Totally Lacking #3

 

Read Amos 3.

Background:  In chapter 2, Amos finally made his way to the real recipients of God's warning: the people of Israel, the Northern Kingdom.  He has pointed out many of the ways they had rebelled against Him. In this chapter God reminded them that they were His family, and as such He needed to discipline them. God was not going to do so without warning; that wouldn't be right.  So He was making an announcement through His prophet. God told them that He had sent invitations to come and surround Samaria (Israel) and to deliver her from her bondage to sin; they were to do this by defeating, plundering, and exiling them. This would be deliverance for those who were being oppressed or too young to know better.

Key verses:12 Thus says the Lord: “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.
13 “Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob,”
    declares the Lord God, the God of hosts,
14 “that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions,
    I will punish the altars of Bethel,
and the horns of the altar shall be cut off
    and fall to the ground.
15 I will strike the winter house along with the summer house,
    and the houses of ivory shall perish,
and the great houses shall come to an end,”
declares the Lord.

Thoughts: Amos is speaking as a shepherd and as a prophet of God. He understands what God is doing. He had "delivered" sheep from attackers before.  Often there were only remnants left.  God was going to punish the rich, oppressive, idol-worshippers who had brought all this sin into the land.  But there would still be a remnant of His sheep who still loved and served Him whom He would care for.