”Pest” Control
If you’re a Christian or just want to learn about Christianity, c’mon and join us. Just to let you know what I usually do, I post a Bible chapter every day at any time between 5 and 11 A.M. U.S. central time, but we don’t have to stop there. We can make animations together, share Christian songs, parodies, comedy, sermons, and whatever else you want.
Now, just because I’m a little more light-hearted than some Christians doesn’t mean that this is all going to be fun and games. As a Christian, I have a responsibility to call out the things that God disapproves of. Some of the conversations we have might get a little hairy, and that’s okay, as long as we abide by the site’s community guidelines. 😊 You may ask, “If your goal is to draw people into God’s kingdom, why are you calling out things that He disapproves of? Wouldn’t that, for one, push people away from God and, for another, get you into fights that you don’t want to be in?” I will answer the first question with these verses:
James 5:20
“Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him”
Titus 2:15
“Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins”
1 Timothy 5:20
“As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear”
2 Timothy 4:2
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction”
Psalm 141:5
“Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it”
Proverbs 9:8
“Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you”.
And for the second question, Christianity is a sacrifice. I will take on challenges as a Christian that I wouldn’t as a lukewarm Christian, an atheist, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Jew, etc. And when I encounter those challenges, I have to put my faith in Yahweh above my feelings and desires. I’m not supposed to store up treasures here on Earth, but in the heavenly kingdom. In order to do that, I have to be inconvenienced and mocked, and I’m fine with that. I’ve chosen to give up everything I want for my God.
If I post anything on here that has anything to do with my opinion or interpretation of a situation, 9 times out of 10, it’s because that is my interpretation of the Bible. I believe that that everything in the Bible is objectively true, there’s just debates on how to INTERPRET said truth. I try my hardest not to let my worldview effect my biblical view, though, it may seep through.
If you’re curious about the name, I had to think of something, so I came up with “Pest” Control (as atheists seem to think that the way we communicate our religion to them is annoying, so they could see us as pests, and we are all in one group so that we can contain the Christian stuff mostly inside the group for “control”).
Before I edited the description of this group, it said: “We can brainstorm to find out more ways to win atheists over to Christ.” Since I typed that, my beliefs have changed slightly. I believe that, yes it is great to have atheists have a change of heart, that’s one of our biggest goals is to have more people up in heaven, but we shouldn’t be intentionally TRYING to change their religion (both because it pushes people away from the religion, and it’s just not what any human needs to do to another human). We need to be ourselves around them, have them see how we are as a person, how Christianity (even if they can’t identify it as that) affects us, and if they want to, change. And we should never, ever, push them to change; the Bible even tells us this. I have made this mistake for years, and to all of the atheists and people with other religious beliefs that I have hurt by doing this, I’m so unbelievably sorry.
Thank you for your time. Have a blessed and wonderful day!
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This is the first chapter of Micah.
Micah 1:1-16 MSG
[1] God’s Message as it came to Micah of Moresheth. It came during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. It had to do with what was going on in Samaria and Jerusalem. God [2] Listen, people—all of you. Listen, earth, and everyone in it: The Master, God, takes the witness stand against you, the Master from his Holy Temple. * * * [3-5] Look, here he comes! God, from his place! He comes down and strides across mountains and hills. Mountains sink under his feet, valleys split apart; The rock mountains crumble into gravel, the river valleys leak like sieves. All this because of Jacob’s sin, because Israel’s family did wrong. You ask, “So what is Jacob’s sin?” Just look at Samaria—isn’t it obvious? And all the sex-and-religion shrines in Judah— isn’t Jerusalem responsible? * * * [6-7] “I’m turning Samaria into a heap of rubble, a vacant lot littered with garbage. I’ll dump the stones from her buildings in the valley and leave her abandoned foundations exposed. All her carved and cast gods and goddesses will be sold for stove wood and scrap metal, All her sacred fertility groves burned to the ground, All the sticks and stones she worshiped as gods, destroyed. These were her earnings from her life as a whore. This is what happens to the fees of a whore.” * * * [8-9] This is why I lament and mourn. This is why I go around in rags and barefoot. This is why I howl like a pack of coyotes, and moan like a mournful owl in the night. God has inflicted punishing wounds; Judah has been wounded with no healing in sight. Judgment has marched through the city gates. Jerusalem must face the charges. * * * [10-16] Don’t gossip about this in Telltown. Don’t waste your tears. In Dustville, roll in the dust. In Alarmtown, the alarm is sounded. The citizens of Exitburgh will never get out alive. Lament, Last-Stand City: There’s nothing in you left standing. The villagers of Bittertown wait in vain for sweet peace. Harsh judgment has come from God and entered Peace City. All you who live in Chariotville, get in your chariots for flight. You led the daughter of Zion into trusting not God but chariots. Similar sins in Israel also got their start in you. Go ahead and give your good-bye gifts to Good-byeville. Miragetown beckoned but disappointed Israel’s kings. Inheritance City has lost its inheritance. Glorytown has seen its last of glory. Shave your heads in mourning over the loss of your precious towns. Go bald as a goose egg—they’ve gone into exile and aren’t coming back. -
This is the last chapter of Jonah, next up, Micah.
