Amos 1:2-5

The Lord Roars

The words of Amos transition into the roar of the Lord. Setup for a warrior God, not a comforting God who speaks peace. Israel can only hope that road is not directed to them. If God roars against my enemies, I rejoice. It’s threatening and hopeful. Carmel was the site of Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal and Asherah. It means garden, vineyard, or orchard. It produced famous wine. It either was in the Kingdom of Israel, or on the border of Israel and Tyre. Tyre considered the mountain of religious significance, likely why Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and Asherah there. The roar travels from Zion (Jerusalem) to Carmel, indicating a Judah to Israel movement. This could be used to indicate that God’s prophecies encompass the totality of Judah-Israel, or that Judah (with righteous king Uzziah) is the “good” kingdom and Israel (with wicked Jeroboam) is the “bad” kingdom. The shepherds’ pasture ground mourn and Carmel, known for its wine, dries up. This is a fierce roar, and during a time of prosperity.

Damascus

Ben-hadad, king of Aram (Aram, Damascus, and Syria are synonymous), was sick. He sent Hazael to ask Elisha if he would recover. Elisha commands Hazael to lie, saying Ben-hadad would recover when he wouldn’t.

2 Kings 8:12 “12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” And he answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: you will set their fortified cities on fire, you will kill their young men with the sword, their little ones you will smash to pieces, and you will rip up their pregnant women.””

Gilead is Israelite territory that borders Syria. Tribes of Reuben, Gad, Manasseh.

2 Kings 10:32–33 “32 In those days the Lord began to cut off pieces from Israel; and Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: 33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites; from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, Gilead and Bashan.”

2 Kings 13:3–7 “3 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He continually handed them over to Hazael king of Aram, and to Ben-hadad, the son of Hazael. 4 Then Jehoahaz appeased the Lord, and the Lord listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. 5 And the Lord gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Arameans; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as previously. 6 Nevertheless they did not abandon the sins of the house of Jeroboam, into which he misled Israel; rather, they walked in them; and the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria. 7 For he left to Jehoahaz no more of the army than fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry, because the king of Aram had eliminated them and made them like the dust at threshing.”

2 Kings 16:7–9 “7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son; come up and save me from the hand of the king of Aram, and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.” 8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent a gift to the king of Assyria. 9 So the king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and captured it, and led the people of it into exile to Kir, and put Rezin to death.”

“Valley of Aven” used only here in entire Bible, so no references. But aven means “wickedness” or “idolatry” in Hebrew, so possibly a Hebrew way to refer to a valley of Baal worship. “Beth-eden” has possible reference in 2 Kings 19:12 “12 Did the gods of the nations which my fathers destroyed save them: Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the sons of Eden who were in Telassar?” but there it’s called Eden and so scholars aren’t sure. If true, 2 Kings 19 shows that Assyria completed Amos’ prophesy that God will eliminate him who holds the scepter from Beth-eden.

Aram

“Aram” are considered to be related to Israel, like the Ammonites and Moabites, but a little more distant.

Genesis 10:22 “22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.” Genesis 22:20–23 “20 Now it came about after these things, that Abraham was told, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel”—23 and it was Bethuel who fathered Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.” Genesis 24:10 “10 Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and went out with a variety of good things of his master’s in his hand; so he set out and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.” Genesis 25:20 “20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.”

Abraham’s brother was Nahor. Nahor and his wife had Kemuel (the father of Aram) and Bethuel (the father of Rebekah). Bethuel was Aramean and her brother was Laban the Aramean.

Theological Topics

“Those who bless Israel will be blessed, and who curses Israel will be cursed.”

“Law written on our hearts” for Syria.

Revealed will vs. Secret will

God the lion.