A famine exists when food is not merely scarce, it is unavailable.  In the Book named for the Prophet Amos God speaks in the first person, stating repeatedly, “I will ….”  In this way He is letting the reader know that what would take place in Israel’s future would be of His doing, and that He would do it because of what they had done or failed to do.  Following many years of warnings from His prophets, the Almighty did exactly what He said He would do.  What veterans of this website know is that He is fulfilling those same prophecies again in the lives of the descendants of the same people and for the same reasons.

So what does the Almighty’s dealings with ancient Israel have to do with the modern day church? newcomers to this website might ask.  For their sake I will delve into the past for a quick history lesson involving the Lord’s dealings with His chosen people.  Veterans of this website know that the descendants of ancient Israel make up most of the populations of Britain, the United States and the Middle-eastern nation called Israel, which is in fact Judah.  God speaks to these Truths in Amos 5:6,  5:15, and 6:6 where He refers to the end-time nations of Israel as “the house of Joseph” and the “remnant of Joseph.”  He refers to what will befall end-time Israel as “the affliction of Joseph.”  Recall that when Jacob, whom God renamed “Israel,” was on his deathbed he decreed that in the future Joseph’s two sons–Ephraim and Manasseh–would carry his name–“Israel,” as would their descendants.  Israel had taken the birthright blessing from his firstborn son, Rueben, and had given it to Joseph.  Therefore, Joseph’s two sons–“Israel”–would inherit the blessings that came with the birthright.  History records that their descendants now comprise the bulk of the populations of Britain and the United States.   Many of the descendants of Jacob’s other sons later found their way to the two birthright nations, for example, the U.S. is populated with large numbers of people from Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and other Western European nations to which the tribes of Israel migrated following their escape from Assyrian enslavement.  The Jews–descendants of Jacob’s son Judah–populate the Scepter (rulership) nation from which Jesus came.  For this reason Jesus proclaimed that, “Salvation is of the Jews.”  God’s warning to ancient Israel through Amos came to pass in 720 B.C. when the northern tribes were defeated and the survivors enslaved by the Assyrians.  Approximately 140 years later their southern brethren–the Jews–were defeated and enslaved by the Babylonians.  As God had promised, the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem following 70 years of captivity in order to rebuild God’s Temple.  Some 42,000 of them chose to return.  They rebuilt the Temple, the city and the city walls.  Then, because of their sins, God sent the Roman Legions to attack, defeat and enslave them in 70 A.D.  The Romans then sold Jews to people all over the world.

What few people do not understand is that there is a duality aspect to God’s Word.  What He prophesies will happen in the future happens.  Years, sometimes centuries go by and He does the same thing again, to the descendants of the same people, and for the same reason.  His warning through Amos was directed not only to the ancient tribes of Israel, but also to their modern day birthright and Scepter brethren.  To a lesser degree, the warning was to the descendants of the other sons of Jacob/Israel.  Because of their status as the Birthright Nations, and having been blessed with incredible riches and success in the past, the U.S. and Britain will be totally destroyed and the survivors carried off as slaves because of their rebellion against the Lord.  And because He returned to the Jews the land He had promised Abraham, then protected them against annihilation by vastly superior forces on several occasions, the same desecration will come upon them, and for the same reason.

Because of their obedience to His Word/Law, God will protect a “remnant of Joseph” (a few of the descendants of Joseph’s two sons) during the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.  These will be the “few” who “found” the Lord’s strait (difficult) gate and walked His narrow (extremely restricted) way that leads to His Kingdom.  The church masses will have “gone in” through Satan’s wide (come as you are, stay as you are) gate and will have walked his wide (you want it, you got it) way to destruction (Mat. 7:13,14).  Long time readers of this website already know this history and know what is coming in the near future.  I periodically repeat this vital information because new people are joining the site regularly.  I trust that veterans of the Truth wars will forgive the repetition.

Beginning in Amos 2:4 God reminds ancient Israel that they rebelled against Him in spite of the many blessings He bestowed upon them.  In 3:1 He reminds the world’s Israelites–then and now–that they are the only people He has known (intimately).  Because He has so richly blessed them, and because they claimed to be at one with Him, He will punish modern Israel for their iniquities (Law-breaking), just as He did their ancient ancestors.  In 3:3-8 He reminds them that, though they claimed to be walking with Him, they were not in agreement with Him.  Instead, they were going their own way.  God sent His prophets to warn ancient Israel and sends apostles to warn their descendants today.  In 9-15 He warns that all, including the ministry and the rich, will feel the heat of his anger if they do not repent and return to Him.  Beginning in 4:4 God tells Israel (then and now) to continue going through their religious motions, to continue to bring their sacrifices, say their prayers, sing their songs, tithe their money and worship Him.  In 5:21-16 He tells them that, because of their sins, He hates their religious practices (even though He had commanded that they do them).  He reminds them that in the past He had cursed them with famine, drought, heat, diseases, stunted and worm-eaten crops, pestilences (viral pandemics), just as He had done to the Egyptians many years earlier.  In 4:12 He warns them that, because they ignored His “voice,” they were to get ready to meet their God–to feel His wrath for breaking His Law.  In 5:10-13 God reminds Israel, then and now, of her rejection of His Words.  Consequently, a time was coming when they would not be able to hear them.  L.J.