Amos 6:1-7

"Those at Ease in Zion"

¹Woe to those who are at ease in Zion
And to those who feel secure in the mountain of Samaria,
The distinguished men of the foremost of nations,
To whom the house of Israel comes.
²Go over to Calneh and look,
And go from there to Hamath the great,
Then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are they better than these kingdoms,
Or is their territory greater than yours?
³Do you put off the day of calamity,
And would you bring near the seat of violence?
⁴Those who recline on beds of ivory
And sprawl on their couches,
And eat lambs from the flock
And calves from the midst of the stall,
⁵Who improvise to the sound of the harp,
And like David have composed songs for themselves,
⁶Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls
While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils,
Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.
⁷Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles,
And the sprawlers' banqueting will pass away.

We have many names to contend with in this week's passage, as we begin Chapter 6 of Amos. Zion and Samaria are the capitals of Judah and Israel, respectively. So we know that Amos is addressing both the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom at the same time.

This is not the first time Amos has brought up the issue of living in material luxury. We read about this Chapter 4 ("you cows of Bashan") amongst other places. God's making the statement that living in ease and security does not grant you special privileges and exemptions. The special relationship that God's chosen people had with the Lord was not considered part of their living. Big problem!

God says, look around at the nations surrounding you and see if they have things better. Calneh was part of the land of Shinar, which we also know as Babylon. It was founded by Nimrod, who you will also remember as the founder of Ninevah, capital of Assyria. The region included Babel, the home of the tower of Babel, the place at which the Lord "confused the language of the whole earth" (Gen. 11: 9). Babylon captured Judah in 605 B.C., forcing them into exile (and launching the work of Daniel, the prophet). A new "Babylon" will also play a role in the end-times. So, there's not much good to say about Calneh. Hamath relates to Syria and Gath is tied to Philistia, home of the Philistines. Again, not the lands of God's favor.

"Do you put off the day of calamity...?" (vs. 3) God's chosen were living as if they had all of salvation locked up just by claiming God's Word. But without works to support their so-called faith [Remember, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26)], God called their so-called salvation on the carpet. Remember what God said in Amos 5:18: "For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you?" He repeats here again in 6:3 that the Day will come, but only the truly faithful will be saved. Judah and Israel will not be any better off than the nations surrounding them, unless they change their hearts.

Verses 4 through 6 provide details of the extent of their luxurious lifestyle. The reference to David should have brought a pang of guilt to the ways of these nations. David, who brought music and psalms together to worship His God and to express his deepest thoughts and sins of his heart, would be mocked, really, by Judah and Israel in their creation of music to merely please themselves.

"Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; but they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, nor do they consider the work of His hands."

--Isaiah 5:12

"Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph." God's chosen do not recognize their own waywardness in the midst of that materialism and self-focus, their idol-worship and their blatant disregard and disrespect for the ways of God. Verse 7 contains their punishment: exile. The last line, a stinging barb: "And the sprawlers' banqueting will pass away." God renews discipline upon His people, that His love for them would be recognized once more and that the honor due Him would be demonstrated in their true faith.

Chapter 6 concludes [short one!].... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: exoticexcess.com; trendir.com

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Next week: Amos 6:8-14

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 6:8-14

⁸The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, the LORD God of hosts has declared:
"I loathe the arrogance of Jacob, And detest his citadels;
Therefore I will deliver up the city and all it contains."

⁹And it will be, if ten men are left in one house, they will die.

¹⁰Then one's uncle, or his undertaker, will lift him up to carry out his bones from the house, and he will say to the one who is in the innermost part of the house, "Is anyone else with you?" And that one will say, "No one." Then he will answer, "Keep quiet. For the name of the LORD is not to be mentioned."

¹¹For behold, the LORD is going to command that the great house be smashed to pieces and the small house to fragments.
¹²Do horses run on rocks?
Or does one plow them with oxen?
Yet you have turned justice into poison
And the fruit of righteousness into wormwood,
¹³You who rejoice in Lodebar,
And say, "Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?"
¹⁴"For behold, I am going to raise up a nation against you,
O house of Israel," declares the LORD God of hosts,
"And they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath
To the brook of the Arabah."

God continues to elaborate on the punishment coming Israel's way. Their attitude is ungodly and their greed is overwhelming. He will "deliver up the city" (vs 8) and "raise up a nation against you." (vs 14)

In verse 12, God uses rhetorical questions to make His point: Do horses run on rocks? An alternate translation of the 2nd question is, Does one plow the sea with oxen? As surely as these answers are "no" does God then infer, "Do you turn My justice into poison?" Yet, this is exactly what Israel has done.

"Seek the LORD that you may live, or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel, for those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness down to the earth."

--Amos 5:6-7

Remember, wormwood means bitterness, the Hebrew coming from a word for curse.

Israel's pride in conquering other nations also displeased God, even though God had allowed for this conquering to occur as a measure of His grace.

"He (King Jeroboam II) restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher."

