A Lion, a Bear, and a Serpent

“As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.” Amos 5:19

The scenario pictured here seems a little extreme and far-fetched. Imagine yourself running from a lion, only to meet a bear coming from the other direction. Imagine going inside your house (a place where you feel safe), resting your hand on the wall and being bitten by a snake. The chances of having all of that happen in one day are extremely remote. It would seem that a person would be much more likely to be struck by lightning. The people of Judah and Israel had been hearing that judgment was coming for many years. It seemed highly unlikely to them that any of what Amos prophesied about could ever come to pass. But the warning was clear: judgment is coming; change your ways. In addition to the certainty of God’s judgment, this passage speaks to the severity of His judgment. No one rolls out of the bed in the morning hoping to be chased by a lion and a bear, or bitten by a snake. God is saying that the results of rebelling against Him are far worse than we can imagine. Human nature hasn’t changed in the thousands of years since this prophecy was written. We have a tendency to overlook and excuse our sin. We justify ourselves in our own minds by telling ourselves that we are not as bad as some other people. Our backsliding may seem small and innocent to us, but the destruction that is waiting for us is real and will be devastating.