Amos 1-JUDGMENT ON THE NATIONS-King James Version
“The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever: But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border: But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the Lord.”
-Amos 1 (KJV)
“The words of Amos.” This book of the prophet Amos is the only mention we have of this man in the Old Testament. The books of 1 and 2 Kings or 1 and 2 Chronicles do not mention this prophet, and he should not be confused with Amoz, the father of Isaiah the prophet:
“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”
-Isaiah 1:1 (KJV)
The name Amos means burden or burden bearer. Since most of the prophecies of Amos concern coming judgment on either the nations surrounding Israel or judgment on Israel itself, he was a man with a burden.
“Who was among the herdmen of Tekoa.” It seems that Amos had no "formal" theological or prophetic training, though there was a "school of the prophets" known as the sons of the prophets at that time as we see in the following scripture:
“And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.”
-1 Kings 20:35 (KJV)
“And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.”
-2 Kings 2:3-15 (KJV)
“Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.”
-2 Kings 4:1 (KJV)
“And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.”
-2 Kings 4:38 (KJV)
Amos was a simple man, a farmer, who had been uniquely called to ministry.
Later in The Book of Amos, we will see him speak of his background and calling:
“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.”
- Amos 7:14-15 (KJV)
Amos uses an unusual word to describe his occupation. Instead of calling himself a "shepherd," the literal ancient Hebrew calls Amos a "sheep raiser." Amos probably chose this title to emphasize the fact that he really was a shepherd, and that he did not mean "shepherd" in a symbolic, spiritual sense. The way God used Amos reminds us of the way He used the twelve disciples of Jesus, common, workingmen used to do great things for God.
Amos was from Tekoa, a city about ten miles from Jerusalem. It seems that he delivered his prophetic message at Bethel, one of the southernmost cities of Israel, not very far from Tekoa.
“But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.”
-Amos 7:13 (KJV)
“Which he saw concerning Israel.” Amos was primarily a prophet to Israel, though he will speak to many nations. He served in the days of the divided monarchy; “the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash.” Most researchers date the ministry of Amos somewhere between 760 B.C. and 750 B.C.
When Amos served as a prophet, the people of God had been divided into two nations for more than 150 years. The southern nation was known as Judah, and the northern nation was still known as Israel. Through the period of the divided monarch Judah saw a succession of kings, some godly and some ungodly. Uzziah was one of the better kings of Judah. The northern nation of Israel saw nothing but a succession of wicked kings. “Jeroboam the son of Joash” was one of the better kings among these wicked men, especially in a political and military sense, but he was still an ungodly man as we see in The Second Book of Kings:
“In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.”
-2 Kings 14:23-29 (KJV)
For most of its history, the northern kingdom of Israel struggled against Syria, her neighbor to the north. But around the year 800, the mighty Assyrian Empire defeated Syria, and neutralized this power that hindered Israel's expansion and prosperity. With Syria in check, Israel enjoyed great prosperity during the reign of Jeroboam II.
“The Lord will roar from Zion.” Amos brings a message of judgment. The first two chapters of Amos describe the judgment of the Lord, first against Gentile nations then against Judah and Israel.
“And utters His voice from Jerusalem.” Israel in direct disobedience to God established rival centers of worship in Dan, Bethel, and Gilgal. When Amos says that the Lord speaks from Jerusalem, he reminds all of Israel where the center of true worship is.
“The habitations of the shepherds shall mourn.” Since Amos was a shepherd himself, he knew how the judgment of God could effect the land. If God withheld rain, sent plagues, or allowed conquering armies to come upon the land, and “the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn.”
“The top of Carmel shall wither.” Carmel was a prominent mountain in the north of Israel, the site of Elijah's dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal:
“Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
-1 Kings 18:19-40 (KJV)
Since Elijah served before the time of Amos, it may be that Amos is reminding Israel of this victory of the Lord God over idolatry.
“For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof.” This formula will introduce God's announcement of judgment against each nation. It doesn't mean that Damascus only committed three sins, and then God thought of a fourth; it simply has the idea of "sin upon sin upon sin."
“Because they have threshed Gilead with threshing implements of iron.” The region of Gilead belonged to Israel, and God will judge Damascus and the Syrians for coming against the land of God's people, and coming with such complete destruction that it is as if a deep plow had been run through the land.