--II Kings 14:25

Prior to Amos' prophecy, Israel was not a healthy, prosperous, spiritually sound nation. God saw their weakened condition and, as shared through Jonah's message, made it possible for Jeroboam II to restore the boundaries of Israel. However, as we know from reading Amos, Israel did not change, except to become richer, greedier and more self-indulgent. How often we see in Scripture that those God tries to save turn away the gift of grace, resorting to their own strength and power. This was Israel:

"Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?" (vs. 13)

Lodebar (which means "a thing of nothing") and Karnaim (which means "horns" as horns of strength) were two of the places conquered by Jeroboam II. Yet, look at what this is saying. Those who rejoice in "a thing of nothing" and have taken land by their own "horns"' of strength.... Justification for God's wrath.

And punishment!, which God outlines in verses 9 through 11. After the Lord comes (breaking forth like a fire, Amos 5:6), "then one's uncle (or beloved) or his undertaker (literally, one who burns him--as in cremation), will lift him up to carry out his bones from the house...." "And they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of the Arabah"--exactly what Jeroboam II had conquered per God's provision.

"For thus says the Lord GOD,
'The city which goes forth a thousand strong
Will have a hundred left,
And the one which goes forth a hundred strong
Will have ten left to the house of Israel.'"

--Amos 5:3

"And it will be, if ten men are left in one house, they will die."

--Amos 6:9

God will take great measures to restore His people, even as they are lost under the rule of a greedy, idol-worshiping king. Many will die in the assault that Assyria will deliver in 722 B.C. The saved remnant will face hard times in their Assyrian exile. Grace doesn't always look like roses at first. But God's ultimate goal of re-establishing a relationship with His chosen people is, to Him, worth the cost of extreme discipline.

"As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD, "Go, serve everyone his idols; but later you will surely listen to Me, and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols."

--Ezekiel 20:39

"How dreadful, how miserable, is the case of those whose eternal ruin the Lord himself has sworn; for he can execute his purpose, and none can alter it! Those hearts are wretchedly hardened that will not be brought to mention God's name, and to worship him, when the hand of God is gone out against them, when sickness and death are in their families."

--Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

Amos receives visions in Chapter 7.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: http://bibleatlas.org/regional/brook_of_the_arabah.htm

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Next week: Amos 7:1-9

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 8:1-6

Amos 8

Basket of Fruit and Israel's Captivity

¹Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, there was a basket of summer fruit.

²He said, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A basket of summer fruit " Then the LORD said to me, "The end has come for My people Israel I will spare them no longer.

³"The songs of the palace will turn to wailing in that day," declares the Lord GOD "Many will be the corpses; in every place they will cast them forth in silence."

⁴Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land,

⁵saying,
"When will the new moon be over,
So that we may sell grain,
And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market,
To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger,
And to cheat with dishonest scales,

⁶So as to buy the helpless for money
And the needy for a pair of sandals,
And that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?"

When I think "basket of summer fruit," I have a picture in my head like that featured above. Beautiful colors and delicious flavors waiting to be enjoyed. God did not have the same picture in mind when He told Amos to see His view through Vision #4.

God is creating a picture of the end of summer, when the last of the fruit has been pulled from the trees and collected. But the fruit does not represent good things done by the nation, Israel, but rather a ripened judgment prepared to befall His people. This is not the final harvest, but the judgment is definitely severe. The plumb line has indicated maximum sway. The "basket" is soon to be opened! Israel, you have been chopped!!

"The songs of the palace will turn to wailing in that day...."

--vs. 3

We have seen references to songs throughout Amos. But in all cases, Israel's use of song in worship was not for the praising of God, but for the praising of their myriad other gods and songs of self-righteousness. God says the song heard now will be the howl of the palace songs as He will bring destruction upon the people, and they will be cast forth with silence or a hush. This will be a time in which nothing can be said against the "Consuming Fire."

Israel is again reminded, in verse four, of its terrible reputation for not taking care of the poor. 'Trample' or 'swallow up' in the King James' can also mean "snap at" or "to set traps for" in the Hebrew, or "to inhale eagerly." [Strong's] Israel did not just verbally put down the poor but they cunningly stole what little they had, to add to their own fortunes and status.

"These who pant after the very dust of the earth on the head of the helpless. Also turn aside the way of the humble...."

--from Amos 2:7

Celebrations of the Day of the New Moon would be marred by the greedy intent of merchants.

"[The Day of the New Moon] marked the commencement of each month, and was celebrated as a holiday. Offerings were made as ordained (Num. 28:11,15). All business was suspended (Amos 8:5). The Day of the New Moon was recognized as a family festival with religious observances, although not especially ordained. It was proclaimed by the trumpet-sound (Ps. 81:3). After the establishment of Christianity the observance was discontinued."

--Smith's Bible Dictionary

Anxious to get through the holiday and back to business, the merchants hatched schemes to cheat their customers. "To make the bushel smaller," or the ephah--the standard measure of grain in those days--smaller. "And the shekel bigger." In this case, shekel is not used as a unit of money--although a shekel was a coin--but as a unit of weight. The merchants figured out a way to make the amount of grain received smaller while making the customer's bundle look bigger--all for the same price.

"A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight."

--Proverbs 11:1

Obviously, they had found a way "to cheat with dishonest scales."

Verse 6 is a reminder clear back to Chapter 2, a reference from the "Thus says the Lord" passages. Love the consistency in God's message through Amos:

"Thus says the LORD, 'For three transgressions of Israel and for four, I will not revoke its punishment, because they sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.'"

