Today’s post is from the book of Amos:

1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.

Amos begins chapter 1 by introducing himself as “one of the shepherds in Tekoa.” This is pretty amazing because a prophet of God has authority. But even with this authority, Amos decides to introduce himself not as a prophet but as a shepherd. He doesn’t introduce himself as any shepherd in particular, just “one of the shepherds”. Now here is a man who has authority to speak on behalf of the Creator of the Universe. He is speaking the words of God, but in his mind he’s just one of those guys in Tekoa who hangs out with sheep all day. There is more of this humility in chapter 7, which we will get to in a future post.

You might notice that he mentions two different kings to basically date his letter and prophecy.

At this point in history, the Jewish kingdoms were divided with Israel to the north and Judah on the South. They were not one nation, but two nations divided. Interestingly, because of wars between Damascus and Assyrians, and the various neighbor states, the two nations Israel and Judah were peaking in prosperity. Their borders were increasing, and if put together, they were wealthy almost to the point of when King David and later King Solomon were reigning over the unified Jewish Kingdom.

So what’s the purpose of this prophecy? Who’s the recipient of the words in this book of the Bible? Amos is writing to the Northern Kingdom, Israel. Lets continue with chapter 1.

This is what the Lord says:
3 “For three sins of Damascus, 
even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.
Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth,
4 I will send fire upon the house of Hazael
 that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.
5 I will break down the gate of Damascus;
 I will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven 
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.
 The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,”
says the Lord.

The first portion of his message begins by declaring God’s wrath on various nations in the Middle East. There is a format to each prophecy. First, Amos says: “This is what the Lord Says”. He’s explaining that this isn’t his opinion, or his words. It’s from God. So from this point on, everything that says “I will” is from God’s perspective. Second, he names the nation that has sinned. In this case, he’s talking about Damascus. God says, for three sins, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. Sin is serious. Even three or four. I think of my day, and there are probably three or four sins within the first 5 minutes. But God is just and righteous in punishing sins that offend Him. Then Amos briefly describes the sins that God is punishing. In Verse 3, “because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth”. The next part is verse 4. Then God will send fire. “I will send fire upon the house of “so and so” that will consume the fortresses of “such and such a person” in this case the house is Hazael and the fortresses belong to Ben-Hadad, which just means pharoah or king. Some end there, but on many of them, there’s a tag at the end that gives some specific details about the king or government and how they will end, usually either death or exile. We see this in verse 5. “I will break down the gate of Damascus…” This is the part of the prophecy that can be refuted if it doesn’t happen. In that day, if this part didn’t come true, the prophet would be deemed a false prophet and exiled, stoned, or killed.

So Amos begins with Damascus in verses 3-5. Then he condemns Gaza with the exact same format in verses 6-8. Then Tyre in verses 9-10. Then Edom in verses 11-12. And then Ammon in verses 13-15. The first chapter is this declaration of condemnation repeated over and over. The sins were serious. Ammon was accused of “ripping open the pregnant women of Gilead” in order to extend their borders. These people were brutally attacking people in order to increase the land in their nation. An interesting thing to remember here is that Israel and Judah have also extended their borders as a result of the wars going on between their neighbors. The two countries had benefitted greatly from the wars going on in the region, and from that perspective, Israel was guilty too. Maybe not like Ammon, but not perfect.

Chapter 2 begins the same way Chapter 1 ends. With the same condemnation but towards a country called Moab in verses 1-3. Now at this point, any of the people in Israel hearing the prophecy will probably agree with it. Maybe even wholeheartedly. I imagine Israelites saying “Those heathen pagan monsters are getting what’s coming to them. Look at all the terrible things those people are doing.. Our God is going to show those guys.” So Let’s read who’s next:

4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Judah,
 even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.

Because they have rejected the law of the Lord
 and have not kept his decrees, 
because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed,
5 I will send fire upon Judah
 that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.”

