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Here is one of God’s “Woes” against His own people. There is nothing wrong with being “at ease” at the right time and right place. We all can be become restless with over-activity, and we experience strain and stress instead of finding the rest offered by our Lord. Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” But to be “at ease” when there is work to be done is wrong, and this is a danger that faces us all. Compare Isaiah 66:7 “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.” Place these two statements side by side, and notice the force of the contrast:

Amos 6:1 – “Woe to them that are AT EASE in Zion!”

Isaiah 66:7 – “As soon as Zion TRAVAILED she brought forth her children”.

These statements are addressed to Zion, and Zion in the Scripture is the church of God. This solemn message is directed to God’s children and speaks of two possible conditions: – “At ease” or “Travailing” a condition of sadness or gladness, failure or fullness, displeasure or pleasure, lethargy or energy, slackness or wholeheartedness. We notice three things:

FIRST, A GREAT PRIVILEGE: The privilege here is to be “in Zion” – that is, in the church. It is a great thing to be called into the Church when many are outside of the Church. We should thank God for this. But for the Grace of God, we would be unconverted, unregenerate outside. Ephesians 2:12 “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” Amos’s message is not that certain people are “in” Zion but that they are “at ease” in Zion. We also see that Amos not only speaks of a great privilege but also…

SECOND, WE NOTICE A GREAT PROBLEM: What is God’s problem? Surely it is that after nearly two thousand years of Christianity so many people are out of Zion; 1) They are not practising Christians, 2) they are lost, 3) they are on the broad road that leadeth to destruction? No! That is not God’s primary problem. God’s problem is with His Own children. The prophet does not say, “Woe to the atheist, woe the agnostic, woe to the infidel,” but “Woe to those who are in Zion, but who are at ease!” God’s problem is not with the unsaved but with His Own children who are lazy, slack, indifferent and careless. To be “at ease?” suggests three things.

(i) SLEEPING – Let us get a mental picture of the present world situation – Tension, unrest, fear of war, increase in crimes, beastly things happening, the present pandemic cost of covid, etc. and, in the midst of this terrible situation the church is asleep! Amos 6, 1 & 4 Tells two characteristics of a sleeping Church: Firstly, those who are trusting in some outward or earthly privilege. The outward is more real than the inward. There is much outward profession but little inward possession. 2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”. We often place more value on external things than we do upon the inward, spiritual mighty working of the Holy Ghost! Secondly, verse 4 speaks of those who are pleasure loving, indolent and slack. Sadly, this applies to many Church members today! Yet the tragedy of the whole thing is that if the Church is asleep every other agency of the devil is wide awake and on the job.

(ii) SATISIFIED – if we read Amos 6:1-6 we see self-satisfaction and complacency is indicated. They are “in Zion”, but they are “at ease”, satisfied with things as they are, we see the warning to the Church at Laodicea in Revelation 3:17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” So rich and yet so poor. How true is it that we are content with the mercy drops when God is waiting to send the showers! Businessmen, sportsmen, politicians are not satisfied with half-measures, but many Christians seem satisfied with a cooled-down experience of Christ and do not want to be disturbed too much.

(iii) SECURE – The thought here is of being content with our own salvation and not having any concern for the salvation of others. Psalm 142:4 “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: Refuge failed me; No man cared for my soul.” And the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:30-37. Do we pass by the unsaved day after day, and are we indifferent to their deep spiritual need? This, then, is God’s great problem, the problem of His Own children who are “at ease in Zion”.

THIRD, WE NOTICE A GREAT PRINCIPAL: There is never any blessing without travail. There are never any conversations without earnest prayer and hard work. No children are born apart from the suffering of the mother – no toil, no spoil! These are not only the laws of nature, but they are the laws of God and they operate in the spiritual realm especially in the realm of Christian service and revival.

In conclusion we read The Lord Jesus Christ, out of Love for our souls and for the souls of all men, set His face like a flint to go to Calvary….we can, dare we, as His followers, do less? Shall we disappoint Him? Let us rise; He who died for us watching from the skies; “Watching till his royal banner floateth far and wide, Till He seeth of His travail Satisfied.” ALL HONOUR TO GOD!