--Amos 2:6

"And sell the refuse of the wheat," which we know to be the chaff. How did the merchants succeed in deceiving its buyers? By bulking up on the chaff and surrounding it with the choice, although heavily rationed, grain. The basis of so much advertising and merchandising today, is it not true? What has come bundled with your latest good deal, and was it such a good deal after all??

God does not take kindly to chaff. To me, the merchants' bundle might as well have been Israel itself--a few Godly folks surrounding an otherwise bulky bloating of chaff!

"'His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'"

--Matthew 3:12

Again, not the end-times, but a severe judgment at God's hand, to purify and perfect His chosen.

Continuing with Chapter 8, how judgment will come down, "...like a bitter day." .... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: suite101.com

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Next week: Amos 8:7-10

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 5:21-27

²¹"I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
²²"Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.
²³"Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
²⁴"But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

²⁵"Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?

²⁶"You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves.

²⁷"Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

God's going out of Chapter 5 with a loud voice! And He's definitely not listening to or receiving Israel's pleas and offerings.

The running theme of Amos has been Israel's disobedience and dishonoring of God. The Father now has had the stage, explaining the nation's wrongs. Here, He makes it plain. The Israelites are not fully worshiping God, and when they do worship God, they are conflicted in their hearts and in their manner of worship. When God uses 'hate', you know it's serious. 'Hate', 'reject', 'do not delight', 'will not accept', 'will not even look at', 'will not even listen to'....

"So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you multiply prayers,
I will not listen
Your hands are covered with blood.
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight
Cease to do evil...."

--Isaiah 1: 15-16

Verse 25, God questions Israel's faithfulness, going back to the 40 years in the wilderness. Were God's people faithful then? No, they weren't! Golden calf while waiting for Moses and the 10 Commandments?!

"Even when they made for themselves
A calf of molten metal
And said, 'This is your God
Who brought you up from Egypt,'
And committed great blasphemies,
You, in Your great compassion,
Did not forsake them in the wilderness;

--Nehemiah 9: 18 & 19

God had amazing compassion on His people then. He still has compassion for Israel. (Remember His words in Amos to "Seek good...." and His saving of a remnant). But His plan has already been stated in this book and is spoken of again here: "I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus." (vs 27) The Assyrians conquered Damascus 10 years before the exile in 732 B.C.

Not to skip over those names in verse 26. Sikkuth means tabernacle and the king in reference is Molech. Kiyyun is a star god also referred to as Rompha. My study Bible says this of the worship of Molech: "Molech worship included the astrological worship of Saturn and the host of heaven and the actual sacrificing of children." Israel pursued this, even under King Solomon and his descendants. (From I Kings 11:7--"Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon.") In Acts, chapter 7, Stephen recounts Amos 5:26 when confronting the Sanhedrin over the sins of Israel in his blasphemy "trial".



Of special note in an otherwise discouraging series of verses this week:

"But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (vs. 24)

I was reading an article in Sunday's Washington Post about a new memorial statue of Dr. Martin Luther King being created on the Washington Mall. There in the midst of the article was the quote, credited to Dr. King's "March on Washington" speech. Dr. King had actually quoted Amos.

The cry for justice has sounded for thousands of years. For Dr. King, it was a life's work in seeking justice and equality among people. For God, it is justice in the wake disobedience with the promise of righteousness to forever flow for those who would honor Him above all!

Chapter 6, "Those at ease in Zion".... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: scientopia.org; thejosevilson.com

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Next week: Amos 6:1-7

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 1: 6-10

⁶Thus says the LORD,
"For three transgressions of Gaza and for four
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they deported an entire population
To deliver it up to Edom.
⁷"So I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza
And it will consume her citadels.
⁸"I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
And him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon;
I will even unleash My power upon Ekron,
And the remnant of the Philistines will perish," says the Lord GOD.
⁹Thus says the LORD,
"For three transgressions of Tyre and for four
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they delivered up an entire population to Edom
And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
¹⁰"So I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre
And it will consume her citadels."

This week, we move on to the next two cities on Amos' list of those receiving God's judgment for actions against Israel. The first is Gaza, which, represents the entire region of Philistia and, specifically, four additional major cities (see map above). Nestled between Egypt and Israel, with the Mediterranean Sea a western border, Gaza was a big center of trade in the day.

Today, the Gaza Strip is a Palestinian territory and a place of continued violence with Israel.

The cities mentioned in verse 8--Ashdod, Ashkelon and Ekron--were other prominent cities in Philistia. Gath would also be included on that Top 5 list. My study Bible explains that it is not in Amos' message because the city had already been destroyed by King Uzziah of Judah (II Chronicles 26:6).

The major sin of note is the deportation of Israelites to Edom. (And if you remember Edom from our study of Obadiah, you'll remember there's nothing good about Edom. More on the region next week!)

The word of the LORD is against you,
O Canaan, land of the Philistines
And I will destroy you
So that there will be no inhabitant.
So the seacoast will be pastures,
With caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.
And the coast will be
For the remnant of the house of Judah,
They will pasture on it
In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening;
For the LORD their God will care for them
And restore their fortune.

--Zephaniah 2: 5 (portion)-7

Tyre comes next, and this was a wealthy, fortified city with an active seaport in the region of Phoenicia, north of Israel and west of Syria.