The next condemnation is for Judah. They are Israel’s brothers and cousins. Sure maybe the two kingdoms had their differences, but they’re sons of Jacob too. They’re Abraham’s seed. These people are also God’s chosen people, right? If you study the Old Testament books of Kings and Chronicles it tells us that between Judah and Israel, Judah was the nation that was better behaved, more obedient to the Torah, had Kings that were more devout in their worship. As an Israelite, I get it when God wants to send fire on the fortresses of Edom. They were bloodthirsty, they were heartless; they enslaved people. But Judah? Why? What was their sin? They Rejected the law and were led astray by false Gods. OK… These other nations were BRUTAL. Fighting, selling people to slavery, ripping open the pregnant women of Gilead. But now Judah is next on the list of nations condemned.. Not for sinning against other nations, but for sinning against God. God’s people are held to a different standard. Why? Of all the people on this Earth. Of all the nations out there, they should know better. They know about the awesomeness of the God that they are turning from. They studied His laws. They have been recipients of his Grace and Mercy throughout history. He freed them from slavery and revealed Himself to them through miracles and also through his Word. So they are condemned with the other nations. So what nation’s next? It’s Israel’s turn to be condemned. This is who Amos was writing about in the first place- his intended audience. We’re in Amos 2:6 now.

6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel,
 even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.
They sell the righteous for silver,
 and the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 They trample on the heads of the poor
 as upon the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
 Father and son use the same girl
 and so profane my holy name.
8 They lie down beside every altar
 on garments taken in pledge. 
In the house of their god
 they drink wine taken as fines.

Instead of following the predetermined format… Instead of listing a sin or two and then saying that fire will consume their fortresses… Amos describes Israel’s sins in detail. He spends three verses describing sins of Israel. They sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. They treat the poor with contempt and ignore the sick and afflicted. They commit sexual immorality, and recline in religious feasts on top of garments of the indebted. They drink wine taken from people who had been fined. All things that are forbidden in the laws of Moses. In some ways, their sins are worse than Edom’s and Ammon’s. These warrior nations are doing what they do. They fight, kill and conquer. Israel though, is different. They sin with a smile on their faces. They take advantage of people and use the spoils to make their religious feasts more comfortable. They sin and do it in the name of God. They sin, but pretend that they have God’s blessings to do the things they are doing. They sin and they feel justified doing it. Amos shows them the terrible things they’ve done.

Unlike the first Six nations that were condemned, God doesn’t describe what will happen to them yet. Instead He reminds them of who He is. Why does he do that? To understand the significance of your sin, you need to understand the significance of the God you sinned against. Chapter 2 verse 9.

9 “I destroyed the Amorite before them,
 though he was tall as the cedars
 and strong as the oaks.
 I destroyed his fruit above 
and his roots below.
10 “I brought you up out of Egypt,
 and I led you forty years in the desert to give you the land of the Amorites.
11 I also raised up prophets from among your sons 
and Nazirites from among your young men. 
Is this not true, people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

God is their protector and conqueror. God saved them from Amorites. God saved them from their slavery in Egypt. God led them through the desert wilderness to the promised land, where they were conquerors. God gave them young men who were gifted to prophecy. God gave them Nazirites. These were men who pledged to dedicate a portion of their lives to serve Him. They would vow not to cut their hair or drink wine for a certain time, and instead focus on growing closer to God. Israel was a nation that used to be on fire for God. But now what does this nation do to Nazirites? They offer them wine to tempt them away from their pledge to God. What does this nation do to Prophets? They tell the prophets to shut up. Israel had become a nation that didn’t want to hear truth.

Chapters 13-16 describe what will happen. For their sins, God then promises to crush them, or press them down and punish them. He says that no man will be able to save himself. The strong and mighty are not strong enough to save themselves. The archer cannot stand, the fast runner can not save himself. Even men on horses don’t have the speed to save themselves. Only the stout of heart will survive, and it’s not a survival to be proud of. They will flee away naked on that day.

