Introduction

Good morning everyone. Today, we will examine the fifth chapter of the Book of Amos. The theme of this chapter is “Seek the Lord and live.” If you do not seek the Lord, you will perish, and not just in an ordinary way, but in a very tragic manner.

Seek the Lord and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour, and there be no one to quench it for Bethel. (Amos 5:6)

I. O Israel, Hear the Dirge I Am Singing to You

As Amos writes the fifth chapter, there is actually not much difference from the previous chapters. It all speaks of seeking the Lord and living. A true prophet does not speak auspicious words, but only ominous ones, because what people do is offensive to God. One day you do something offensive to God, and the next day nothing happens, and you feel pretty good, like it’s no big deal. Many Christians think this way, and so does this generation. Israel and the Christians of today need to hear the dirge that is being sung for you. Let’s not talk about other churches, but just our church's Christians. If you take out what is in their heads, you will see that they are filled with too much garbage, countless things that provoke God's anger, all based on worldly logic. Therefore, Christians need to hear the dirge sung for them. Amos is not really talking to Israel, but to us, because Israel fell more than two thousand six or seven hundred years ago.

Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel: (Amos 5:1)

These words are all spoken to us. Remember that we are already Israelites who have made a covenant with God. But after making a covenant with God, it is truly sorrowful when God sings a dirge for you. Sometimes you listen to God's words, and sometimes you don't. When will you fully listen? How much disaster will it take to make people turn from sin? It would be easy if you only listened to ominous words and not auspicious ones. These prophets really say a few things that sound unpleasant to the ear, hitting you right in the spine, that’s precisely right. How many Christians and churches today only speak ominous words and not auspicious ones? No one listens to the pastor sing a dirge for them anymore. If he really sang one, they would rebuke the pastor, because after listening, they still don't understand, and they all feel that they are doing pretty well, quite successful, and very capable. But we Christians must understand that in our current situation, we really need to listen to some dirges.

She is fallen, no more to rise, the virgin Israel; she is forsaken on her land, with no one to raise her up. For thus says the Lord God: “The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel.” (Amos 5:2-3)

Doing this is to make God's people seek Him. Do not think that you are already seeking God, but God feels that you are not seeking Him enough. There is a logic that everyone must understand: seeking God is never enough. Today's prophets say such nice things, such as God is your God, God is the God who cares for you, your tomorrow will be better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be even better. But in our condition, will tomorrow really be better? When a person feels good about themselves and is doing well, like the Israelites, God will sing a dirge for you. Reflect on what has happened to you in the past few years: going out with a thousand and returning with a hundred, going out with a hundred and returning with ten. And you still think it’s pretty good?

People often ask God why these things happen to them, but they are all deserved. We must carefully reflect on our current situation and how far we are from God's requirements. Today I say it again, whenever you feel good about yourself, this dirge is being sung for you, because the Israelites were just like that, feeling extremely good about themselves. Amos was shouting until his voice was almost hoarse, and I wish I could travel back in time to give him a cold drink. So, if you really feel that you are doing pretty good, when will you ever improve? The pastors among us are all pastored by me, and they all know that I don’t like to hear anyone tell me how great they are or how well they serve. I only want to hear them tell me about the problems they encounter. People like to talk about their strengths, as if boasting about their strengths is the courage and reason to live. That won't do. If you continue to insist on that, the dirge will sound. When the funeral music starts, you know someone has died, and it sounds tragic. Don't think that only Japanese dirges are hard to listen to; actually, all dirges are unpleasant to hear.

II. Seek the Lord and Live

Why must we seek the Lord? Because we are not good enough and not like God. There are many things in us that cater to the flesh, and many things that need God to deal with. As long as there is even a little bit that is unlike God, we need to seek God, let alone when there is a lot that is unlike Him. When we look in the mirror, it’s simply a two-faced mask, half like a ghost and half like God, yet we still think we are doing pretty good. Even if you look good, you are still cosmetically enhanced—fake. How many of us say that we sought God yesterday because we are not yet like God; that there are still areas that are not right and need God's help to deal with? Such people are truly few and far between.

For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live; but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing.” Seek the Lord and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour, and there be no one to quench it for Bethel. O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth! He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name; (Amos 5:4-8)

You must know that the Lord will still bring disaster. Without a heart of reverence, you cannot walk this path. These words are not spoken to one person, but to all of us, because Amos’s words are also written to the Christians of this generation. We are really not that great. We become frantic when our core interests are touched, but there is no reaction when our God is touched. The difference is truly too great. Those who seek God will live, so are we now walking on the path of death or the path of life? We can judge our attitude towards God by just one thing. If our attitude towards God is like the pitiful attitude of those so-called Christians, what difference is there between us and them?

