August 28, Amos 2
Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the LORD, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked. So I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem." - Amos 2:4-5
Imagine being a citizen of Samaria, the capital city of northern kingdom Israel, when the strange visitor from Judah arrived. He was dressed like a farmer or a shepherd, but he claimed to be a messenger from God. His words were messages of judgment and punishment for all the neighboring nations because of their sins. You were glad to hear about the destruction and death he announced against these hated enemies, even those nations that were distant kin to you. It came closer to home when he started talking about his own nation, Judah, and their sins against God. And then you didn't want to hear any more when he got to Israel's sins and the judgment that they would experience for their own transgressions.
That's the way God structured Amos's message to Israel. He announced vengeance against Israel’s enemies, even distant relatives who were also enemies. He then turned to Judah, and finally to Israel’s own dark sins, and what God threatened to do because of them.
Yes, Israel had also rebelled against God and his statutes. The first Jeroboam made the calves that Israel worshiped. They also adopted the idols of the pagan neighbors. Political stability during the long reign of Jeroboam II brought prosperity, and prosperity made them forget God. Selfishness, greed, immorality and oppression were Israel’s dominant and rampant sins during the years of Amos's ministry. They no longer resembled the holy people God had called them to be. They offered their gifts to idols, and gave lip service to God when they claimed to be his people. Amos warned them, yet still offered a promise of mercy to those who would turn from their sins.
Amos cited the Moabites' lack of common decency when he announced God's judgment against them. They showed their lack of respect, even for the dead, when they burned the bones of the king of Edom. With no regard for God, the Edomites had no restraint for their hateful violence against their fellow human beings.
The people of Judah had rejected God's laws. The same lies that led their ancestors astray deceived them as well. God promised to burn Moab with the fire of his wrath. But he would also burn Jerusalem more than once in the centuries to come.
Amos's message of judgment to Israel followed the same formula, citing multiple transgressions of idolatry, exploitation and immorality. They defiled themselves with their sins. They also dishonored God's holy name by their claim to worship him alongside their idol gods.
God summarized what he had done for these people to emphasize the ugliness and guilt of their rebellion. He saved them out of Egypt, kept them alive in the wilderness, and gave them victory over the giants the spies feared when they first went into Canaan. After all God did for them, they still embraced other gods, lived godless lives and despised God's servants who brought them warnings. The Lord said their sins were a heavy weight like an abundant harvest stacked onto an overloaded wagon.
God's judgment was about to fall on them. They were not strong enough, clever enough or brave enough to withstand the wrath of God. Babylon was coming; Israel would fall. They didn't receive all the blessings God promised them for obedience. Instead, they experienced the fierceness of his wrath, as God did what he promised and warned he would do.
It’s easy to see the sins of others and approve of God’s judgment against them. It’s not so easy to hear the threat of judgment that our own sins have brought upon us. But until we are convicted about our sins, we will never fully appreciate what the gospel (good news) of salvation in Christ should mean to us.
Copyright © 2024 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—August 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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