But God’s people made fun of his messengers. They hated his words. They laughed at his prophets. Finally the Lord’s great anger was stirred up against his people. Nothing could save them.
I wish you would pay attention to my commands. If you did, peace would flow over you like a river. Godliness would sweep over you like the waves of the ocean.
Then Isaiah said, “Listen, you members of the royal family of David! Isn’t it enough for you to test the patience of human beings? Are you also going to test the patience of my God?
I spoke to you again and again,” announces the Lord. “I warned you while you were doing all these things. But you did not listen. I called out to you. But you did not answer.
“My people will eat. But they will not have enough. They will have sex with prostitutes. But they will not have any children. That’s because they have deserted me. They have sex
My people are destroyed because they do not know me. “You priests have refused to obey me. So I will refuse to accept you as my priests. You have not paid any attention to my law. So I will not let your children be my priests.
How terrible it will be for them! They have wandered away from me. So they will be destroyed. That’s because they have refused to obey me. I long to save them. But they tell lies about me.
“What do you see, Amos?” he asked. “A basket of ripe fruit,” I replied. Then the Lord said to me, “The time is ripe for my people Israel. I will no longer spare them.
“I will give an order. I will shake the people of Israel among all the nations. They will be like grain that is shaken through a screen. Not a pebble will fall to the ground.
“Do not be like your people of long ago. The earlier prophets gave them my message. I said, ‘Stop doing what is evil. Turn away from your sinful practices.’ But they would not listen to me. They would not pay any attention,” announces the Lord.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me. I have not yet ascended to the Father. Instead, go to those who believe in me. Tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man plan to go? Does he think we can’t find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks? Will he go there to teach the Greeks?
So don’t make a statue of a god. Don’t commit that horrible sin. Don’t do it even after you have had children and grandchildren. Don’t do it even after you have lived in the land a long time. If you do, that will be an evil thing in the sight of the Lord your God. You will make him angry.
I, James, am writing this letter. I serve God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I am sending this letter to you, the 12 tribes scattered among the nations. Greetings.