Jonah 4:1-11 MSG
[1-2] Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at God, “God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness! [3] “So, God, if you won’t kill them, kill me! I’m better off dead!” [4] God said, “What do you have to be angry about?” [5] But Jonah just left. He went out of the city to the east and sat down in a sulk. He put together a makeshift shelter of leafy branches and sat there in the shade to see what would happen to the city. [6] God arranged for a broad-leafed tree to spring up. It grew over Jonah to cool him off and get him out of his angry sulk. Jonah was pleased and enjoyed the shade. Life was looking up. [7-8] But then God sent a worm. By dawn of the next day, the worm had bored into the shade tree and it withered away. The sun came up and God sent a hot, blistering wind from the east. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head and he started to faint. He prayed to die: “I’m better off dead!” [9] Then God said to Jonah, “What right do you have to get angry about this shade tree?” Jonah said, “Plenty of right. It’s made me angry enough to die!” [10-11] God said, “What’s this? How is it that you can change your feelings from pleasure to anger overnight about a mere shade tree that you did nothing to get? You neither planted nor watered it. It grew up one night and died the next night. So, why can’t I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than 120,000 childlike people who don’t yet know right from wrong, to say nothing of all the innocent animals?” -
Jonah 3:1-10 MSG
[1-2] Next, God spoke to Jonah a second time: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” [3] This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh, obeying God’s orders to the letter. Nineveh was a big city, very big—it took three days to walk across it. [4] Jonah entered the city, went one day’s walk and preached, “In forty days Nineveh will be smashed.” [5] The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it—rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers. [6-9] When the message reached the king of Nineveh, he got up off his throne, threw down his royal robes, dressed in burlap, and sat down in the dirt. Then he issued a public proclamation throughout Nineveh, authorized by him and his leaders: “Not one drop of water, not one bite of food for man, woman, or animal, including your herds and flocks! Dress them all, both people and animals, in burlap, and send up a cry for help to God. Everyone must turn around, turn back from an evil life and the violent ways that stain their hands. Who knows? Maybe God will turn around and change his mind about us, quit being angry with us and let us live!” [10] God saw what they had done, that they had turned away from their evil lives. He did change his mind about them. What he said he would do to them he didn’t do. -
Jonah 2:1-10 MSG
[1-9] Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish. He prayed: “In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to God. He answered me. From the belly of the grave I cried, ‘Help!’ You heard my cry. You threw me into ocean’s depths, into a watery grave, With ocean waves, ocean breakers crashing over me. I said, ‘I’ve been thrown away, thrown out, out of your sight. I’ll never again lay eyes on your Holy Temple.’ Ocean gripped me by the throat. The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight. My head was all tangled in seaweed at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take root. I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever— Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God! When my life was slipping away, I remembered God, And my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your Holy Temple. Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love. But I’m worshiping you, God, calling out in thanksgiving! And I’ll do what I promised I’d do! Salvation belongs to God!” [10] Then God spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore. -
The first chapter of Jonah.
Jonah 1:1-17 MSG
[1-2] One day long ago, God’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” [3] But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get. [4-6] But God sent a huge storm at sea, the waves towering. The ship was about to break into pieces. The sailors were terrified. They called out in desperation to their gods. They threw everything they were carrying overboard to lighten the ship. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship to take a nap. He was sound asleep. The captain came to him and said, “What’s this? Sleeping! Get up! Pray to your god! Maybe your god will see we’re in trouble and rescue us.” [7] Then the sailors said to one another, “Let’s get to the bottom of this. Let’s draw straws to identify the culprit on this ship who’s responsible for this disaster.” So they drew straws. Jonah got the short straw. [8] Then they grilled him: “Confess. Why this disaster? What is your work? Where do you come from? What country? What family?” [9] He told them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship God, the God of heaven who made sea and land.” [10] At that, the men were frightened, really frightened, and said, “What on earth have you done!” As Jonah talked, the sailors realized that he was running away from God. [11] They said to him, “What are we going to do with you—to get rid of this storm?” By this time the sea was wild, totally out of control. [12] Jonah said, “Throw me overboard, into the sea. Then the storm will stop. It’s all my fault. I’m the cause of the storm. Get rid of me and you’ll get rid of the storm.” [13] But no. The men tried rowing back to shore. They made no headway. The storm only got worse and worse, wild and raging. [14] Then they prayed to God, “O God! Don’t let us drown because of this man’s life, and don’t blame us for his death. You are God. Do what you think is best.” [15] They took Jonah and threw him overboard. Immediately the sea was quieted down. [16] The sailors were impressed, no longer terrified by the sea, but in awe of God. They worshiped God, offered a sacrifice, and made vows. [17] Then God assigned a huge fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was in the fish’s belly three days and nights. -
This is the 1st and only Chapter of Obadiah.