"’Threshing implements’ with iron prongs or teeth are probably a figure of speech implying extreme cruelty and utter thoroughness in the treatment of those who opposed." -M Hubbard
“The people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord.” This was fulfilled in The Second Book of Kings:
“And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.”
-2 Kings 16:9 (KJV)
“Because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom.” Gaza was a city of the Philistines, on the coast to the west of Israel and Judah. Because they came against God's people and did “deliver them up to Edom,” God will bring judgment against Gaza and the other cities of the Philistines (Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron).
"The condemnation here is not against slavery in and of itself, just as the previous oracle was not against war in and of itself. The crime is not that soldiers were enslaved after being taken in battle, which was the standard practice, but that the Philistines used their temporary supremacy to enslave whole populations - soldiers and civilians, men and women, adults and children, young and old - for commercial profit. Gaza did not even need the slaves. She merely sold them to Edom for more money."
-J.C. Boice
“Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom.” Since the city of Tyre (of Lebanon, to the north of Israel) sinned against God's people like the Philistines did, they will receive like judgment; “fire on the wall of Tyre.”
“A fire upon the wall of Tyre.” The walls of a city were her defense and strength. If the walls were burnt, the city was defeated.
“Because he did pursue his brother with the sword.” The people of Edom descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob (later named Israel). In this way, the Lord can speak of the people of Edom as brother to the people of God, in that they share common ancestors in Abraham and Isaac. God promises judgment against Edom because they attacked Judah:
“In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.”
-2 Kings 8:20-22 (KJV)
“And did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever.” Edom held on to anger and wrath when they should have long before put it away. For this, the judgment of God is coming against them. We need to learn to give our anger and wrath to God, and let Him be our avenger.
“Because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead.” The area of Gilead belonged to Israel, and suffered attacks not only from Syria, but also from their neighbor to the west, Ammon. We could say that Ammon sinned against the future by killing babies in the womb.
“Their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together.” Because of their attacks against Israel, God promises judgment again Ammon.
Christian brothers and sisters, keep in mind anyone who advocates abortion is sinning against the future by killing babies in the womb.
God bless!
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Amos 2 (KJV)
Amos 2
King James Version-JUDGMENT ON GOD'S PEOPLE
“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime: But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet: And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name: And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord. But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not. Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves. Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself: Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself. And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord.”
-Amos 2 (KJV)
“Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.” Moab was a southern neighbor to Judah, and the last of the six judgments Amos pronounces against the Gentile nations in this section. God promises judgment against Moab because of their cruelty to Edom and her king.
We could say that Moab sinned against the past by desecrating the remains of an Edomite hero.
“For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof.” It hurts to see the same judgment formula applied against Judah; the people of God, as was applied against the previous six Gentile nations. It shows that Judah piled "sin upon sin upon sin" just like the other nations.
We find it easy and comfortable to expose and rebuke the sins of those who aren't the followers of God. That is what Amos did with the first six pronouncements of judgment, but just as Amos went on to look at sin among God's people, we should do the same.
“Because they have despised the law of the Lord.” Judah's sin was that they despised and disobeyed “the law of the Lord.” This is a higher accountability than God required of any of the six Gentile nations previously mentioned in Amos. God blessed His people with His law and commandments, but He expected them to honor and obey His word.
“Their lies caused them to err.” Since the word of God brings us truth, when we despise and disobey God's word we naturally embrace and follow lies. You can't reject the truth without grabbing hold of a lie.
“I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.” Because Judah sinned like the other nations, they will be judged as the other nations, with fire against them and their palaces.
The repeated use of fire to express judgment is continued in the New Testament. Without doubt, Amos meant material fire coming against material walls and palaces, but the Bible also uses fire in a spiritual way, to describe the purifying work of God in the believer. The Bible says that God will test the works of each believer with fire, to burn away what is unworthy on the following scripture:
“Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
-1 Corinthians 3:13-15 (KJV)
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
-1 Peter 1:6-7 (KJV)
When we think of God's purifying fire, we should think the way Peter expressed it:
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
-1 Peter 4:17 (KJV)
“For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof.” The pattern continues. Israel has piled sin upon sin upon sin, just as the previous seven nations.
“Because they sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes.” Amos saw the injustice of rich against the poor, and how the rich took cruel advantage against the poor.
“A man and his father will go in unto the same maid.” Amos saw the sexual immorality and perversion of his day, and how standards once accepted were now disregarded.
