God? Maybe pick up a physical Bible and read one paragraph out of Luke? Or take 5 extra minutes to pray before heading out your next door? Or take time to meditate on the goodness of God in your life? Or make up your own! And then tell someone your goal! This will help us to accomplish it because we know someone might ask us about it in a week. And it may also encourage them to do something different for God. 

Israel was a part of God’s judgment because they made people who were trying to obey God stop! Don’t stop on my account but pursue God harder today than you did yesterday!

“But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/heb.3.13.HCSB