Obadiah 1:1-21 MSG
[1] Obadiah’s Message to Edom from God, the Master. We got the news straight from God by a special messenger sent out to the godless nations: “On your feet, prepare for battle; get ready to make war on Edom! * * * [2-4] “Listen to this, Edom: I’m turning you to a no-account, the runt of the godless nations, despised. You thought you were so great, perched high among the rocks, king of the mountain, Thinking to yourself, ‘Nobody can get to me! Nobody can touch me!’ Think again. Even if, like an eagle, you hang out on a high cliff-face, Even if you build your nest in the stars, I’ll bring you down to earth.” God’s sure Word. [5-14] “If thieves crept up on you, they’d rob you blind—isn’t that so? If they mugged you on the streets at night, they’d pick you clean—isn’t that so? Oh, they’ll take Esau apart, piece by piece, empty his purse and pockets. All your old partners will drive you to the edge. Your old friends will lie to your face. Your old drinking buddies will stab you in the back. Your world will collapse. You won’t know what hit you. So don’t be surprised”—it’s God’s sure Word!— “when I wipe out all sages from Edom and rid the Esau mountains of its famous wise men. Your great heroes will desert you, Teman. There’ll be nobody left in Esau’s mountains. Because of the murderous history compiled against your brother Jacob, You will be looked down on by everyone. You’ll lose your place in history. On that day you stood there and didn’t do anything. Strangers took your brother’s army into exile. Godless foreigners invaded and pillaged Jerusalem. You stood there and watched. You were as bad as they were. You shouldn’t have gloated over your brother when he was down-and-out. You shouldn’t have laughed and joked at Judah’s sons when they were facedown in the mud. You shouldn’t have talked so big when everything was so bad. You shouldn’t have taken advantage of my people when their lives had fallen apart. You of all people should not have been amused by their troubles, their wrecked nation. You shouldn’t have taken the shirt off their back when they were knocked flat, defenseless. And you shouldn’t have stood waiting at the outskirts and cut off refugees, And traitorously turned in helpless survivors who had lost everything. * * * [15-18] “God’s Judgment Day is near for all the godless nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. What you did will boomerang back and hit your own head. Just as you partied on my holy mountain, all the godless nations will drink God’s wrath. They’ll drink and drink and drink— they’ll drink themselves to death. But not so on Mount Zion—there’s respite there! a safe and holy place! The family of Jacob will take back their possessions from those who took them from them. That’s when the family of Jacob will catch fire, the family of Joseph become fierce flame, while the family of Esau will be straw. Esau will go up in flames, nothing left of Esau but a pile of ashes.” God said it, and it is so. * * * [19-21] People from the south will take over the Esau mountains; people from the foothills will overrun the Philistines. They’ll take the farms of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will take Gilead. Earlier, Israelite exiles will come back and take Canaanite land to the north at Zarephath. Jerusalem exiles from the far northwest in Sepharad will come back and take the cities in the south. The remnant of the saved in Mount Zion will go into the mountains of Esau And rule justly and fairly, a rule that honors God’s kingdom.-
2024-03-31 12:23:25 UTC-
Replying to:
(happy easter!)
2024-03-31 12:23:35 UTC-
Replying to:Happy Easter!
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This is the last chapter of Amos. Next, Obadiah.