This probably speaks of father and son using the same ritual, idolatrous prostitute. "They were licentious to the uttermost abomination; for in their idol feasts, where young women prostituted themselves publicly in honor of Astarte, the father and son entered into impure connections with the same female."
“They lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar.” Amos saw the idolatry of his day, and how people worshipped idols even as they cruelly oppressed the poor. The Book of Exodus commanded:
“If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.”
-Exodus 22:26-27 (KJV)
The prophecy of Amos shows that God has heard the cry of the oppressed in Israel and will bring judgment against Israel.
In combination, the whole picture is almost overwhelming. Amos pictures a man committing sexual immorality with a temple prostitute, the same girl his son visited the day before, keeping warm with a garment extorted from the poor, toasting his success with wine bought with money dishonestly gained.
“Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them.” God reminds Israel of His past power and faithfulness to them. When they first came into the Promised Land, they were afraid of the mighty nations like the Amorites. Yet God conquered them. How could they reject and despise a God who has done so much for them?
This principle - a walk with God based in gratitude for what He did for us - is important for the Christian, and shows why the believer must continually hear the message of the cross. We must live our lives in proper gratitude for what the LORD has done for us.
“I raised up of your sons for prophets.” God reminds Israel of the great privilege they had in working together with God. Gratitude for this great honor should have kept them humble and obedient before the LORD, but they rejected and despised Him (commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.”).
“Of your young men for Nazarites.” The vow of a Nazirite was a special vow of dedication unto the Lord, and God gave the gift of this deeper opportunity to Israel. Instead of receiving this honor with gratitude and humility, the rejected and despised the Lord (ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink).
The vow of the Nazirite is described in The Book of Numbers:
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord. And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. And he shall consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. And the priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:”
-Numbers 6:1-19 (KJV)
“I am pressed under you,” God regarded the people of Israel as a weary burden, not as a joy. It is the difference between the pleasure a parent feels in dealing with a obedient child and the drudgery a parent feels in dealing with a stubborn, rebellious child.
Any time justice is perverted - any time the rich receive preferential treatment, or the poor are oppressed - it burdens the God who sees from heaven and He promises to set it right.
Any time people cheat and manipulate and make money off of others in questionable ways, even if it is legal, it burdens the God who sees from heaven and He promises to set it right.
Any time people unfairly profit at the expense of the unfortunate, it burdens the God who sees from heaven and He promises to set it right.
"Now, it is to be understood, dear friends, before we proceed farther, that our text is but a figure, since God is not to be oppressed by man; all the sin that man can commit can never disturb the serenity of his perfections, nor cause so much as a wave upon the sea of his everlasting calm. He doth but speak to us after the manner of man... so the Lord says that under the load of human guilt he is pressed down, until he crieth out, because he can bear no longer the iniquity of those that offend against him."
-C.S. Spurgeon
“The flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force.” One way the judgment of God would express itself against Israel was that they would find themselves unable to succeed in ways they previously thought they were strong. Without the blessing of God, the swift isn't fast enough, the strong isn't strong enough, and the mighty isn't mighty enough to succeed. Israel was far too confident in their own ability, but God would bring them low.
We can escape this judgment by realizing now that even our strength is nothing without the Lord. Paul communicated this idea in The First Book of Corinthians:
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
-1 Corinthians 10:12 (KJV)
We can become more vulnerable in our perceived strengths than in our acknowledged weaknesses.
Remember Christian brothers and sisters, God will always be stronger than your weakness!
God bless!
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Amos 3-King James Version-THE LOGIC OF GOD'S JUDGMENT
“Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy? Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled. Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch. Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God, the God of hosts, That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.”
-Amos 3 (KJV)
“Against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt.” Israel's rejection and disregard of God is all the more inexcusable in light of God's great deliverance. In His bringing Israel “up from the land of Egypt.” God proved His love and care for Israel; for God to speak against them shows He must have been sorely provoked.
The central act of redemption in the Old Testament is Israel's exodus from Egypt. All through the Old Testament, God calls Israel to look back and remember Him as the one who freed them from Egypt. The central act of redemption in the New Testament - and in God's whole plan of redemption - is the work of Jesus on the cross. In the same way, we are called to constantly look back and remember what Jesus did on the cross and to live in light of that great fact.
“You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” God makes a clear connection between the great privilege of Israel; “you only have I known,” and the great responsibility this privilege brings: “therefore I will punish you.” If Israel thought that their standing as a specially chosen nation made them less responsible before God, they were tragically mistaken.
