You put off the day of disaster
    and bring near a reign of terror.
Amos 6:3 (NIV)

It was an all-night music festival and make-shift campground. Hundreds of young people gathered to have fun and dance through the whole night. Suddenly, the electricity was cut. Stage lights and music became instant silence and darkness. Then the bullets from Hamas terrorists started firing indiscriminately into the crowd. By the time the massacre was over, some 260 young people lay dead.

In the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist attacks, one of the predominate themes coming out of Israel was the complete and utter surprise. The government and army were unprepared. They didn’t see it coming. “We failed,” one official said matter-of-factly to the press, offering no elucidation.

As I continue my chapter-a-day trek through the ancient prophecies of Amos, I can’t help but think of the eery parallels with current events.

In today’s chapter, Amos describes the people of ancient Israel feasting, drinking, and partying to music. He then contrasts this with a prophecy of sudden terror and destruction that will come when another nation attacks. He describes a house full of dead bodies and a family member hiding among the corpses in fear of his life. Amos calls out ancient Israel’s complacency and pride lulling them into a false sense of security. The description reads like a description of the October 7 massacre and aftermath.

This morning, I sit in the quiet and ponder similar events both ancient and contemporary. What are my take aways?

The first thing I thing about is a warning against complacency. Ancient Israel was enjoying a boom of prosperity that was rooted in greed, corruption, and idolatry. Things were great in the moment for the fortunate and affluent. They didn’t want to listen to Amos’ words of warning. In similar ways, the U.S. before 9/11 and Israel before October 7, were not prepared for the instantaneous terror that was unleashed. How do I keep my mind and spirit honed to the realities of evil and hatred, and not get lulled into a false sense of security?

The second take away for me is the spiritual rot that lay at the root of Amos’ prophetic messages. God, through Amos, is begging for people to repent of their greed, their lack of concern for the poor and needy, and the self-centered rigging of systems to pad their pockets and get away with corruption at the expense of others. As a disciple of Jesus, how do I daily live true to the virtues of charity, generosity, compassion, and contentment in a world that teaches looking out for numero uno?

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.