Amos

By now, Amos had the attention of these people.  This rancher and farmer was showing his boldness and obedience in an uncomfortable setting, by speaking God's words.  These were words they had gotten quite good at ignoring or dismissing in some way.  They found gods that let them live life on their terms, found prophets to tickle their ears and called everything else hate speech, the words of an enemy. 

Amos 3:1-2

I can't help but think of Tevye on Fiddler on the Roof, "I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can't You choose someone else?"  Because they were God's chosen there was a responsibility that went along with that.  They alone were priveleged of being the only one the Lord had known.  The Lord blessed them in so many ways; He revealed Himself to the whole earth through them.  The Lord had done this mighty work of redemption in deliverying them from Egypt.  This was a work they were to constantly look back upon and remember.  The Jews were the keepers of the law.  With these things come the responsibility of a right response.  The entire familiy was guilty; all twelve tribes across the northern kingdom and Judah.

With the neglect of this responsibility came a response.  From the beginning the Lord had given them the recipe for success, prosperity and blessing.  He also said if they rejected God's way, He would bring a curse.  Amos will make the point that every effect has its cause. 

Amos 3:3-6

³     Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

In agreement is the only way they will walk together.  They have to agree on starting time, starting place, direction, pace and duration of they won't be walking together very long.

Every affect has its cause.

If he does roar, he'll never get any prey.  To pursue prey, he is crafty, quiet and on the hunt.  He will roar to show himself mighty over the prey as he captures it.

Every affect has its cause

No, of course not.  The bird is lured into the snare.  Upon catching something, the snare will spring up. 

This one hits a little close to home.  The first half of the verse is reversed in that it states the cause and affect.  The sound of the trumpet strikes fear.  Then the order goes back to affect and cause; there is calamity and it came from the Lord. 

Amos 3:7-8

No calamity comes upon a city or nation unless the Lord allows it.  It's for His purpose.  And he makes a connection between the cause and affect.  He does this with prophet.  The prophet warned them to stop or the affect would come upon them.  Then the affect was announced prior to happening.  The prophet isn't the cause, he only makes the connection between the cause and affect.

The Lord's warning through the prophet was a call for the people to let the warning have an affect on their lives.  Yet, because it had no affect; the rebellion of the people because the cause for the Lord's affect of judgment.  The Lord draws men to repentance; by mercy or by judgment.  The prophets warning should have been viewed like the roaring of a lion; as if the Lord himself had spoken.  This should elicit a proper response.  As for the prophet, what could he do?  He was simply a servant; a megaphone by which the Lord used to speak.

Amos 3:9-10

God is speaking here and He calls forth the Philistines and the Egyptians as witness to against Samaria.  Ashdod, the Philistines, were viewed as a godless people; the Israelites had once known Egypts unrighteousness firsthand.  How shameful this should be to the Northern Kingdom that God would call these two nations to look upon Samaria.  The unrighteous and godless would be appalled because God's own people didn't know how to do right.  It's as if they had created a storehouse in which to keep wickedness.  This being the cause would have the affect of an adversary coming down on them to break them and plunder their fortunes.

Amos 3:12

This is the rather graphic picture of a shepherd recovering only parts of the sheep from the mouth of the lion; two legs, a piece of ear – the rest is gone!  It will be so in similar fashion for Israel, particularly those dwelling in Samaria.  And even more specific, those who lived in the palaces would be like this picture.  Their lives would be largely devastated if not completely lost.

Amos 3:13

The 'house of Jacob' would be all of Israel, not just the northern Kingdom.  Those in Judah were to hear this and also take heed.

Amos 3:14-15

The Lord renewed the promise of destruction on them.  The affluent living in the palace might say, "I'll live in the winter house for a season till this all blows over."  The Lord's promise was that he would destroy their affluent lives they trusted in.  Ahab had his ivory palce in Samaria – God said it will perish; all their great houses were coming down. 

And there would be no running to the altars and grabbing the horns.  One grabbed the horns on the altar as a plea for mercy.  But no one would grab these horns because they would be cut off; this showing that mercy would be cut off.  The greatest transgression of Israel was setting up the altars and golden calf at Bether & Dan.  For this, God would punish them.

©2016 Doug Ford