Amos 9:1-15 MSG
[1-4] I saw my Master standing beside the altar at the shrine. He said: “Hit the tops of the shrine’s pillars, make the floor shake. The roof’s about to fall on the heads of the people, and whoever’s still alive, I’ll kill. No one will get away, no runaways will make it. If they dig their way down into the underworld, I’ll find them and bring them up. If they climb to the stars, I’ll find them and bring them down. If they hide out at the top of Mount Carmel, I’ll find them and bring them back. If they dive to the bottom of the ocean, I’ll send Dragon to swallow them up. If they’re captured alive by their enemies, I’ll send Sword to kill them. I’ve made up my mind to hurt them, not help them.” [5-6] My Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, touches the earth, a mere touch, and it trembles. The whole world goes into mourning. Earth swells like the Nile at flood stage; then the water subsides, like the great Nile of Egypt. God builds his palace—towers soaring high in the skies, foundations set on the rock-firm earth. He calls ocean waters and they come, then he ladles them out on the earth. God, your God, does all this. * * * [7-8] “Do you Israelites think you’re any better than the far-off Cushites?” God’s Decree. “Am I not involved with all nations? Didn’t I bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, the Arameans from Qir? But you can be sure that I, God, the Master, have my eye on the Kingdom of Sin. I’m going to wipe it off the face of the earth. Still, I won’t totally destroy the family of Jacob.” God’s Decree. [9-10] “I’m still giving the orders around here. I’m throwing Israel into a sieve among all the nations and shaking them good, shaking out all the sin, all the sinners. No real grain will be lost, but all the sinners will be sifted out and thrown away, the people who say, ‘Nothing bad will ever happen in our lifetime. It won’t even come close.’ [11-12] “But also on that Judgment Day I will restore David’s house that has fallen to pieces. I’ll repair the holes in the roof, replace the broken windows, fix it up like new. David’s people will be strong again and seize what’s left of enemy Edom, plus everyone else under my sovereign judgment.” God’s Decree. He will do this. [13-15] “Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel: “They’ll rebuild their ruined cities. They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine. They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables. And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land. They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them.” God, your God, says so. -
Amos 8:1-14 MSG
[1] My Master God showed me this vision: A bowl of fresh fruit. [2] He said, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “A bowl of fresh, ripe fruit.” God said, “Right. So, I’m calling it quits with my people Israel. I’m no longer acting as if everything is just fine.” [3] “The royal singers will wail when it happens.” My Master God said so. “Corpses will be strewn here, there, and everywhere. Hush!” [4-6] Listen to this, you who walk all over the weak, you who treat poor people as less than nothing, Who say, “When’s my next paycheck coming so I can go out and live it up? How long till the weekend when I can go out and have a good time?” Who give little and take much, and never do an honest day’s work. You exploit the poor, using them— and then, when they’re used up, you discard them. [7-8] God swears against the arrogance of Jacob: “I’m keeping track of their every last sin.” God’s oath will shake earth’s foundations, dissolve the whole world into tears. God’s oath will sweep in like a river that rises, flooding houses and lands, And then recedes, leaving behind a sea of mud. [9-10] “On Judgment Day, watch out!” These are the words of God, my Master. “I’ll turn off the sun at noon. In the middle of the day the earth will go black. I’ll turn your parties into funerals and make every song you sing a dirge. Everyone will walk around in rags, with sunken eyes and bald heads. Think of the worst that could happen —your only son, say, murdered. That’s a hint of Judgment Day —that and much more. [11-12] “Oh yes, Judgment Day is coming!” These are the words of my Master God. “I’ll send a famine through the whole country. It won’t be food or water that’s lacking, but my Word. People will drift from one end of the country to the other, roam to the north, wander to the east. They’ll go anywhere, listen to anyone, hoping to hear God’s Word—but they won’t hear it. [13-14] “On Judgment Day, lovely young girls will faint of Word-thirst, robust young men will faint of God-thirst, Along with those who take oaths at the Samaria Sin-and-Sex Center, saying, ‘As the lord god of Dan is my witness!’ and ‘The lady goddess of Beer-sheba bless you!’ Their lives will fall to pieces. They’ll never put it together again.” -
Amos 7:1-17 MSG
[1-2] God, my Master, showed me this vision: He was preparing a locust swarm. The first cutting, which went to the king, was complete, and the second crop was just sprouting. The locusts ate everything green. Not even a blade of grass was left. I called out, “God, my Master! Excuse me, but what’s going to come of Jacob? He’s so small.” [3] God gave in. “It won’t happen,” he said. * * * [4] God showed me this vision: Oh! God, my Master God was calling up a firestorm. It burned up the ocean. Then it burned up the Promised Land. [5] I said, “God, my Master! Hold it—please! What’s going to come of Jacob? He’s so small.” [6] God gave in. “All right, this won’t happen either,” God, my Master, said. * * * [7] God showed me this vision: My Master was standing beside a wall. In his hand he held a plumb line. [8-9] God said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” I said, “A plumb line.” Then my Master said, “Look what I’ve done. I’ve hung a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I’ve spared them for the last time. This is it! “Isaac’s sex-and-religion shrines will be smashed, Israel’s unholy shrines will be knocked to pieces. I’m raising my sword against the royal family of Jeroboam.” [10] Amaziah, priest at the shrine at Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos is plotting to get rid of you; and he’s doing it as an insider, working from within Israel. His talk will destroy the country. He’s got to be silenced. Do you know what Amos is saying? [11] ‘Jeroboam will be killed. Israel is headed for exile.’” [12-13] Then Amaziah confronted Amos: “Seer, be on your way! Get out of here and go back to Judah where you came from! Hang out there. Do your preaching there. But no more preaching at Bethel! Don’t show your face here again. This is the king’s chapel. This is a royal shrine.” [14-15] But Amos stood up to Amaziah: “I never set up to be a preacher, never had plans to be a preacher. I raised cattle and I pruned trees. Then God took me off the farm and said, ‘Go preach to my people Israel.’ [16-17] “So listen to God’s Word. You tell me, ‘Don’t preach to Israel. Don’t say anything against the family of Isaac.’ But here’s what God is telling you: Your wife will become a whore in town. Your children will get killed. Your land will be auctioned off. You will die homeless and friendless. And Israel will be hauled off to exile, far from home.” -