The punishment in Amos' message to the city is similar to Gaza's: "delivered up an entire population to Edom." (vs. 9) But, there was something unique to Tyre's message in that there is mention of a special covenant--"the covenant of brotherhood."

Some 200 years before, in the days of David and Solomon, Israel had a covenant relationship with Phoenicia. There was to be no war between Israel and Phoenicia, especially the cities of Tyre and Sidon. Apparently, Tyre was guilty of breaking this special relationship, thus leading God to bring forth punishment. Although Amos' prophecy is matter-of-fact, note how God's intimate knowledge of Tyre comes through in this cross-reference from Ezekiel:

"Son of man, because Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, 'Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has opened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste,' therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. 'They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; and I will scrape her debris from her and make her a bare rock."

--Ezekiel 26: 2-4

Jesus would refer to Tyre and Sidon in his chastising of the nations which had seen His miracles yet had not repented of their sins as a result of being in the Messiah's presence.

"For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you."

--Matthew 11:21-22

Tyre was destroyed in a conquest by Alexander the Great more than 400 years after Amos' prophetic words and 330 years before Jesus came. Yet, Jesus brings these cities and their judgment to light for those in His midst and for all to read in the New Testament. That is a long time to consider repentance, yet they did not. And what of us on the day of judgment?....

Closing with a review verse from Joel:

"Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head."

--Joel 3:4

Edom and Ammon follow in Gaza and Tyre's shoes....'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: newworldencyclopedia.org; bikyamasr.com; topnews.in; karenswhimsy.com

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Next week: Amos 1: 11-15

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 1: 1-5

Judgment on Neighbor Nations

¹The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa,
which he envisioned in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah,
and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel,
two years before the earthquake.
²He said, "The LORD roars from Zion
And from Jerusalem He utters His voice;
And the shepherds' pasture grounds mourn,
And the summit of Carmel dries up."
³Thus says the LORD,
"For three transgressions of Damascus and for four
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they threshed Gilead with implements of sharp iron.
⁴"So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael
And it will consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.
⁵"I will also break the gate bar of Damascus,
And cut off the inhabitant from the valley of Aven,
And him who holds the scepter, from Beth-eden;
So the people of Aram will go exiled to Kir,"
Says the LORD.

Amos wastes no time in establishing his position in coming to the writing of this book. He is a sheepherder who has received a series of visions during the time of the reigns of two kings--Uzziah of Judah (Southern Kingdom) and Jeroboam of Israel (Northern Kingdom). Amos even records that his writings covered the days before a major earthquake in the area, which historians have said occurred around 755 B.C.

As mentioned in the Introduction last week, God is not happy with Israel. Prosperous with earthly treasures and idol worship, God calls Amos from his home in Tekoa, part of Judah, to deliver a discouraging message to Israel. He paves the way for Amos by providing him with judgments brought against Israel's neighbors. ("Somebody else is getting punished? OK, I'll listen," said Israel.)

Verse 2 establishes God's voice in the writing, as He is "roaring" from Zion and, through Amos, from Jerusalem. Sounding similar to Joel in the pronouncement of a famine, Amos warns that the pastures will cry (God's flock will mourn) and Carmel (see above), a lush, bountiful mountain range in northern Israel, will dry up.

With verse 3, Amos begins using literary phrasing that will repeat itself throughout these eight messages of judgment:

"For three transgressions of _______ and for four, I will not revoke its punishment, because _________."

My study Bible explains the phrasing as being a rhetorical device which features a mathematical equation of a sort. I'm reminded of Jesus' example of forgiveness: 70 times seven, meaning always! The idea is similar in Amos, except he is referring to countless incidences of sin with no revocation of punishment. In the verses we're looking at this week, God's judgment is falling on Damascus, the capital city of Syria.

And with that mention, it's time for a map! Because the text becomes more challenging in the basic reading without an understanding of where, and who or what is where.

Syria [Aram] is in the dark peach on the map, with Damascus at the top. Why is God punishing Syria? Because they brutally attacked Gilead, part of Israel which borders Syria.

"Therefore, her young men will fall in her streets,
And all the men of war will be silenced in that day," declares the LORD of hosts.
"I will set fire to the wall of Damascus,
And it will devour the fortified towers of Ben-hadad."

--Jeremiah 49: 26-27

It wasn't always the case that Israel was protected. A few kings prior, God was turning Israel over to Hazael and Ben-hadad--father and son kings of Syria, respectively (II Kings 13). Yet, here, we read that God turns the tables on Syria in judgment (vs. 4). He will break down the bars of the city gate and remove the people from their sinful environment. The valley of Aven is translated "valley of wickedness." My study Bible says this may refer to Baalbek, which was the center of sun worship in an area north of Damascus. Beth-eden means "House of pleasure" and was located in eastern Syria across from the Euphrates River, putting it closer to Iraq.

The bottom line, end of verse 5, "So the people of Aram [Syria] will go exiled to Kir."

"So the king of Assyria listened to him [Ahaz, king of Judah]; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and captured it, and carried the people of it away into exile to Kir, and put Rezin [king of Syria at the time] to death."

--II Kings 16:9 [not that God was happy with Judah at this moment, but a prophecy spoken forth by God's called is one to be fulfilled--method of which is God's choosing!]

