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The Words of Amos
September 19, 2015

Last week we concluded our study of the Book of Jonah and saw that Jonah needed to learn mercy and how it is up to God to choose how, when, where, and why to apply mercy. Today, we will start a study of the Book of Amos by seeing a list of indictments against the neighbors of Judah and Israel.

Amos 1:1-2
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.

Amos lived what today would be considered a rural lifestyle. He lived during the time of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam, son of Joash king of Israel. Many historians refer to this Jeroboam as Jeroboam II. The Bible records that Uzziah did right in the eyes of the Lord for a time and then let power and the blessings of God go to his head. Jeroboam II was able to piggy-back off of the blessings given to Judah when Uzziah was king while maintaining focus away from God. Amos makes it clear that the word of the Lord would be heard as loud and as distinct as a roaring animal.

Amos 1:3-7
Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof:

Amos then begins to reveal the judgment of God on the neighbors of Judah and Israel. Because Damascus was unrepentant and continued in sin committing more and more atrocities, God vowed destruction of the rulers and people of Damascus. Because Gaza was unrepentant and continued in sin, God vowed a similar punishment for Gaza. Both Damascus and Gaza were promised a future of captivity.

Amos 1:8-15
And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever: But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border: But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.

Amos continues God's indictment of the neighbors of Judah and Israel by listing complaints against the inhabitants of Ashdod and Ashkelon, Ekron, the remnant of the Philistines, Tyrus, Edom, and Ammon. God shows that he would use the evil nation of Edom to takes others nations into captivity before Edom itself would be subdued by God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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