Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (vv.1-2)
Israel’s rejection and disregard of God was all the more inexcusable in light of God’s great deliverance. When He brought Israel up from the land of Egypt, God proved His love and care for Israel; for God to speak against them shows He must have been sorely provoked.
God made a clear connection between the great privilege of Israel (you only have I known) and the great responsibility this privilege brings (therefore I will punish you). If Israel thought that their standing as a specially chosen nation made them less responsible before God, they were tragically mistaken.
Their false deduction (which is all too often made), is that if we are the privileged people of God, therefore we may look for His mercy, He will not punish us for grace abounds. That’s just not so. The measure of our privilege, is the measure of our responsibility. Therefore, if we fail to fulfill that responsibility He will not pass over our sins.
The message of Amos here is that God is no respecter of persons. Chosen people or not, judgment is coming, warning has been given, years and years have been given to repent (v.7). Therefore Amos says, “The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” In other words, “Don’t blame me when it occurs. I’m only the messenger. God has spoken” (v.8).
This destruction was fulfilled in the Assyrian invasion of Israel, less than 30 years after Amos made this prophecy. For ten years, Israel was a subject state in the Assyrian Empire, and the people of Israel were taken from their land and scattered throughout the Assyrian Empire.
Israel’s rejection and disregard of God was their downfall. And if they, the chosen people of God, experienced this kind of devastation, what can this country expect the way it is going?
The Truth: “If My people who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from there wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Israel’s rejection and disregard of God was all the more inexcusable in light of God’s great deliverance. When He brought Israel up from the land of Egypt, God proved His love and care for Israel; for God to speak against them shows He must have been sorely provoked.
God made a clear connection between the great privilege of Israel (you only have I known) and the great responsibility this privilege brings (therefore I will punish you). If Israel thought that their standing as a specially chosen nation made them less responsible before God, they were tragically mistaken.
Their false deduction (which is all too often made), is that if we are the privileged people of God, therefore we may look for His mercy, He will not punish us for grace abounds. That’s just not so. The measure of our privilege, is the measure of our responsibility. Therefore, if we fail to fulfill that responsibility He will not pass over our sins.
The message of Amos here is that God is no respecter of persons. Chosen people or not, judgment is coming, warning has been given, years and years have been given to repent (v.7). Therefore Amos says, “The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” In other words, “Don’t blame me when it occurs. I’m only the messenger. God has spoken” (v.8).
This destruction was fulfilled in the Assyrian invasion of Israel, less than 30 years after Amos made this prophecy. For ten years, Israel was a subject state in the Assyrian Empire, and the people of Israel were taken from their land and scattered throughout the Assyrian Empire.
Israel’s rejection and disregard of God was their downfall. And if they, the chosen people of God, experienced this kind of devastation, what can this country expect the way it is going?
The Truth: “If My people who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from there wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