What strikes me is how quickly God's prophecy through Amos was fulfilled--just two or three kings down the road from when he delivered it! I'm also struck with the fact that I need to do more studying in Kings and Chronicles one day, because I'm constantly referring back to the annals of Biblical history in reading Amos. Great to make these connections, but I'm treading water in a sea of facts (and similar sounding names!). It's all good!!

Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon are next on the chopping block....'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: xasauantoday.com; newworldencyclopedia.org

* * *

Next week: Amos 1: 6-10

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Isaiah 10: 5-11

⁵ Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
⁶ I send it against a godless nation
And commission it against the people of My fury
To capture booty and to seize plunder,
And to trample them down like mud in the streets.
⁷ Yet it does not so intend,
Nor does it plan so in its heart,
But rather it is its purpose to destroy
And to cut off many nations.
⁸ For it says, “Are not my princes all kings?
⁹ “Is not Calno like Carchemish,
Or Hamath like Arpad,
Or Samaria like Damascus?
¹⁰ “As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
¹¹ Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images
Just as I have done to Samaria and her idols?”

It has been mentioned quite a few times over the course of our study. But, the "distant nation" has not been mentioned by name until this appearance in Isaiah, Chapter 10: "Woe to Assyria...." (vs 5) Take a good look at the Assyrian Empire in the map above. Staggering is the amount of territory! Thus, powerful be those who controlled it. Or were they?

Back in the study of Amos on these pages (Amos 6 blog), we had an opportunity to look at the beginnings of the Assyrian Empire. Through Noah's grandson came Nimrod who founded Ninevah, the capital city. Of Nimrod, we read in Scripture, "He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said, 'Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.'" (Genesis 10:9) The reputation of the nation, later empire, would be that of a hunter and a conqueror--but with self-righteous intentions.

In Isaiah, we just read of Assyria's coming to destroy Israel, which the empire successfully did at the hand of two kings: Shalmaneser, who succeeded Tiglath-pileser, and Sargon, who may have done the actual capturing of the nation after taking over Assyria from Shalmaneser. (Commentary suggests that Sargon's annals were more detailed and complete than Shalmaneser's, which did not actually indicate that he took Israel.) What Isaiah is addressing now in Chapter 10 is the rise of the next Assyrian leader, King Sennacherib, Sargon's son. (According to Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary, his name means "bramble of destruction").

So now, taking in all that background, the first mention of Assyria in the passage comes with two descriptors at the mouth of God: "the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hands is My indignation." The capital 'My's' are critical to our understanding. The One with the wrath here is God, not Assyria. The One who will use Assyria as a tool in His work is God, not Assyria. "I send it...," says God, because He is the One who is in control of all things, regardless of the size of the empire or the impressive, historically powerful leadership structure.

"He [Sennacherib] was but the rod of God’s anger, an instrument God was pleased to make use of for the chastening of his people, that, being thus chastened of the Lord, they might not be condemned with the world.... Sometimes God makes an idolatrous nation, that serves him not at all, a scourge to a hypocritical nation, that serves him not in sincerity and truth."

--Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

The hypocritical or "godless" (vs 6) nation mentioned by Henry is Judah. [It is interesting, though, to put in the names of other nations to ponder the possibilities of conflicts in certain eras.] The call by God is to take all of their things--those things that the nation became so enraptured with over God Himself. "Trample them" down in their sinful mire. God's intent was to discipline with His rod and staff. Is this the same "Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me" of Psalm 23 (KJV)? If we are believing that the Lord is our shepherd and has the best of intentions for us, then we need to accept that, "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way...." (Isaiah 53:6) The rod and staff represent the guidance and discipline of a loving God, steering us to Him. But, in lack of "sincerity and truth" in faith, that rod and staff become much stronger in their force, yet still loving in the intent of the One who uses them.

Verse 7 brings the focus of God's providence into full view:

"Yet it [Assyria] does not so intend,
Nor does it plan so in its heart,
But rather it is its purpose to destroy
And to cut off many nations."

Was it Assyria's plan to step into Judah's life for the purpose of bringing spiritual rehabilitation? No. Was it on Sennacherib's radar to go after Judah to add to the Empire? Given what we read, yes, true to historical form, that would be a more proper motive. But the intent to invade Judah and the time frame, (not to mention how it all came about; II Kings has the details), were not born of Sennacherib's heart but of God's greater plan for getting to the heart of His people.

As the passage finishes over verses 8 to 11, Isaiah lets us hear from Sennacherib. [And, I love how Matthew Henry comments on this introduction: "The prophet here brings him in vaunting and hectoring."] Think of a movie monologue from the lead general, a Patton or the like, with the motivational combination of pomposity and trash-talking. Read verse 9 (and its details) from the Amplified Bible:
 

"Is not Calno [of Babylonia conquered] like Carchemish [on the Euphrates]? Is not Hamath [in Upper Syria] like Arpad [her neighbor]? Is not Samaria [in Israel] like Damascus [in Syria]? [Have any of these cities been able to resist Assyria? Not one!]"

Even the idols have been conquered, reading verses 10 and 11. "Jerusalem, why would you want to mess around with an empire that has taken on the idols and won?!" might say the braggart. Although the thought of idols being powerful would be folly to Judah's King Hezekiah down the line (II Kings 19: 17 and 18), the current king of the day, Ahaz, is not wise or believing.