Look at what we have inside ourselves and the things that those churches promote. They get excited about holding a marriage retreat, but they don't even know if it is God's will. They organize a lot of activities that are just eating, drinking, and having fun, but they don't realize that they are about to usher in a tragedy. We must be vigilant and understand why these things are not called seeking God, and what the outward appearance of religion is. They feel that they are great just because they come to Bible study every time, but they may not even come every time. If they can't even persevere in coming to Bible study, what else can they persevere in? Many disasters will really come upon this world. When it comes to whom, it is all God's arrangement. This is not a joke. Seek God and you will live. So, how do we seek Him?

III. Seek God’s Justice

Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:15)

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:24)

This is God's heart: to seek God's justice and God's fairness. Look at what we are seeking. People are selfish to the core. Don't think that having one unselfish trait means that a person is unselfish. If there is one unselfish trait out of ten, then there are still nine selfish traits. Look at the things we value. Examine ourselves carefully. We care a lot about our own things, but we don't think God's things are that serious, and we feel that we are doing pretty well. When Amos spoke these words, the Israelites also felt that they were doing pretty well. They attended the Lord's Day every time and were also eager for God to come, but what they were doing was very evil.

They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time. (Amos 5:10-13)

Some people say that they have not done these things, but that is because they have not had the opportunity to do them. Once they have the opportunity, they will definitely do them. To seek fairness and justice is to seek God's justice and to put God's things first. To put God's things first, you must seek God's will and let God's will be done on us as it is in heaven. Looking back at the words we have spoken, we praise ourselves as soon as we open our mouths, feeling good about ourselves. You see that the scripture says they hate him who speaks the truth and abhor him who reproves in the gate. Actually, the things we have inside us are all waiting for disaster to come, and once disaster comes, it cannot be reversed.

Do not accumulate God's wrath for yourselves any longer. When God's wrath comes, you will be taken captive. That is when your sins are full and there is no more opportunity. Therefore, people must learn to fear God in normal times and see if they have taken out one-tenth of their working strength to serve God. If some have, then thank God and continue to do so. To seek God's fairness and justice, you must know what it means to seek God's righteousness. We are busy all day long and still think it's normal, but it's not normal. I have served people like this before, but you really don't need to be so busy. You are busy because you go out with a thousand and return with a hundred, and you are busy accumulating God's wrath for yourselves.

Relying on the great and awesome God will definitely allow you to live, and God will definitely help us. If we truly serve God with our hearts and put God first, God will surely open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings upon us. If you continue to be busy, then it will be terrible. Buying a property in a third- or fourth-tier city when housing prices are at their highest means that you will have worked for nothing for at least three to five years. When you encounter such a thing, you must wake up. Even for your own benefit, you must rely on God. If we take a closer look, we see many people who are easily cheated out of hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, or who invest unsuccessfully and lose money after being busy for a long time. Seeing such people, I worry to death and repeatedly tell them not to be busy, but they just don't listen. They think it is an opportunity they cannot miss, but they cannot see that it is an opportunity to lose money. A few days ago, I asked a sister that if she had not made that decision a few years ago, she would have at least five million more now. She didn't let me say it, because it touched the pain in her heart, and saying more would just bring tears.

People feel that the decisions they made at the time were wonderful, and even now there are still people who are busy and unrepentant. Actually, people do not live by being busy, but by seeking God's righteousness. If you are feeling irritable from being busy, you must repent quickly. If you haven't heard enough of dirges and funeral music, perhaps there is really a piece of funeral music being played for ourselves. Are you still not repenting? There is an evil force in people's bones, and when they have nothing to do, they want to find something to do. You must know that you can offend anyone, but you cannot offend God.

The priorities people place in life are all wrong, which is very incomprehensible. If the local municipal party secretary wants to see you, whether it is at 8 p.m. or 12 a.m., you will definitely have time and will have to prepare a month in advance. If it is the provincial party secretary, a central leader, or Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, who wants to see you, it is definitely not to be missed, but why can you miss God? Look at what our insides are like. You must know that the days of accumulating wrath for ourselves are at hand. Even if we pursue it with all our strength, it may not be enough. However, in reality, we are just perfunctory, not doing enough, and our attitude is still very bad, often finding a lot of excuses for ourselves.