Chapter 3.

God continues to speak against Israel. Together with Judah, they are the family of people that God knows. They were God’s chosen people taken from slavery. They were people who should have known better. God asks them in Amos 3:3

 “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?” 

What does this question mean? He’s asking them something important, but it’s kind of easy to read right past it. Walking is important in scripture. When you walk in something, it signifies that that is the way you live. In 1 John, we learn about what it means to walk in the light. So what’s God asking them? It’s heartbreaking when you think about it. It means this: weren’t we walking together? Didn’t we have a promise? Weren’t you my people, and wasn’t I your God? God tells them. We had an agreement. We made a deal, and you walked away. We had a covenant. There were promises made. After all I’ve done for you. The miracles. The plagues on your enemies. The victories in battle. I freed you. That’s the essense of his first question in Amos 3:3. The next questions in verses 4 and 5 illustrate the idea of cause and effect. Amos 3:6-8

6 When a trumpet sounds in a city,
 do not the people tremble? 
When disaster comes to a city, 
has not the Lord caused it?
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared— who will not fear?
 The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
 who can but prophesy?

I warned you of danger. You hear the trumpet blown, but you aren’t worried about my warning. So disaster is coming to the city. And God is claiming that He did it. He is responsible. He is sovereign over the good and the bad. If you ever need proof from Scripture that God is in charge, it’s here. It’s a lot of other places, but it’s here loud and clear. And he is going to explain himself. Verse 7 “The Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants, the prophets.” God, the Lion has roared, the Sovereign Lord has spoken. And Amos can do nothing but speak the words of God. And the words of God at this point are severe. What is God saying?

10 “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord,
“who hoard plunder and loot in their fortresses.”
11 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says, “An enemy will overrun the land; he will pull down your strongholds
 and plunder your fortresses.”

Verse 10. You don’t know how to do right! You’re a violent and greedy people. And that’s what you treasure. That’s what you are storing for yourselves Plunder and Loot. That’s what you are protecting. You protect items in your storehouse that prove your sin. The punishment is coming. Read Verse 11. An Adversary or enemy shall surround the land and bring down defenses. Their strongholds will be plundered. What’s in these strongholds? Robbery. These are things that Israelites coveted and stole on their own. Someone is coming to steal the stolen goods.

12 This is what the Lord says:
“Just as a shepherd salvages from the lion’s mouth only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be saved. They will be left with just a corner of a bed and a part of a couch.”

When this punishment happens, the Lord says, “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed” Now does this sound like the Israelites were ready to defend themselves? No, they were on couches and beds. They were lazy. They were unprepared. This literally happened. Amos prophesied about an event, but God is talking about something universal here. This is old news, but it’s still relevant and important today. God compared his people to sheep, and himself to both a lion and a shepherd. God is the shepherd who saves, but he is also the Lion who the people need to be saved from. Christ is the son of God who is our shepherd. God the Son saves us, but He saves us from God the Father’s righteous wrath. In Verse 12 the Lord says the shepherd can save, but the Israel that they think exists, it’s not really Israel. God isn’t planning on saving the whole nation. He’s saving just a remnant. God’s plan of salvation is for Israel, but the definition of Israel is not necessarily descendants of Abraham. Jesus states this in Matthew 3:9

9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Just like a body part of a sheep, this is what God’s people will look like. And the fact that people will be rescued with the corner of a couch or part of a bed means the people of Israel are not ready. Even the ones that are saved are rescued when they’re sitting or sleeping. Amos speaks dangerous words.