But, as we know, despite Ahaz and company, God would preserve a remnant of believers from Judah, regardless of the unbelieving and unknowing nations of the world that would come up against it. What will be punishment and chastisement in exile will later bring repentance and a new beginning to the faithful. We may not completely understand God's workings--the why's and the means to the works themselves, sometimes--but when we hold to Scripture, we know that His promises are true; that what He deems to fulfill, He will; and that "...God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
 

Joseph testified to this mystery of "bad" for "good" when he spoke to his brothers over their leading him into slavery: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." (Genesis 50:20) There is also the story of the Man who could and would do no wrong, who put Himself on the other side of the Law and was executed:

"...this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power."

--Acts 2: 23 and 24 (Peter speaking, emphasis mine)

The warning for Judah was not to fear the imposing Assyrian Empire on its borders, to build up armaments and prepare for battle. The warning was to turn back to fearing God, a warning not heeded.









Remember, this passage starts out with "Woe to Assyria." God will call out Assyria's pride.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo:  standeyo.com

* * *

Next week: Isaiah 10: 12-15

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 2:1-5

¹Thus says the LORD,
"For three transgressions of Moab and for four
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
²"So I will send fire upon Moab
And it will consume the citadels of Kerioth;
And Moab will die amid tumult,
With war cries and the sound of a trumpet.
³"I will also cut off the judge from her midst
And slay all her princes with him," says the LORD.
⁴Thus says the LORD,
"For three transgressions of Judah and for four
I will not revoke its punishment,
Because they rejected the law of the LORD
And have not kept His statutes;
Their lies also have led them astray,
Those after which their fathers walked.
⁵"So I will send fire upon Judah
And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem."

The last two enemies of Israel receiving judgment at this time through Amos are Moab and Judah.

We touched on Moab briefly last week, recalling that the nation formed as a result of the union between Lot and his oldest daughter. Moab is south of Israel, east of Judah and north of Edom, making the possibility for war amongst these nations a strong likelihood. II Kings 3 records an instance in which Moab--after years of paying tribute to the king of Israel--rebelled against the Northern Kingdom and its new king, Jehoram.

Jehoram decides to fight back, asking the king of Judah to join him. Because they chose to invade Moab via the southern route, the king of Edom was brought into the picture. It was the Lord's plan at that time that Moab suffer the loss at the hands of these armies, led by Israel. But Moab's attempt at "divine" intervention--with their king sacrificing his heir-to-the-throne son as a burnt offering to Moab's god Chemosh--did not succeed. The wrath of the nation against Israel burned and burned, bringing God's judgment upon them.

Kerioth, according to my study Bible, is either a capital city or a center of worship. As the Lord continues with His judgment, He will also subdue any figure of authority in Moab.

Amos then directs words to Judah. Unlike the nations mentioned thus far, Judah is not being condemned for its actions against other peoples.

"Because they rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept His statutes." (vs. 4)

Lest we think the aforementioned sins of the nations are somehow worse and more deserving of punishment, Judah's judgment reminds us that rejecting the law and statutes of the Lord is as rejecting the Lord Himself.

"The wise men are put to shame,
They are dismayed and caught;
Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD,
And what kind of wisdom do they have?"

--Jeremiah 8:9

Back in the day, by His grace, God appointed kings and judges to serve as earthly authority figures. In His heart of hearts, He truly wants all to see Him as the one and only authority. He gave us the law and commandments to follow because of our great human tendency for waywardness. But, these measures were time and again rejected, reworked for the peoples' pleasure or forgotten. His people turned to other gods, sought help from other misguided nations and, otherwise, forgot their first love.

"Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced."

--II Kings 17:19

As Jeremiah asks, indeed, "what kind of wisdom do they have"? Given God's longterm promise of preserving a remnant of His people for Himself in Heaven, He could not stand by, letting His Name be disrespected. He sent fire upon Judah through His chosen executer of judgment, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon--some 175 years after Amos' words.

"'For I have set My face against this city for harm and not for good,' declares the LORD. 'It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire."'

--Jeremiah 21:10 (with the full story found in II Kings, chapters 24 and 25)

There is a lesson for us today, as well. Stiff-necked and prone to wandering, where do we stand in relationship to His law and statutes? Even though Jesus came to fulfill all the law and the prophets, are we bound to the Word of God? From where do we know wisdom?

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. ...For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

--Proverbs 1:7 & 2:6

Amos gets to his true calling. The judgment against Israel begins....'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: newworldencyclopedia.org

* * *

Next week: Amos 2:6-8

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 4:1-5

"Yet You Have Not Returned to Me"

¹Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,
Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
Who say to your husbands, "Bring now, that we may drink!"
²The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness,
"Behold, the days are coming upon you
When they will take you away with meat hooks,
And the last of you with fish hooks.
³"You will go out through breaches in the walls,
Each one straight before her,
And you will be cast to Harmon," declares the LORD.
⁴"Enter Bethel and transgress;
In Gilgal multiply transgression!
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
Your tithes every three days.
⁵"Offer a thank offering also from that which is leavened,
And proclaim freewill offerings, make them known
For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,"
Declares the Lord GOD.

It may be a first on this blog that I have posted one of my own pictures. These are two of my cows. A decade or so ago, someone decided to put "Cows on Parade" and had artists create stylized cows for an outdoor display. Then, someone created mini-versions! "Cali-cow" is on the left and "Georgia O'Cowffe" is on the right.