To seek God's righteousness, of course, please don't mind what I say. The brothers and sisters among us have already done better than those in other churches, but they are still not like Jesus, and they are still far from it, and must strive to pursue it. As for those who are not good enough, don't give so many reasons as soon as you speak. If you have reasons, then go and tell God. The Israelites told God all kinds of reasons, but they also loved God very much. If they loved God so much, would they still need to play funeral music, listen to dirges, and experience those disasters in the past? Those who say they love God very much are actually still far from it. Never feel good about yourself. The Israelites felt good about themselves, and in the end, they all ended up in funeral music. God has already prepared funeral music and dirges for His people, so that they can seek God and put God first.

IV. Do Not Seek God Through Religious Rituals

“Do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.” (Amos 5:5)

These are all places of great significance to religion. Modern-day Christians are particularly fond of going to Israel, considering it a pilgrimage. But in reality, pilgrimages are useless; they cannot penetrate the heart of God. The Bible has long told us, do not go to Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor Beersheba. Bethel is where Jacob used a stone as a pillow, lay down, and dreamt of God proclaiming His promise upon a ladder, which Jacob called the gate of heaven, the house of God. Gilgal is where Samuel once ministered, and Beersheba is where God revealed Himself. Some feel remarkable for having come to the house of God, to a victorious church, but it is all in vain. Only being a fine soldier of Jesus Christ is of use; when the bugle sounds, one must report to the designated place; one cannot say they fell asleep and could not go.

Problems cannot be solved through religious forms. Seeking God's righteousness and placing Him first in our lives is of paramount importance. Religious acts are detestable. Some churches carry out religious rituals impeccably, yet God's judgment falls first upon the pastors. I serve God with fear and trembling. Actually, I do not wish to speak harsh words to everyone; I also desire to speak auspicious words. But I fear God. Avoid sharing in your sins; that would be terrible. There was once a pastor who preached nothing but chicken soup for the soul, constantly saying that God is a good God, a God who bestows grace upon you, that tomorrow will be even better, and that everything is God's grace. He preached so well that those sitting below longed for the Day of the Lord.

Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it? (Amos 5:18-20)

Why is there woe to those who desire the Day of the Lord? It is all religious ritual. People are full of confidence in their state at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, yearning for His return, thinking that the Day of the Lord will be good for everyone.

“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.” (Amos 5:21-23)

People use all these methods, thinking they are pleasing to God, but what does God truly desire?

But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. (Amos 5:24)

Here, you all understand, correct?

Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? You also carried Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your idols, the star of your gods, which you made for yourselves. (Amos 5:25-26)

These verses still speak of religious rituals, but even these rituals cannot prevent that set of worldly logic deep in people’s bones, resulting in them leaving Egypt only to die in the wilderness. I divide Christians into three categories: those who are slaves in Egypt, those who die in the wilderness, and those who enter the Promised Land. Some, even after entering the Promised Land, still harbor selfish motives. In that state, they still yearn for the Day of the Lord?

It is so dangerous to worship God with an idolatrous heart. Examine what exactly we harbor inside. If you want to debate some spiritual truth with me, I have nothing to debate with you. But compare what you and I have done on this path of serving God. I dare not boast whether I have done well or not, but there is one point worth emulating. It is no exaggeration to say that I strive to pursue God with all my might, for this is my grace. To this day, I earnestly desire that everyone be raised up by God; stop constantly thinking about debating those useless things with me, and instead, start walking into God's heart with me.

Engaging in those religious rituals is useless. Our change of mind and the things we harbor in our hearts are what truly matter. If we really must speak of it, look at the effectiveness of your service—whom have you served, whom have you blessed? I even want to bring your parents into our midst, but the effectiveness of your service is not good because your impression in their hearts is not good. Some even serve and preach the gospel to their parents while coveting their parents’ property. There are many such people; they simply do not express their thoughts. But indeed, how numerous are the sins of men!

For I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes; diverting the poor from justice at the gate. (Amos 5:12)

V. How Manifold Are Your Sins

They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks uprightly. (Amos 5:10)

Some refute as soon as their shortcomings are mentioned. Everyone must consider clearly whether I see you more accurately or you see yourselves more accurately. Someone returned home, looked in the mirror, and found a grain of rice stuck on the corner of their mouth, then strolled down the street for a whole day in such an embarrassing state. People cannot see themselves; if they could, they would not need a mirror. Now, phones can also be used as mirrors, but people do not use them. They are unwilling to listen when others tell them there is rice on their mouth, but when they wipe it, it is indeed there. People dare not tell someone their zipper is down, or else that person would hate them. People are like this, but in this era, to serve God, one must constantly play funeral music, constantly sing dirges. To serve people, one must speak euphemistically, or else it would be terrible. Even I, who have mastered many linguistic arts, still cannot solve the problem; if someone lacks linguistic arts, the person being addressed would surely bare their teeth.