In Chapter 4 verse 1
He calls the women cows, asking for their husbands to bring them drinks as they recline on their couches. They live in comfort that has been bought at the expense of the poor and needy. God sees this and is furious. God gave Israel warnings. Verse 6. Some versions say He made their teeth clean. This doesn’t have anything to do with dental hygene. Clean teeth in this context aren’t a blessing. It means famine, or empty stomachs. Verse 7. God withheld rain in some places brought it to others. Floods and droughts. Usually people will dismissively say that these things just happen, and it has nothing to do with God’s will. But God is taking credit for these disasters. He says Yes, I did that. I am Sovereign. And I had a purpose in those things. I gave you famine, but you didnt return to me. I gave you floods, but you didnt return to me. I gave you droughts, but you didnt come back. I sent locusts to devour your crops (chapter 9). I sent Plagues (chapter 10).. I killed your young men in wars (chapter 10). I overthrew some, and spared some (chapter 11). Why?? Isn’t it easier to say that God is good, and these things aren’t from Him? It’s easier, but it isnt true. Well, in Amos, God reasserts his sovereignty. He’s in charge. You want to blame somebody for the flood? God is sovereign. God is still Good, but remember we are not. We deserve the wrath that comes to us. Maybe it doesn’t make us feel good when a flood happens. But making Israelites happy is not God’s purpose here in Amos. He had a specific purpose in this suffering, and although there was sin that caused the coming tragedy, God’s purpose wasn’t necessarily punishment.

It was to bring His people back to Him. That’s what God wanted. He wanted His people back. He wanted something better for them. The problem is, that’s not what Israel wanted.

Today, we can ask why God is allowing certain things to happen. Hurricane Sandy. The elementary school shooting in Connecticut. These things are terrible. But God is Good. Do you want to blame God for what happened? He is sovereign. He could have calmed the winds of the hurricanes, but He didn’t. Last Friday, God could have struck the crazy shooter down with a heart attack minutes before he went to the school. But He didn’t. God could miraculously prevent anything bad from ever happening. He has the power. But that is not His will. Since He doesn’t use that power, does that make God bad or evil? No. God created a world where our actions have consequences. Sometimes it leads to tragic situations, but these situations have a purpose. On this side of Heaven, it’s impossible for us to understand fully.

For any given tragedy, we can only guess or speculate. But with the tragedy foretold in the book of Amos, it’s spelled out for us. He wanted his people back. He wanted his people to return to Him. What about today? How do we explain the school shooting of Kindergartners in Connecticut? My best guess is that God wanted some of his children back. His exact purpose might not be entirely clear. It would be wrong for me to say that what happened was good. That’s perverse and evil. Saying that the event was good misrepresents God. If I were to talk to a parent of one of the victims, it would be arrogant of me to try and tell them that God was fine with what happened. Sadly, some of the most arrogant people are Christians when it comes to tragedy. We need to mourn with those who are mourning. We need to understand that even if God is at work through a tragedy, it’s still a tragedy.  Especially so for those who are suffering. Maybe good will come of it, but for people that are in grief, they are not ready to see that far ahead yet. I don’t know what I would be able to say to one of the parents who lost a child. I might just say that my thoughts and prayers are with them. I might say that their child’s life was precious and had a purpose, even though it was tragically shorter than we would have hoped. I might just end up crying with them. I don’t know.. But what I do know is that millions of parents hugged and kissed their children extra hard and made their kids feel loved and appreciated. Maybe for the first time, parents imagined what their lives might be like without their children. Maybe it made them feel grateful for each and every precious life that God entrusted to them. Maybe they were thankful for each moment they could share with their kids. I believe that many were reminded what a treasure each child’s life is. God has a purpose even in this senseless school shooting. It might look different for each person on this Earth, but there is a purpose and a reason. I pray that purpose and that reason involves bringing us back to a closer relationship with our creator and our God. Unlike the Israelites that Amos was speaking to, we understand how to be made right before God. Unlike Israel from 750 BC, we aren’t objects of God’s imminent wrath. We can know God’s only Begotten Son. The shepherd who can save his remnant people. The author and perfecter of our faith. We know that God hears our prayers and sees us with the righteousness that only Christ can give us. We have been given peace. Let us pray.