Amos 6:1-14 MSG
[1-2] Woe to you who think you live on easy street in Zion, who think Mount Samaria is the good life. You assume you’re at the top of the heap, voted the number-one best place to live. Well, wake up and look around. Get off your pedestal. Take a look at Calneh. Go and visit Great Hamath. Look in on Gath of the Philistines. Doesn’t that take you off your high horse? Compared to them, you’re not much, are you? [3-6] Woe to you who are rushing headlong to disaster! Catastrophe is just around the corner! Woe to those who live in luxury and expect everyone else to serve them! Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them! Woe to those addicted to feeling good—life without pain! those obsessed with looking good—life without wrinkles! They could not care less about their country going to ruin. [7] But here’s what’s really coming: a forced march into exile. They’ll leave the country whining, a rag-tag bunch of good-for-nothings. [8] God, the Master, has sworn, and solemnly stands by his Word. The God-of-the-Angel-Armies speaks: “I hate the arrogance of Jacob. I have nothing but contempt for his forts. I’m about to hand over the city and everyone in it.” [9-10] Ten men are in a house, all dead. A relative comes and gets the bodies to prepare them for a decent burial. He discovers a survivor huddled in a closet and asks, “Are there any more?” The answer: “Not a soul. But hush! God must not be mentioned in this desecrated place.” [11] Note well: God issues the orders. He’ll knock large houses to smithereens. He’ll smash little houses to bits. [12-13] Do you hold a horse race in a field of rocks? Do you plow the sea with oxen? You’d cripple the horses and drown the oxen. And yet you’ve made a shambles of justice, a bloated corpse of righteousness, Bragging of your trivial pursuits, beating up on the weak and crowing, “Look what I’ve done!” [14] “Enjoy it while you can, you Israelites. I’ve got a pagan army on the move against you” —this is your God speaking, God-of-the-Angel-Armies— “And they’ll make hash of you, from one end of the country to the other.”-
Here’s verses 1-6 in the King James Version (see also Amos 5:23).
Amos 6:1-6 KJV
[1] Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! [2] Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? [3] Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; [4] that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; [5] that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; [6] that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.2024-03-29 15:47:12 UTC
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Amos 5:1-27 MSG
[1] Listen to this, family of Israel, this Message I’m sending in bold print, this tragic warning: [2] “Virgin Israel has fallen flat on her face. She’ll never stand up again. She’s been left where she’s fallen. No one offers to help her up.” [3] This is the Message, God’s Word: “The city that marches out with a thousand will end up with a hundred. The city that marches out with a hundred will end up with ten. Oh, family of Israel!” [4-5] God’s Message to the family of Israel: “Seek me and live. Don’t fool around at those shrines of Bethel, Don’t waste time taking trips to Gilgal, and don’t bother going down to Beer-sheba. Gilgal is here today and gone tomorrow and Bethel is all show, no substance.” [6] So seek God and live! You don’t want to end up with nothing to show for your life But a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground. For God will send just such a fire, and the firefighters will show up too late. [7-9] Woe to you who turn justice to vinegar and stomp righteousness into the mud. Do you realize where you are? You’re in a cosmos star-flung with constellations by God, A world God wakes up each morning and puts to bed each night. God dips water from the ocean and gives the land a drink. God, God-revealed, does all this. And he can destroy it as easily as make it. He can turn this vast wonder into total waste. [10-12] People hate this kind of talk. Raw truth is never popular. But here it is, bluntly spoken: Because you run roughshod over the poor and take the bread right out of their mouths, You’re never going to move into the luxury homes you have built. You’re never going to drink wine from the expensive vineyards you’ve planted. I know precisely the extent of your violations, the enormity of your sins. Appalling! You bully right-living people, taking bribes right and left and kicking the poor when they’re down. [13] Justice is a lost cause. Evil is epidemic. Decent people throw up their hands. Protest and rebuke are useless, a waste of breath. [14] Seek good and not evil— and live! You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend. Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen. [15] Hate evil and love good, then work it out in the public square. Maybe God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, will notice your remnant and be gracious. [16-17] Now again, my Master’s Message, God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies: “Go out into the streets and lament loudly! Fill the malls and shops with cries of doom! Weep loudly, ‘Not me! Not us, Not now!’ Empty offices, stores, factories, workplaces. Enlist everyone in the general lament. I want to hear it loud and clear when I make my visit.” God’s Decree. [18-20] Woe to all of you who want God’s Judgment Day! Why would you want to see God, want him to come? When God comes, it will be bad news before it’s good news, the worst of times, not the best of times. Here’s what it’s like: A man runs from a lion right into the jaws of a bear. A woman goes home after a hard day’s work and is raped by a neighbor. At God’s coming we face hard reality, not fantasy— a black cloud with no silver lining. [21-24] “I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want. [25-27] “Didn’t you, dear family of Israel, worship me faithfully for forty years in the wilderness, bringing the sacrifices and offerings I commanded? How is it you’ve stooped to dragging gimcrack statues of your so-called rulers around, hauling the cheap images of all your star-gods here and there? Since you like them so much, you can take them with you when I drive you into exile beyond Damascus.” God’s Message, God-of-the-Angel-Armies.-
Here’s verses 21-24 in the King James Version.
