JUDGEMENT OVER ISRAEL - AMOS 2:4-16

Introduction

Will God judge and punish the sin of social injustice? what about Idolatry and moral corruption? In this section Amos uses vivid imagery and rhetorical questions to expose hypocrisy and wickedness of of Judah and Isreal who broke their covenant and oppressed the poor and the righteous

what is the main message in this passage ? God’s wrath is inevitable and inescapable for those who reject his instruction, despise and forget his mighty works and guidance.

Context: Amos was a shepherd from Tekoa. He was called by God to deliver a message of Judgment to Judah, Israel and the surrounding nations. He lived in the time of prosperity and peace but also of social injustice , idolatry and moral corruption. The Book opens with a powerful image of God’s voice roaring from Zion, the capital of Judah. With, the message of wrath against the nations for sinning against God.

Judah’s sin and punishment - 4-5

what is the accusation against Judah?

Amos 2:4–5 (ESV)

Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked. So I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”

Judah is being accused of rejecting God’s law and following false gods because of that, she will receive a punishment of fire to destroy the land.

what is so serious about rejection of the law of the LORD and following false gods?

The law is defined as Torah in Hebrew, it means “ Law; direction and instruction. when the word torah refers to the law which is the Ten commandment it is associated to name of Israel’s covenant God who is Yahweh there by being known as the torah of the Lord. The law of the LORD are teachings or instructions on justice and righteous derived from the knowledge of God. These instructions are aimed at strengthening a right standing with God which overflows into a right relationship with God.

To reject that the law of the LORD results to all manner of wickedness which is described as a breaking a covenant it is as serious as the sins that other nations committed.

What else?

They have followed lies. The word lie is defined as falsehood, false prophecies, false witness ( idols)deception.

Judah has reject the instructions of the Lord, it is evident by their lifestyle. like their ancestors they has chose to live by deception that is enough for God to destroy the land.

The logical conclusion is that; evidence for rejection of the Lords instruction is clearly demonstrated in a lifestyle, one may not verbally say they reject the instruction of the Lord because it blows the cover right?

Apostle Paul warns Timothy about such people 2 Tim 3:5

2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV)

having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

such people do not hold faith with a good conscience

1 Timothy 1:18–19 (ESV)

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,

It is not the issue of rejecting the instruction of the LORD we maybe facing today, it is the issue of living in the lie.

James call it self deception - James 1:22-23

James 1:22–23 (ESV)

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

Contrast of judgment between God’s people and pagan nations

Was Judah judgment different from other pagan nation? if the answer is no why would God not separate between those close to him and those far?

Amos 1:10 ESV

So I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour her strongholds.”

Amos 1:12 ESV

So I will send a fire upon Teman, and it shall devour the strongholds of Bozrah.”

Judah has been group with Tyre and Edom

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 2:5

The punishment for this faithlessness would be the destruction of the nation, fulfilled in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar, after a lengthy siege, broke through Jerusalem’s defenses, slaughtered the royal family, burned the temple, the palace, and all houses in the city, and deported almost the entire population to Babylon (2 Kings 25:1–12).

Israel’s sin and punishment -6-16

( some notes were derived from the New American Commentary on Amos, Obadiah and Jonah)

what is the accusation against Israel ?

Israel was guilt of the following

They sold the righteous for silver( corruption in the judicial system or the righteous were sold into slavery for failure to pay a debt)

The sold the needy for a pair of sandals ( price to pervert justice or a price which s debtor was sold into slavery as ways to devalue human being)

They trample the head of the poor into the dust and turned away the way of the afflicted( The powerful, rich landowners stepped on the poor by using the courts to pervert justice , treating the poor like dirt, The needy ones were pushed off the road, “ bullied and oppressed by the wealthy )

A father and a son in to the same girl ( it was an infringement on a divinely sanctioned relationship profaned the name of the Lord Exd 21:7-11)

Lie down beside every altar on garment taken in pledge

in the house of their god they wine taken as fines.

Acts of God for his people - 9-12

Destroyed Amorites referring to people occupied Canaan before the Israelites with metaphors of height and strength, fruit and root

Exodus from Egypt

Establishment of Israel as a nation by wildness experience

Provision of special people lead. Prophets to speak from God and Nazarites to demonstrate devotion to God.

what did Israel do to the people that God provided for them ?

They caused them not to be useful contrary to God’s purpose

They corrupted the Nazarites devotion

shut the mouth of the prophets

Amos 2:13 ESV

“Behold, I will press you down in your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses down.

Conclusion

Social injustice, Idolatry and moral corruption is the rejection of the Lord instruction, it may not be verbal but through self deception, it ignores God’s might works, God’s grace in salvation, despises God’s leadership. it is a misrepresentation of God which must be of a great concern among believers because God will surely judge those who do that regardless of who they are, where they are or how strong they maybe.