Amos 5:18-19 Woe to you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.… I. AN AWAKENING COMMINATION. 1. What is meant by the "day of the Lord"? The day of death, or personal dissolution. The day of captivity, or national dissolution. The day of judgment, or general account. 2. What is meant by desiring this day? The people are censured for desiring it rashly, because they did not consider it; scoffingly, because they did not believe it; desperately, because they did not fear it. Men desired the day of the Lord from discontentedness in their own condition; presumption of their own innocency; and from ignorance or misapprehension of the thing itself. II. THE CONVINCING EXPOSTULATION. "To what end is it for you? " Here is a calling of them to an account for their desire, or an expostulation. And a discovering to them the fruitlessness of their desire, or a conviction. To all good Christians and believers it is a day of absolution; a day of redemption; and a day of salvation. III. THE EXPRESS CONCLUSION OR DETERMINATION. "The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light." This is to be understood of the day of death and judgment. This sentence may be taken — 1. In the general proposition of it, as it stands by itself. (1) In the affirmative, what it is; (2) In the negative, what it is not.By way of opposition; by way of intention, to show the greatness of the darkness; by way of perpetuity. Darkness and always dark; by way of extent or explication, to show unto us the full nature of this business, wherein it does consist. 2. In its particular scope, as directed more especially to the persons above mentioned, who desired this day of the Lord. It carries a threefold force or emphasis with it. An emphasis of information; an emphasis of conviction to those who were obstinate; and an emphasis of astonishment to those which were desperate, which knew it, but laid aside the thoughts and considerations of it, and would put it to the venture. (T. Horton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. |
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