Amos 5:21-24 KJV
[21] I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. [22] Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. [23] Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. [24] But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.I’m putting this here as context for a belief, which I’ve talked about before, that some people have regarding this passage (I specifically know of people who read KJV only who believe this, but it likely extends outside of them as well). Some people believe that verse 23 (see also Amos 6:5) is evidence that musical instruments are sinful and displeasing to Yahweh (God). If, however, this was true, then everything else mentioned would be sinful and displeasing to Him (feast days (including Passover, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Tabernacles, and other smaller feasts), solemn assemblies (assemblies where a restriction is placed on those who take part which makes it recognizable as ‘special’), burnt offerings, meat offerings, and peace offerings of fat beasts). This is simply saying that all of their worship to God was rejected by Him because it was not offered by people who had truly put Him first above all.
2024-03-29 15:14:26 UTC
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Amos 4:1-13 MSG
[1] “Listen to this, you cows of Bashan grazing on the slopes of Samaria. You women! Mean to the poor, cruel to the down-and-out! Indolent and pampered, you demand of your husbands, ‘Bring us a tall, cool drink!’ [2-3] “This is serious—I, God, have sworn by my holiness! Be well warned: Judgment Day is coming! They’re going to rope you up and haul you off, keep the stragglers in line with cattle prods. They’ll drag you through the ruined city walls, forcing you out single file, And kick you to kingdom come.” God’s Decree. [4-5] “Come along to Bethel and sin! And then to Gilgal and sin some more! Bring your sacrifices for morning worship. Every third day bring your tithe. Burn pure sacrifices—thank offerings. Speak up—announce freewill offerings! That’s the sort of religious show you Israelites just love.” God’s Decree. [6] “You know, don’t you, that I’m the One who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards, Who left you hungry and standing in bread lines? But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me.” God’s Decree. [7-8] “Yes, and I’m the One who stopped the rains three months short of harvest. I’d make it rain on one village but not on another. I’d make it rain on one field but not on another—and that one would dry up. People would stagger from village to village crazed for water and never quenching their thirst. But you never got thirsty for me. You ignored me.” God’s Decree. [9] “I hit your crops with disease and withered your orchards and gardens. Locusts devoured your olive and fig trees, but you continued to ignore me.” God’s Decree. [10] “I revisited you with the old Egyptian plagues, killed your choice young men and prize horses. The stink of rot in your camps was so strong that you held your noses— But you didn’t notice me. You continued to ignore me.” God’s Decree. [11] “I hit you with earthquake and fire, left you devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the flames. But you never looked my way. You continued to ignore me.” God’s Decree. [12] “All this I have done to you, Israel, and this is why I have done it. Time’s up, O Israel! Prepare to meet your God!” [13] Look who’s here: Mountain-Shaper! Wind-Maker! He laid out the whole plot before Adam. He brings everything out of nothing, like dawn out of darkness. He strides across the alpine ridges. His name is God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies. -
Amos 3:1-15 MSG
[1] Listen to this, Israel. God is calling you to account—and I mean all of you, everyone connected with the family that he delivered out of Egypt. Listen! [2] “Out of all the families on earth, I picked you. Therefore, because of your special calling, I’m holding you responsible for all your sins.” [3-7] Do two people walk hand in hand if they aren’t going to the same place? Does a lion roar in the forest if there’s no carcass to devour? Does a young lion growl with pleasure if he hasn’t caught his supper? Does a bird fall to the ground if it hasn’t been hit with a stone? Does a trap spring shut if nothing trips it? When the alarm goes off in the city, aren’t people alarmed? And when disaster strikes the city, doesn’t God stand behind it? The fact is, God, the Master, does nothing without first telling his prophets the whole story. [8] The lion has roared— who isn’t frightened? God has spoken— what prophet can keep quiet? * * * [9-11] Announce to the forts of Assyria, announce to the forts of Egypt— Tell them, “Gather on the Samaritan mountains, take a good, hard look: what a snake pit of brutality and terror! They can’t—or won’t—do one thing right.” God said so. “They stockpile violence and blight. Therefore”—this is God’s Word—“an enemy will surround the country. He’ll strip you of your power and plunder your forts.” [12] God’s Message: “In the same way that a shepherd trying to save a lamb from a lion Manages to recover just a pair of legs or the scrap of an ear, So will little be saved of the Israelites who live in Samaria— A couple of old chairs at most, the broken leg of a table. [13-15] “Listen and bring witness against Jacob’s family”— this is God’s Word, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! “Note well! The day I make Israel pay for its sins, pay for the sin-altars of worship at Bethel, The horned altars will all be dehorned and scattered around. I’ll tear down the winter palace, smash the summer palace—all your fancy buildings. The luxury homes will be demolished, all those pretentious houses.” God’s Decree. -