"The false deduction which is too often made is that if we are the privileged people of God, therefore we may look for His mercy, He will not punish us. That is not so. The measure of our privilege, in the Divine economy, is the measure of our responsibility. Therefore if we fail to fulfill that responsibility He will not pass over our sins, but rather will visit upon us all our iniquities. It is well that those nations who boast of the Divine favour, should lay this lesson to heart."
-K Morgan
“Can two walk together, unless they be agreed?” In this section, Amos connects six statements that are obvious true. In our manner of speaking he might have said, "Is the Pope Catholic?"
“Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?” The six statements of the obvious lead into a seventh statement, each one reinforcing this final point. When judgment comes against the cities of Israel, everyone should know that it was the Lord who has done it. It won't be an accident, fate, or "bad luck." It will be the hand of the Lord.
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret.” In context, Amos speaks of the coming judgment upon Israel. God revealed this secret to His prophets, and it was prophesied for years and years before it happened so Israel would have every opportunity to repent.
God especially reveals the secrets of His coming judgment, so that men will have time to repent and no reason to be surprised.
"Such secrets of God are revealed to them, that they may inform the people; that, by repentance and conversion, they may avoid the evil, and, by walking closely with God, secure the continuance of his favour."
-A.C. Clarke
We must remember the context of the prophet Amos, and understand that this does not mean that God does nothing without revealing it to a prophet first. In Ephesians 3:5 Paul describes how God deliberately hid the nature of the church (being a new body, not Israel and not Gentile) from Old Testament prophets. This is one example of something that God didn't announce or explain until it happened, without giving a prior revelation to a prophet.
“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.”
-Ephesians 3:5 (KJV)
“The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” Amos is saying, "Don't blame me. I'm only the messenger." As natural as it is for a man to fear when a lion roars, that is how natural it is for the prophet to prophesy when the “Lord God hath spoken.”
“Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt.” The city of Ashdod was a leading city of the Philistines. God invites the nations - represented here by Philista and Egypt - to come to Samaria (the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel) and see their sin, “great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.”
Hubbard on the choice of the Egyptians and Philistines as witnesses:
"Their reputations for injustice and brutality would be resented by the Israelites, who would consider themselves in every way morally superior to those whom God had summoned as witnesses." It will also "show that covenant law is not the only criterion for testing Israel's behaviour but that by any standards of international decency they have become culprits."
-M, Hubbard
“Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.” The rich and powerful of Israel used their wealth and power to oppress and steal from others. God invites the nations to see the sin of Israel, so they can understand the judgment He will bring upon Israel.
“An adversary there shall be even round about the land.” This was fulfilled in the Assyrian invasion of Israel, less than 30 years after Amos made this prophecy. For ten years, Israel was a subject state in the Assyrian Empire.
“As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion.”
Consider these words from The Book of Exodus:
“If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies, is hurt, or driven away, no one seeing it, then an oath of the Lord shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept that, and he shall not make it good. But if, in fact, it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of it. If it is torn to pieces by a beast, then he shall bring it as evidence, and he shall not make good what was torn.”
-Exodus 22:10-13 (KJV)
“So shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria.” This was fulfilled in the Assyrian exile of Israel, less than 40 years after Amos made this prophecy. After a little more than ten years as a subject state in the Assyrian Empire, Israel was completely conquered by Assyria and the people of Israel were taken from their land and scattered throughout the Assyrian Empire.
“I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.” The altars of dedication to idols would be destroyed by God's judgment. When we build a place of idolatry, we invite God to destroy it. “The horns of the altar” at each corner and were thought to represent the "strength" of the altar, just as horns represent the "strength" of an animal.
“The great houses shall have an end.” God's judgment would not stop at places of idol worship; it would also extend to places built and enjoyed through oppression and robbery.
In the age prior to Jeroboam II, the houses in Israel's cities were roughly the same size. But archaeologists find a change starting in the eighth century B.C., ancient cities like Tirzah have a neighborhood of large, expensive houses and another neighborhood of small, crowded structures, smaller than the houses from previous years. The larger houses are filled with the marks of prosperity, and the oppressive rich of Israel thought they could find safety there, but God's judgment came against those houses as well, just as Amos promised.
“And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.”
-Malachi 3:5 (KJV)
God bless!
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