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Then I (the Lord God) shall turn your festivals into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; And I will bring sackcloth on everyone’s loins and baldness on every head. And I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and the end of it will be like a bitter day.
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I remember not too many years ago in October 2017 when the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada turned from a massive celebration into a time of incredible mourning! In the midst of the festivities a lone gunman opened fire from his hotel room above the crowd killing 61 people and wounding hundreds of others before killing himself. The prophecy became the reality! 

The way that the Lord would bring that judgment on His own people for their disobedience in Amos’ time was to send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord (YHWH). {Amo.8:11}

Today’s verse is speaking of an absolute lack of joy—which by the way is not at all the same as happiness. The Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) which is the foundational document of the United States proclaims that the pursuit of happiness is an unalienable right. Of course, the Bible says rather that we are to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. {1Tim.6:11}

We should all be able to say, just as Job did, that we have treasured the words of His mouth more than our necessary food. {Job 23:12} If you stop eating the Word of God, that food of life which is the real health food you will wither away—faster with the inner man, our spirit, than the outer man, our flesh! We should follow the example of the prophet Jeremiah who wrote, “Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” {Jer.15:16}

God’s Word, not man’s works, are the only source of real and lasting joy! John the Baptist said that his joy was made full because he heard the voice of the bridegroom, Jesus Christ. {Jn.3:29} That voice rings out in every verse from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. Obviously, Jeremiah knew that!

With all of that in mind, consider the words of Jesus when He said that if a person abides in His word (and that means to stay in it, to dwell in it, not just have a brief visit every once in a while) then you are truly My disciples and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. {Jn.8:31-32} Without that freedom which is only available from God, regardless of what nation you are in, regardless how many things you have, you are more of a captive than the Pharaoh of Egypt, the Assyrians or the Babylonians could ever have made anybody!

Until a person accepts Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior they are slaves to sin! Remember that it was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. {Gal.5:1} Then, the Lord will turn your dull, boring life into a true festival, your concerns of daily life into songs of thanksgiving, and instead of sackcloth, you will have a garment of praise!

“For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:53-57)

GOD MADE THIS DAY, REJOICE AND BE GLAD