Worldly concepts are stored within us; they are full of unbelief, not knowing how wonderful it is to trust in God. We think that doing so is trusting in God, but deep down, we are filled with a worldly logical system. We also declare confidently that everyone is like that, but they do not really know. When I tell them I am not like that, they do not believe it. My phone is on 24 hours a day, and I answer it whenever someone calls, though sometimes I intentionally do not answer someone’s phone. But you definitely cannot serve like this, so do not say that everyone is like you. I am not saying this to boast, for boasting should only be in my Lord Jesus; this is man's wisest choice.

As for your business and work, do you rely on your own efforts or on God? If you still feel you must rely on your own efforts, continuing to do so based on your own ability, then this is a worldly logical system, a worldly concept. Some say that if problems are not solved by oneself, no one can help. Then, continue to rely on yourself and wait for the dirge to play. Actually, you will not die if you let go of anything, but you will truly die if you let go of God. Without seeking God, still relying on that set of things, relying on your own ability. Some do their work extremely perfectly and then begin to nitpick at others, even criticizing what they themselves do. They cannot do things well because they are slow and indecisive; either they become arrogant when they do well or crestfallen when they do poorly. They cannot show it when they do poorly, and they compare themselves with others when they do well.

What we do today, whether it is ministry or service, is not about competing and comparing, not about relying on our own ability, but about relying on God's grace. It does not matter if we do not do well; thank God I am a person who tolerates imperfection because my logic is growth. It does not matter if a person does not do well; admit that this is your current level, that this is all you can do. Some say I am not qualified to write a book; I say I want to write the worst book that breaks the Guinness World Record. This silences them. Later, I wrote better and better because I am a person who has a concept of growth.

Constantly grow by relying on God’s power, not by relying on your own ability. I also admit that my ability is just so-so. Recently, during training, I talked about how to respond if one is exposed during ministry, if one makes an obvious mistake. After listening, they were all amazed. Once, I was giving a lecture on process robots to many senior engineers at a chip company. As I was speaking, I suddenly realized that I was speaking incorrectly; if I stubbornly continued, I would go astray. I am thick-skinned, so I did not tell everyone that I was speaking incorrectly; instead, I asked if everyone knew where I was speaking incorrectly. Everyone was stunned and looked at each other. Then, I said that everyone should take a ten-minute break while I figured out where I was speaking incorrectly. When you come back, everyone can study it with me. This is very effective because I am thick-skinned and do not care. I apologize to them on one side and quickly study during their break. Then, I correct the mistakes after they return.

Learning from mistakes throughout one's life is the smartest thing to do. If the teacher always speaks correctly, you will make mistakes as soon as you try it yourself, and no one will help you. But if I speak incorrectly, you do not need to make mistakes when you go back. This is a true expert. As long as we admit that we are not capable, God is full of grace. Some doubt whether this is God's wisdom or my cleverness. In reality, God gave me wisdom and cleverness because I often admit that I am not capable. Once, when I was preaching, I said that I felt I was not capable. Someone said that if I myself felt that I had not done it right, why would they still follow me. It is because I often feel that I have not done it right that I strive to do it until I do it right. Unlike some people, unlike those mentioned in the scriptures, who think they have when they do not, they are deceiving themselves. I do not deceive myself or others. To this day, I see my problems very clearly and never exaggerate. I am constantly looking at where I have not done it right, and I find that I have many problems.

Some time ago, I was training our pastors on how to make pastoral plans. I felt that the plans had not been done right for many years, and I only recently started to do them correctly. Some said that we had been ministering blindly for so many years and that we only now understand. Actually, we only teach you what we understand; we dare not teach what we do not understand. Because learning is endless, only those who know they have not done it right can do it. Otherwise, thinking that they have done everything right will turn into self-deception. Never deceive yourself again. The Israelites were number one in self-deception, but they perished as a result. So, God sent them to Damascus, to the hands of the gentiles.

Today, I can declare again that God is still the God of Amos's time, and the words in the Book of Amos can still be applied to us today. Those who are self-righteous will surely be handed over to the gentiles by God, and they will surely be defeated among the gentiles. If you continue to be self-righteous, the ending is obvious, because God causes the strong to perish suddenly, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

He causes the strong to perish against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress. (Amos 5:9)

Those who rely on their own ability are certainly at enmity with God.

Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts. (Amos 5:27)

The Book of Amos is our motto, constantly with us. From today onwards, do not try to be capable, and do not think you are great. Constantly list the places where you have not done it right, where you have not yet trusted God. A person who trusts in God cannot be busy; only people like Esau will be overwhelmed with busyness. We will share up to here today. Remember that to seek God is to live. Amen!