1. Amos 1:1 (ESV)
  2. Application

The danger of prosperity

Amos 1:1 (ESV)

1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

When life is going well for us and we are prospering (in health, finances, social life, etc.), then we are actually in a danger zone. What is the danger? That after some time we start forgetting that our God has given us all this—and we start to think and operate as if we can do without God. Then our living slowly becomes less and less a matter of thankful living. ...The days of Uzziah (Judah) and the days of Jeroboam II (Israel) were days of great prosperity for Judah and Israel. Especially in Israel (but also in Judah) the days were very good—but not! Israel was forgetting the Lord in a big way! They still worshipped God, but they forgot that God is holy! As such they also worshipped other gods, ignored many of God’s ways, and no longer served God with all their hearts.