RE Verse reading–Amos 4:1-5, 5:1-24 (day one) “The town that marches out one hundred strong will only have ten left” (5:3) The English word decimated comes from a form of military discipline in ancient Rome. Cowardly or mutinous cohorts were gathered to have one soldier in ten selected by lot and executed. (decem is ten in Latin) Amos predicts something worse for Israel, a military defeat more disastrous than decimation. Rather than one of ten being destroyed, only one in ten will be saved when the day of God’s fury arrives. Some argue that God hates the sin and not the sinner. Perhaps so, but the distinction is hard to support with scripture. Refusing His mercy, sinners will experience the “wrath of the Lamb” ( Revelation 6:16) With both the promise of His judgement and the offer of His grace, we have strong incentive to turn to the Lord in these days of warning. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. . .