Amos 2:1-16 MSG
[1-3] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Moab —make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She violated the corpse of Edom’s king, burning it to cinders. For that, I’m burning down Moab, burning down the forts of Kerioth. Moab will die in the shouting, go out in the blare of war trumpets. I’ll remove the king from the center and kill all his princes with him.” God’s Decree. [4-5] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Judah —make that four—I’m not putting up with them any longer. They rejected God’s revelation, refused to keep my commands. But they swallowed the same old lies that got their ancestors onto dead-end roads. For that, I’m burning down Judah, burning down all the forts of Jerusalem.” [6-8] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Israel —make that four—I’m not putting up with them any longer. They buy and sell upstanding people. People for them are only things—ways of making money. They’d sell a poor man for a pair of shoes. They’d sell their own grandmother! They grind the penniless into the dirt, shove the luckless into the ditch. Everyone and his brother sleeps with the ‘sacred whore’— a sacrilege against my Holy Name. Stuff they’ve extorted from the poor is piled up at the shrine of their god, While they sit around drinking wine they’ve conned from their victims. [9-11] “In contrast, I was always on your side. I destroyed the Amorites who confronted you, Amorites with the stature of great cedars, tough as thick oaks. I destroyed them from the top branches down. I destroyed them from the roots up. And yes, I’m the One who delivered you from Egypt, led you safely through the wilderness for forty years And then handed you the country of the Amorites like a piece of cake on a platter. I raised up some of your young men to be prophets, set aside your best youth for training in holiness. Isn’t this so, Israel?” God’s Decree. [12-13] “But you made the youth-in-training break training, and you told the young prophets, ‘Don’t prophesy!’ You’re too much for me. I’m hard-pressed—to the breaking point. I’m like a wagon piled high and overloaded, creaking and groaning. [14-16] “When I go into action, what will you do? There’s no place to run no matter how fast you run. The strength of the strong won’t count. Fighters won’t make it. Skilled archers won’t make it. Fast runners won’t make it. Chariot drivers won’t make it. Even the bravest of all your warriors Won’t make it. He’ll run off for dear life, stripped naked.” God’s Decree. -
Making up for missing yesterday. This is the first chapter of Amos.
Amos 1:1-15 MSG
[1] The Message of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa, that he received on behalf of Israel. It came to him in visions during the time that Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam II son of Joash was king of Israel, two years before the big earthquake. [2] The Message: God roars from Zion, shouts from Jerusalem! The thunderclap voice withers the pastures tended by shepherds, shrivels Mount Carmel’s proud peak. [3-5] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Damascus —make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She pounded Gilead to a pulp, pounded her senseless with iron hammers and mauls. For that, I’m setting the palace of Hazael on fire. I’m torching Ben-hadad’s forts. I’m going to smash the Damascus gates and banish the crime king who lives in Sin Valley, the vice boss who gives orders from Paradise Palace. The people of the land will be sent back to where they came from—to Kir.” God’s Decree. [6-8] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Gaza —make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She deported whole towns and then sold the people to Edom. For that, I’m burning down the walls of Gaza, burning up all her forts. I’ll banish the crime king from Ashdod, the vice boss from Ashkelon. I’ll raise my fist against Ekron, and what’s left of the Philistines will die.” God’s Decree. [9-10] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Tyre —make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She deported whole towns to Edom, breaking the treaty she had with her kin. For that, I’m burning down the walls of Tyre, burning up all her forts.” [11-12] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Edom —make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She hunts down her brother to murder him. She has no pity, she has no heart. Her anger rampages day and night. Her meanness never takes a timeout. For that, I’m burning down her capital, Teman, burning up the forts of Bozrah.” [13-15] God’s Message: “Because of the three great sins of Ammon —make that four—I’m not putting up with her any longer. She ripped open pregnant women in Gilead to get more land for herself. For that, I’m burning down the walls of her capital, Rabbah, burning up her forts. Battle shouts! War whoops! with a tornado to finish things off! The king has been carted off to exile, the king and his princes with him.” God’s Decree. * * * - Load More
Verses 10-16 are yet another example of the Message Bible dropping the ball. Telltown? Dustville? Alarmtown? It’s not adding anything, and in fact, it’s more confusing, to use made up names/words like this!
