Amos 5:18-19
Trouble in the Place of Safety
Two hunters came across a bear so big that they dropped their rifles and ran for cover. One man climbed a tree while the other hid in a nearby cave. The bear was in no hurry to eat, so he sat down between the tree and the cave to reflect upon his good fortune. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, the hunter in the cave came rushing out, almost ran into the waiting bear, hesitated, and then dashed back in again. The same thing happened a second time. When he emerged for the third time, his companion in the tree frantically called out, “Woody, are you crazy? Stay in the cave till he leaves!” “Can’t,” panted Woody, “there’s another bear in there.”
The Bible says that a similar kind of dilemma will someday come upon the godless. They will find trouble in the very place they run for safety (Amos 5:18). According to the prophet Amos, these people may be religious, and even long for the coming of the Lord, without realizing that His arrival will present for them the greatest problem of all—judgment of their wrongdoing.
Who are the godless? They are the ones who never turn from their sins to God’s loving forgiveness though Jesus Christ. They love evil rather than good, and they expect the Lord’s protection without ever doing what is necessary to qualify for it. It’s not a happy thought, but it’s true. The person who never puts his faith in the Lamb of God (John 1:29) will one day find that the Lamb will be unto him like a lion on one side and a bear on the other (Hos. 13:7,8). There will be no place to hide. - M.R.D. II