Amos 5:14 - Aim for Right Living and Gain Eternity.

Amos.5:14: Aim for Right Living and Gain Eternity. 

CONTENT; What's in the verse; Translations; Paraphrase; Word 
Study:  

Amos 5:14 (KJV)  Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and 
so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have 
spoken. 

Amos 5:14 (TEV)  Make it your aim to do what is right, not what 
is evil, so that you may live.  Then the LORD God Almighty really 
will be with you, as you claim he is. 

Amos 5:14 (CWR)  Listen to the Lord.  Do good instead of evil.  
Change your ways and you will live.  Then the Lord will be with you.  
You say He's with you, but He's not. 

Amos 5:14 (TLB)  Be good, flee evil--and live! Then the Lord, 
the Lord Almighty, will truly be your Helper, as you have claimed he 
is. 

CONTEXT; What's around the verse; Overview; Topic:

Overview
Israel's sins required punishment (3:1-15). Amos cried out 
against the pampered wives of the wealthy (4:1-3), corrupt worship (vv. 
4-5), and indifference to God (vv. 6-13). The nation had to seek the 
LORD and do justice (5:1-15), or face the dark "Day of the LORD" (vv. 
18-20). God hated Israel's corrupt religion (vv. 21-27), and would judge 
her for her complacency and pride (6:1-14). [The 365-Day Devotional 
Commentary] 

SECTION HEADINGS

A lament and call to repentance  (5:1-17)
A Threefold Call to Turn Away From Sin  (5:4-17)
No salvation without repentance  (5:4-7)
Seek the Lord and Live  (5:1-17)

CROSS REFERENCES; What's in verses elsewhere.

Joshua 1:9 (KJV)  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a 
good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord 
thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.  

1 Chron. 28:20 (KJV)  And David said to Solomon his son, Be 
strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for 
the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, 
nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the 
service of the house of the Lord.  

2 Chron. 15:2 (KJV)  And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto 
him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with 
you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of 
you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.  

Isaiah 55:2 (KJV)  Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is 
not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken 
diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul 
delight itself in fatness.  

Micah 6:8 (KJV)  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and 
what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love 
mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  

Matthew 1:23 (KJV)  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and 
shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which 
being interpreted is, God with us.  

Matthew 6:33 (KJV)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and 
his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  

Matthew 28:20 (KJV)  Teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto 
the end of the world. Amen.  

Philip. 4:8-9 (KJV)  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are 
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, 
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things 
are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any 
praise, think on these things. [9] Those things, which ye have both 
learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of 
peace shall be with you.  

Psalm 34:14 (KJV)  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, 
and pursue it.  

Psalm 37:27 (KJV)  Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for 
evermore.  

Psalm 97:10 (KJV)  Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he 
preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of 
the wicked.  

Psalm 119:104 (KJV)  Through thy precepts I get understanding: 
therefore I hate every false way.  

Amos 5:6 (KJV)  Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break 
out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be 
none to quench it in Bethel.  

Romans 7:22 (KJV)  For I delight in the law of God after the 
inward man:  

Romans 12:9 (KJV)  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that 
which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  

1 Thes. 5:21-22 (KJV)  Prove all things; hold fast that which is 
good. [22] Abstain from all appearance of evil.  

3 John 1:11 (KJV)  Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but 
that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth 
evil hath not seen God.  

COMMENTARY / APPLICATION: Moving From The Head To The Heart
What is God teaching here? What does it teach about Jesus?

Seek good: Cf. "Seek me" (v. 4); [NIV SB]

We are to seek God, and live (vv. 4-6). Note that the text 
emphasizes seek "Me." - a personal relationship with the living God. [The 
365-Day Devotional Commentary] 

Throughout the Bible, this decision-making principle appears: 
[Disciple SB] 

Amos reminded them that they could not seek the good without 
putting away first the evil. [SDA Commentary] 

Amos called the people to repentance with the words "seek God 
and live" (5:4, 6, 14). [New Bible Companion] 

When judgment is sure and wrath certain to afflict His people, 
God still issues the call to repent. God's condemned people still 
have hope because of His mercy. [Disciple SB] 

Though the nation would be destroyed, individuals who repented 
would escape. [Ryrie SB] 

Prayer is seeking God's presence. Prayer results in true, 
meaningful life. [Disciple SB] 

God wants to be personally present with us.... We must be 
faithful, obedient servants for Him to be present, blessing us. [Disciple 
SB] 

This is not a salvation of works but a salvation that works. 
[Believer's SB] 

Remember that prayer is the source of your strength.  A worker 
cannot gain success while he hurries through his prayers and rushes 
away to look after something that he fears may be neglected or 
forgotten.  He gives only a few hurried thoughts to God; he does not take 
time to think, to pray, to wait upon the Lord for a renewal of 
physical and spiritual strength.  He soon becomes weary. He does not feel 
the uplifting, inspiring influence of God's Spirit.  He is not 
quickened by fresh life.  His jaded frame and tired brain are not soothed 
by personal contact with Christ.  7T243