Micah 1:10-16 AMPC
[10] In Gath [a city in Philistia] announce it not; in Acco weep not at all, [betraying your grief to foreigners; but among your own people] in Beth-le-aphrah [house of dust] roll yourself in the dust. [11] Pass on your way [into exile], dwellers of Shaphir, in shameful nakedness. The dwellers of Zaanan dare not come forth; the wailing of Beth-ezel takes away from you the place on which it stands. [12] For the inhabitant of Maroth [bitterness] writhes in pain [at its losses] and waits anxiously for good, because evil comes down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem. [13] Bind the chariot to the swift steed, O lady inhabitant of Lachish; you were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you. [14] Therefore you must give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath [Micah’s home town]; the houses of Achzib [place of deceit] shall be a deception to the kings of Israel. [15] Yet will I bring a conqueror upon you, O lady inhabitant of Mareshah, who shall possess you; the glory and nobility of Israel shall come to Adullam [to hide in the caves, as did David]. [I Sam. 22:1.] [16] Make yourself bald in mourning and cut off your hair for the children of your delight; enlarge your baldness as the eagle, for [your children] shall be carried from you into exile.
https://bible.com/bible/8/mic.1.10-16.AMPC
For those who are curious…
Micah 1:10-15 GNV
[10] Declare ye it not at Gath, neither weepe ye: for the house of Aphrah roule thy selfe in the dust. [11] Thou that dwellest at Shaphir, go together naked with shame: she that dwelleth at Zaanan, shall not come forth in ye mourning of Beth-ezel: the enemie shall receiue of you for his standing. [12] For the inhabitant of Maroth wayted for good, but euill came from the Lord vnto the gate of Ierusalem. [13] O thou inhabitant of Lachish, binde the charet to the beastes of price: she is the beginning of the sinne to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. [14] Therefore shalt thou giue presents to Moresheth Gath: the houses of Achzib shalbe as a lye to the Kings of Israel. [15] Yet will I bring an heire vnto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, he shall come vnto Adullam, the glorie of Israel.
Micheas (Micah) 1:10-15 DRC1752
[10] Declare ye it not in Geth, weep ya not with tears: in the house of Dust sprinkle yourselves with dust. [11] And pass away, O thou that dwellest in the Beautiful place, covered with thy shame: she went not forth that dwelleth in the confines: the House adjoining shall receive mourning from you, which stood by herself. [12] For she is become weak unto good that dwelleth in bitterness: for evil is come down from the Lord into the gate of Jerusalem. [13] A tumult of chariots hath astonished the inhabitants of Lachis: it is the beginning of sin to the daughter of Sion, for in thee were found the crimes of Israel. [14] Therefore shall she send messengers to the inheritance of Geth: the houses of lying to deceive the kings of Israel. [15] Yet will I bring an heir to thee that dwellest in Maresa: even to Odollam shall the glory of Israel come.
Micah 1:10-15 YLT98
[10] In Gath tell ye not — in Acco weep not, In Beth-Aphrah, in dust roll thyself. [11] Pass over for thee, O inhabitant of Shaphir, Naked one of shame. Not gone out hath the inhabitant of Zaanan, The lamentation of Beth-Ezel doth take from you its standing. [12] For stayed for good hath the inhabitant of Maroth, For evil hath come down from Jehovah to the gate of Jerusalem. [13] Bind the chariot to a swift beast, O inhabitant of Lachish, The beginning of sin [is] she to the daughter of Zion, For in thee have been found the transgressions of Israel. [14] Therefore thou givest presents to Moresheth-Gath, The houses of Achzib become a lying thing to the kings of Israel. [15] Yet the possessor I do bring in to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, To Adullam come in doth the honour of Israel.
Mikhah (Mic) 1:10-15 CJB
[10] Don’t tell about it in Gat, don’t shed any tears. At Beit-L‘afrah [house of dust] roll yourself in the dust. [11] Inhabitants of Shafir, pass on your way in nakedness and shame. The inhabitants of Tza’anan have not left yet. The wailing of Beit-Ha’etzel will remove from you their support. [12] The inhabitants of Marot have no hope of anything good; for Adonai has sent down disaster to the very gate of Yerushalayim. [13] Harness the chariots to the fastest horses, inhabitants of Lakhish; she was the beginning of sin for the daughter of Tziyon; for the crimes of Isra’el are traceable to you. [14] Therefore you must bestow parting gifts upon Moreshet-Gat. The houses of Akhziv will disappoint the kings of Isra’el. [15] Inhabitants of Mareshah, I have yet to bring you the one who will [invade and] possess you. The glory of Isra’el will come to ‘Adulam.
Micah 1:10-15 KJVAAE
[10] Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. [11] Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Za´anan came not forth in the mourning of Beth–e´zel; he shall receive of you his standing. [12] For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem. [13] O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. [14] Therefore shalt thou give presents to Mo´resheth–gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. [15] Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mare´shah: he shall come unto Adul´lam the glory of Israel.
Micah 1:10-15 KJV
[10] Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. [11] Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing. [12] For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. [13] O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. [14] Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath…[Read more]