OCTOBER 24

SEEK YE ME

“For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live: but seek not Bethel, nor inter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba.” (Amos 5:4-5)

“Seek not Bethel.” The name Bethel literally means: the house of God. Many precious things had happened at Bethel, God appeared unto Jacob in a dream there. Samuel, the prophet, ministered to the people there. Now the Lord knew all about these various ministries and blessings which came to those who sought out Bethel, yet there came a day when the message to Israel was clear, “seek not Bethel,” for He would bring them into a personal relationship with Himself, and thus He says, “SEEK YE ME.”

“Nor enter into Gilgal means “circle” because of the circumcision (cutting round) that was done there, once Israel came out of the wilderness and was ready to inherit their promised land. It was necessary to circumcise those who had been born after leaving Egypt, as there was no time for this in the wilderness journeys. Thus Gilgal speaks of the ceremonies, rituals of the flesh, and a going round in circles to fulfill them. It was also in Gilgal, 1 Sam. 11:15, “they made Saul king before the Lord.” They would rather have a visible ruler, than to serve the Invisible God. They made a man their king in
Gilgal. Now it is time to go beyond man-allegiance, and seek the Lord alone, that He might be our King.

“Pass not to Beer-sheba,” which was the farthest border city on the south. Also, heathen idols were there. We will not see how close we can come to the world, for we have no love for the things of the world. But we would seek HIM, Amos 5:8, “that turneth the shadow of death into the morning.” In Him is the dawning of the new day, the day of His kingdom and righteousness. In Him we shall LIVE!

O the depth of this desire till His fullness we require,
And the burning of His fire cleanse the thoughts that would aspire,
That we may walk the path that’s higher.

Ray Prinzing