FRAMEWORKS:
Amos 1: An Accounting for FIVE people groups
[Preliminary
Comment: In this and the next chapter we find seven
short denunciations of various peoples we come across, who are
Israel's neighbours, before he, in the next chapter and the ones
following it, brings a denunciation of Israel itself. Each of
these seven follow a similar pattern:
•
starting with the phraseology “for
three sins.. even for four” suggesting, “even if it was only
three sins, well, all right, four, I won't relent because the
sin is so great”.
•
Every one of the eight declares, “I
will not relent” i.e. I am set in my purposes, and
•
every one of the seven He declares,
“I will send fire”.
•
In three of them He says he will take
the life of the king/ruler, and one he will send into exile.
v.1
The Historical Content of Amos
v.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.
v.2
The Lord speaks out from Jerusalem over their neighbours
v.2
He
said:
‘The
Lord roars from Zion
and thunders from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
and the top of Carmel withers.'
Judgment
on Israel's neighbours
v.3-5
[1] DAMASCUS in the north is first in line
v.3
This
is what the Lord says:
‘For
three sins of Damascus , [a
main city of the Syrians]
even for
four, I will not relent.
Because she threshed Gilead [the Syrians had attacked
the east of Israel]
with sledges having iron teeth,
v.4
I will send fire on the house of Hazael [see
2 Kings 13:22-25]
that will
consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.
v.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 sceptre in Beth Eden.
The people of Aram will go into exile
to Kir,'
says the Lord.
v.6-8
[2] GAZA and others of the cities of the Philistines
are next
v.6
This
is what the Lord says:
‘For
three sins of Gaza ,
even for four, I will
not relent.
Because she took captive whole communities
and sold them to Edom, [ever
having been a thorn in the side of Israel]
v.7
I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
that will consume her fortresses.
v.8
I will destroy the king of Ashdod
and the one who holds the sceptre in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
till the last of the Philistines are dead,'
says the Sovereign Lord.
v.9,10
[3] TYRE in the far north comes next
v.9
This
is what the Lord says:
‘For
three sins of Tyre, [a
great maritime city]
even for
four, I will not relent.
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,
[possibly a port that transported slaves out]
v.10
I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
that will consume her fortresses.'
v.11-12
[4] EDOM in the south & south-west had also
been a thorn in Israel's side
v.11
This
is what the Lord says:
‘For
three sins of Edom,
even for four, I will
not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword
and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
and his fury flamed unchecked,
v.12
I will send fire on Teman [an
Edomite city]
that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.'
[another Edomite city]
v.11
[5] AMMON to the east of the Jordan had often
been against Israel
v.13
This
is what the Lord says:
‘For
three sins of Ammon,
even for four, I will
not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
in order to extend his borders,
v.14
I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah
that will consume her fortresses
amid war cries on the day of battle,
amid violent winds on a stormy day.
v.15
Her
king will go into exile, [subsequently
taken by the Assyrians]
he and his
officials together,'
says the Lord.
[Note:
These were the first five of the seven cities or peoples
warned of coming destruction for their activities against God's
people, Israel.]
Continue
to Chapter 2