Unfortunately, when Amos references cows in Chapter 4, he is not doing so as a cool tribute. "Cows of Bashan" actually speaks of Israel! The focus on luxurious living, made possible under King Jeroboam's rule, took Israel's focus off their God. "Who say to your husbands, 'Bring now, that we may drink!'" Can you imagine treating God in that way? That's really what the passage is getting at, bottom line. Yet, I know we can all fall in this way--often, at times when our circumstances are strong and our faith is weak. (To borrow the phrase our pastors used in a recent sermon series, we turn our God into a "Genie God." "I need this, God. Yes, master....")

I refused to pull a picture to illustrate God's response in verse 2, as Amos' words are picture-perfect: "When they will take you away with meat hooks." Cows, meat hooks--Wow! And, not just meat hooks but "fish hooks." The King James Version reads as follows: "...He will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks." The offense to the Lord is obviously great and with long-term consequences.

The next passage mentions 'Harmon,' as the place where the offenders will be cast, but there are no cross-references for 'Harmon' nor any information from my study Bible. Again, the King James has a different wording: "And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD." Welcome your thoughts on this. Perhaps Amos is being sarcastic, which is what my study Bible says is occurring with the next verses.

"With poignant sarcasm....," says my S.B., Amos then begins an attack of Israel's love for idols and the meaningless ritualistic worship the nation had been practicing. Bethel and Gilgal were both sacred places to the nation of Israel. If you'll remember last week, Bethel, meaning "house of God," was the place in which Jacob's name was changed to Israel. Gilgal is the site at which Joshua circumcised Israel following their God-led entry across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land.

"Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day."

--Joshua 5:9

But Amos is being sarcastic in describing Israel's sacrifices, tithes and offerings. Follow the laws the Father gave you, but do so unto idols and false gods instead, then return to your luxurious lifestyle and accommodations in which you live for yourself, forsaking your neighbor and your God.

"...then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered!'--that you may do all these abominations?"

--Jeremiah 7:10

Definitely explains why God is not happy.

The beginning of God's chorus: "Yet you have not returned to Me".... 'Til next Wednesday!

* * *

Next week: Amos 4:6-10

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 9:5-10

⁵The Lord GOD of hosts,
The One who touches the land so that it melts,
And all those who dwell in it mourn,
And all of it rises up like the Nile
And subsides like the Nile of Egypt;
⁶The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens
And has founded His vaulted dome over the earth,
He who calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the face of the earth,
The LORD is His name.
⁷"Are you not as the sons of Ethiopia to Me,
O sons of Israel?" declares the LORD
"Have I not brought up Israel from the land of Egypt,
And the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?
⁸"Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom,
And I will destroy it from the face of the earth;
Nevertheless, I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob,"
Declares the LORD.
⁹"For behold, I am commanding,
And I will shake the house of Israel among all nations
As grain is shaken in a sieve,
But not a kernel will fall to the ground.
¹⁰"All the sinners of My people will die by the sword,
Those who say, 'The calamity will not overtake or confront us.'

Amos speaks in the opening of our passage today, reminding Israel of who God is by drawing on one of His "flashcard" characteristics--Creator. He is to touch the land in judgment, creating tumult, such as one navigating the raging Nile River (vs 5).

"He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke."

--Psalm 104:32

Verse 6 is not unlike reading part of the Ten Commandments. Recall Moses speaking to the Israelites prior to their receiving the commandments: "The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. (At that time I stood between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.)...." (Deuteronomy 5: 4 & 5) How different the focus in Amos, as God judged the Israelites because of their lack of fear in facing the Fire and in their building (of idols) on the mountain.

"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them...."

--Exodus 20:11

In verse 7, God, speaking, declares that His people are like the "sons of Ethiopia" or Cushites. The Cushites are not generally well spoken of in the Bible. Cush is a grandson of Noah and the father of Nimrod, who--if you'll remember from Jonah--founded Nineveh and Babel, amongst other cities. The reputation of this nation is one of domination, and not one of submission to the Lord, hence the tag on the Israelites in Amos' time. Had they only remembered King Asa's words in his dealings with the Ethiopians:

^"Now Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and he came to Mareshah. So Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up in battle formation in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, 'LORD, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.' [What a marvelous prayer this is!]

"So the LORD routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar; and so many Ethiopians fell that they could not recover, for they were shattered before the LORD and before His army. And they carried away very much plunder."

--II Chronicles 14: 9-13

The Lord also states His powerful control of Israel is not unlike other nations through which He has worked, sending the Philistines from their original home in Caphtor (possibly Crete) across the Mediterranean, and the Arameans--the people of Aram (Syria)--from Kir. (See map above) Although scholars do not actually know where Kir was located, it is interesting to note Amos 1:5, in which Kir was a place of exile for the Arameans. Proof that God can definitely move people around to His liking.

God closes out His message of judgment in the closing verses of our passage. "...The eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom." That is pretty much the summation of this book. God's plans, now, are for evil and not for good (9:4). But, it's not all evil, as we are reminded again that He intends to save a remnant of His people to receive blessing and restoration (next week's post).

