The word from the Lord that comes to Amos includes not only Israel--the ten Northern Tribes--but Judah as well. God is tired of their rebellion, their greed and their disobedience. Not only the whole of Israel, but God speaks to you as well. "Hear the word of the Lord. . ."
Your country or ministry isn't in keeping with the word of the Lord. Or is it? You may not be a preacher, pastor or teacher, but your gift is your ministry. How of ten do you use your gift in service to your Lord? Much of Amos' message concerns itself with the above message.
God's total purpose for Israel was to plant them in the midst of "the world." From there they would spread north, south, east and west to give all the peoples the message from God. Their only God would be the Triune God.
By listening to the voice of the Lord, His chosen people would bring Him to all the people surrounding them and to the rest of the world. However, the very ones who said, "We Will" at Mount Sinai, changed into a people just like those with whom they came into contact. They demanded a king of their own so that they could be just like the world around them.
Amos tells them, "God has had enough! You need to repent, change and go in the opposite direction!
Amos
Chapter 3
Vv 1
– 15 All the Tribes Are Guilty
V 1 “Hear 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”
God never goes
against his word! His word cannot be broken once he gives it. He isn’t human so
that he might lie.
Therefore, God
speaks his word against Israel. Remember that “Israel” represents the 10
northern tribes that split from Judah and Benjamin at the beginning of Rehoboam’s,
Solomon’s son, reign. Therefore, the entire family of Israel that God brought
out of “the land of Egypt” will be affected by God’s word.
V 2 “You only have I chosen among all the families of the
earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
God tells his chosen
through Amos that Israel was chosen from all the families of the earth. Yet
even though chosen, he will punish them for their planned sins, “iniquities.”
V 3 “Do two men walk together unless they have made
an appointment?”
God asks his people
through the prophet Amos, “Two men don’t just become great partners unless they
have agreed, do they?”
In other words,
Israel, the whole tribe, has sinned. Not only have they sinned against the
poor, they have planned it (Chapter 2). The country worships idols and seeks
help from foreign nations. They have agreed to walk against the code of the law
and prophets.
V 4 “Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?
Does a young lion growl from his den unless he has captured something?”
The idea of the
first sentence, when the lion is hunting, he keeps quiet. He doesn’t want his
prey knowing his location. The roaring and growling of the young lions comes
after the prey is taken.
However, God doesn’t
do as the lion. He predicts beforehand how he will take his prey, i.e. punish
his people.
V 5 “Does 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?”
God through Amos asks a rhetorical question. Would a bird get caught
in a trap if there was no bait? Yet without anyone using bait, Israel has been
ensnared.
The same is true of the trap. If it snaps, it usually catches
something. Israel is about to be snared because of their unfaithfulness.
V 6 “If 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?”
If a trumpet is blown that signifies war, will not the people
tremble? Does God bring about calamity? In this case, he is going to do so.
However, when you look at the overall picture, the Israelite's bring the
calamity on themselves.
V 7 “Surely the Lord God does nothing
unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.”
In the Old Testament, God spoke through his servants, the
prophets. Today and under the New Testament, he speaks through his Son (Hebrews
1). In this verse Amos is telling the people of the eight countries
involved, “I’m bring you the word from God as your prophet.”
V 8 “A lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken! Who can but
prophesy?”
If a lion roars, there should be fear of the danger it can bring.
How much more should the people fear that God has spoken through his prophet,
Amos. It could be that Amos is in trouble for bringing the doom prophesies
against Israel. He is from Judah, and therefore, an outsider to those he is
bringing the message of destruction to.
V 9 “Proclaim on the citadels in Ashdod and
on the citadels in the land of Egypt and say, “Assemble yourselves on
the mountains of Samaria and see the great tumults within her
and the oppressions in her midst.”
Although the events of war of which Amos speaks hasn’t happened
yet, God sees everything. He knows the outcome. He can speak of future events
as though they have already occurred.
Foreigners are called to watch from a safe distance, i.e. the
mountain tops, and from safety as the war unfolds.
V 10 “But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares
the Lord,
“these who hoard up violence and devastation in their citadels.”
The special people who belong to God have lost their moral
compass. They have forgot how to do right. They store away violence and
devastation in their secret places.
V 11 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “An enemy,
even one surrounding the land, will pull down your strength from you and
your citadels will be looted.”
Since there is no living for the Lord, they will be attacked. The
enemy will take the land and their strength. Even their strong places of refuge
will be looted.
V 12 “Thus says the Lord, “Just as the shepherd snatches
from the lion’s mouth a couple of legs or a piece of an ear, so will the sons
of Israel dwelling in Samaria be snatched away—with the corner
of a bed and the cover of a couch!”
Not too much will be left that the enemy doesn’t take. The simile,
“a couple of legs or a piece of an ear” indicates that the sheep is dead. Why
take the pieces from the lion’s mouth?
The reason for taking the bits and pieces from the mouth of the
lion is that those pieces can be reserved for a family meal. The indication
being that a remnant of people will be able to carry off bits and pieces of
their valuables.
V 13 “Hear and testify against the house of
Jacob, ”Declares the Lord God, the God of
hosts.”
Amos is advised to listen to the words and then testify against
Israel. The Lord God gives the information to him.
V 14 “For on the day that I punish Israel’s transgressions, I will
also punish the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off and
they will fall to the ground.”
Bethel means house of God. David tented here when he returned from
Laban’s house. However, when the kingdom divided, Jeroboam set up an altar with
a golden calf to be worshiped here. God says through Amos that the altar will
be destroyed.
V 15 “I will also smite the winter house together with
the summer house; the houses of ivory will also perish and
the great houses will come to an end,” declares the Lord.”
Looks like the rich of Israel owned houses in Florida to go to for
winter, doesn’t it? Remember we said that during the reign of Jeroboam II and
Uzziah, the land was extremely prosperous. So much so that the people turned to
Baal worship almost entirely.
Amos
Chapter 3
Questions
Why mention “brought up from the land of Egypt?
___________________________________________.
What is important about “word” in verse 1?
_________________________________________________.
Why punish if chosen? _____________________________________________________________.
Explain: do two men walk together without an agreement.
____________________________________.
Lion roars only when he has ____________________. Why might this
be? ________________________
_______________________.
Birds lured without bait. Why?
__________________________________________________________.
Explain: If calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it.
___________________________________.
In the Old Testament God spoke through his __________________________.
In the New Testament he speaks through his
_________________________________________.
Explain, the lion has roared.
___________________________________________________________.
God speaks of future events as though they are _______________________
and sees from
________________ to _______________________.
According to verse 19, what was their sin?
___________________________________________.
What is the promise of verse 12?
____________________________________________________.
Who is God speaking to in verse 13?
______________________________________.
“Winter and summer houses” indicate what?
________________________________________.
Blessings,
Howard
Howard
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