"I will shake the house of Israel among all nations...." (vs. 9) Some translations, like the King James Version, use 'sift'. God has created another metaphor that Israel would know well--that of farming and the processing of grain. At a point in the process, harvested corn was run through a sieve or strainer. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes it as such: "When the chaff is gone then the grain is tossed in a wooden tray to separate from it the stones and lumps of soil which clung to the roots when the grain was reaped."

God's people were to experience a shaking up in the form of His judgment upon them. "All the sinners of My people will die by the sword...." (vs. 10) And a remnant would find protection under His providence.

"The Lord would scatter the Jews, and visit them with calamities, as the corn is shaken in a sieve; but he would save some from among them. The astonishing preservation of the Jews as a distinct people, seems here foretold."

--Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

"The Restoration of Israel" marking the end of Amos' prophecy.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo:livius.org

* * *

Next week: Amos 9:11-15

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Amos 3:1-8

All the Tribes Are Guilty

¹Hear this word which the LORD has spoken against you, sons of Israel, against the entire family which He brought up from the land of Egypt:
²"You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities."
³Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?
⁴Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
Does a young lion growl from his den unless he has captured something?
⁵Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when it captures nothing at all?
⁶If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?
If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
⁷Surely the Lord GOD does nothing
Unless He reveals His secret counsel
To His servants the prophets.
⁸A lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?

The chapter heading in my study Bible for Chapter 3 says, "All the tribes are guilty," though God's words are most pointedly directed toward Israel. From the beginning, you can hear in the tone and see in the examples the difference in relationship between God and His people as compared with God and His enemies. Note the use of 'sons of Israel' and 'family'.

^"'For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,' declares the LORD, 'that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.'"

--Jeremiah 13:11

But, just because you're family doesn't mean you are excluded from punishment. Does God the Father, who loves His children, Israel, beyond all scope of imagination let them sit in their sinful state? Of course not! Once again, His great mercy and love--as we saw with Jonah and the Ninevites and throughout the history of the Israelites--will present itself in a "growth opportunity."

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
'MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.'

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?"

--Hebrews 12:5-7

Beginning with verse 3, God poses a series of what should be rhetorical questions to Israel. His intention is to make them realize that absolutely nothing occurs apart from His sovereign decision. Some clarification on verse 3, the King James' verbiage is a bit more clear: "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" If Israel is going to continue in a loving relationship with their Lord, they need to be walking together--meaning, they need to walk in accordance with God's Word. Their characteristic stiff-neckedness and idol worship cannot continue.

"Thus says the LORD to this people, "Even so they have loved to wander; they have not kept their feet in check. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and call their sins to account."

--Jeremiah 14:10

God is bringing forward the judgment that the nation deserves for its inability to keep its "feet in check." [I'm fond of that phrasing!] We have visited this point several times: an unholy God cannot be in relationship with that which is unholy. He has no difficulty whatsoever recounting the sins of the Israelites before them. Although the impending judgment of their captivity into Assyria is sure, God will receive them once again, in His time, as His own.

"They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

--Jeremiah 31:34 [emphasis mine, note the parallelism in the phrasing]

It would be difficult to read verse 6 and not dwell on it for a bit. Reading it out of the King James is even more thought-provoking: "Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?" You and I and the Israelites may have heard the prior questions and nodded "yes,"' "yes," "of course," until this one. It is sometimes hard to see God as being one who brings calamity much less evil!

"The One forming light and creating darkness,
Causing well-being and creating calamity;
I am the LORD who does all these."

--Isaiah 45:7

What this Isaiah passage says, and the Amos passage affirms, is God's power, yes, but also His providence. Satan is surely the evil one, but even Satan is under God's complete control and will be brought to ultimate judgment in God's timing. God allows evil to exist but in a way that is sovereignly controlled for His purposes.

"The doctrine of divine providence, therefore, has reference to that preservation care and government which God exercises over all things that He has created in order they may accomplish the ends for which they were created." [International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]

[Big swallow and feel free to continue mulling over this tough idea.... If God's end is to perfect you for being in Heaven with Him, then there needs to come some intervention at His loving hand, which means discipline through specially designed and controlled means.]

Back to the text, not only does God do everything with His purposes in mind, but He makes a way for the Israelites and you and me to know what He's thinking, at least a little bit. God reveals His Word to prophets (vs 7) and they tell forth the Word, preparing and equipping the people to serve Him. He has done this since the beginning. Look at Noah (Genesis 6), Abraham (Genesis 18:17), Daniel (9:22), and, yes, Jesus--and, by association, us!

"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

--John 15:15

God made a way for us to know Him, if we open the door to accepting that fact. The Israelites were given many prophets, revealing God's Word, showing them the way to live. But, remember what we read in 2:12: "And you commanded the prophets saying, 'You shall not prophesy!'" They rejected God in rejecting His prophets! Now He is roaring mad (Amos 1:2).

Amos could not hold back the words that he was called by God to utter. That didn't mean that the receivers would receive him. Even though Peter and John could not "stop speaking about what we have seen and heard," (Acts 4:20), they also were not well-received by all. Oh, prophets!

"And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, 'O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
'WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,
AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
'THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.'

For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur."

--Acts 4:24-28 (quoting from David's words in Psalm 2)

There will be no option for grace at this time, as God tells the Israelites how their judgment is going down.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo:bergoiata.org

* * *

Next week: Amos 3:9-15

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).