Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:
And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord.
But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.
Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:
Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.
And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord.
Amos 2 delivers a powerful message of judgment, showcasing God's impartial justice and the consequences of rejecting His covenant. This chapter builds upon the pronouncements against the surrounding nations in Amos 1, culminating in a stark indictment of Israel itself. It reveals that God's standards transcend national boundaries and that privilege carries greater responsibility. Let's delve into the specifics of this crucial chapter.
Judgment Against Moab (Amos 2:1-3)
Amos begins by focusing on Moab, descendants of Lot. The specific offense mentioned is the burning of the bones of the king of Edom to lime (Amos 2:1). The exact reasons behind this act remain debated among scholars. Some propose the Moabites used the lime to plaster their walls, signifying a complete and permanent degradation of their enemy. Regardless of the motive, it was undoubtedly a grave act of desecration and violence. This act of desecration warranted God’s judgment, symbolized by fire, the same divine fire sent against other nations (Amos 1:4, 7, 10, 12, 14). God declares in Amos 2:2 that fire will consume Moab. This underscores a critical point: God judges all nations according to His righteous standards, not their own relative morality. God's kingdom encompasses the entire world, and He operates according to His divine agenda.
Judgment Against Judah (Amos 2:4-5)
Following the pronouncements against Israel's neighbors, the people of Judah may have felt secure, perhaps even self-righteous. However, Amos abruptly shifts focus, directing his prophetic message towards Judah (Amos 2:4-5). This serves as a potent reminder that God does not show favoritism based on lineage or religious affiliation. Judah, despite being the recipient of God's law, is condemned for rejecting the instruction of the LORD and failing to keep His statutes. Consequently, God's fire will also be unleashed upon Judah. This emphasizes that possessing knowledge of God's law does not guarantee immunity from judgment; obedience is paramount.
Judgment Against Israel (Amos 2:6-16)
The prophecy against Israel is significantly longer and more detailed than those preceding it. It exposes the depth of Israel's sin and the severity of the impending judgment. The core issue is that Israel, despite knowing God and His laws, chose to act like nations ignorant of Him. This deliberate rejection of their covenant relationship with God made their transgressions all the more egregious.
Amos lists a series of offenses that paint a grim picture of Israel's moral decay. They sold the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6), echoing the practices of the surrounding nations (Amos 1:6, 9). They trampled the heads of the poor into the dust of the ground and denied justice to the oppressed (Amos 2:7). Sexual immorality was rampant, even within sacred spaces (Amos 2:7-8). They had completely forgotten God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Amos 2:10) and showed no gratitude for His provision and protection.
God’s patience has reached its limit. In Amos 2:13, God declares, "I am about to crush you." This crushing will be inescapable. Strength, speed, and courage will be of no avail when God's wrath descends (Amos 2:14-16). The mighty will not be able to save themselves. This section serves as a stark warning against complacency and the illusion of security based on worldly power or perceived righteousness.
The message of Amos 2 is clear: God's justice is impartial and comprehensive. No nation, regardless of its history or perceived favor, is exempt from accountability. The chapter serves as a powerful call to repentance and a reminder that true security lies not in national identity or outward religious observance but in genuine obedience to God's word.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:
And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord.
But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.
Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:
Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.
And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord.
Amos 2 delivers a powerful message of judgment, showcasing God's impartial justice and the consequences of rejecting His covenant. This chapter builds upon the pronouncements against the surrounding nations in Amos 1, culminating in a stark indictment of Israel itself. It reveals that God's standards transcend national boundaries and that privilege carries greater responsibility. Let's delve into the specifics of this crucial chapter.
Judgment Against Moab (Amos 2:1-3)
Amos begins by focusing on Moab, descendants of Lot. The specific offense mentioned is the burning of the bones of the king of Edom to lime (Amos 2:1). The exact reasons behind this act remain debated among scholars. Some propose the Moabites used the lime to plaster their walls, signifying a complete and permanent degradation of their enemy. Regardless of the motive, it was undoubtedly a grave act of desecration and violence. This act of desecration warranted God’s judgment, symbolized by fire, the same divine fire sent against other nations (Amos 1:4, 7, 10, 12, 14). God declares in Amos 2:2 that fire will consume Moab. This underscores a critical point: God judges all nations according to His righteous standards, not their own relative morality. God's kingdom encompasses the entire world, and He operates according to His divine agenda.
Judgment Against Judah (Amos 2:4-5)
Following the pronouncements against Israel's neighbors, the people of Judah may have felt secure, perhaps even self-righteous. However, Amos abruptly shifts focus, directing his prophetic message towards Judah (Amos 2:4-5). This serves as a potent reminder that God does not show favoritism based on lineage or religious affiliation. Judah, despite being the recipient of God's law, is condemned for rejecting the instruction of the LORD and failing to keep His statutes. Consequently, God's fire will also be unleashed upon Judah. This emphasizes that possessing knowledge of God's law does not guarantee immunity from judgment; obedience is paramount.
Judgment Against Israel (Amos 2:6-16)
The prophecy against Israel is significantly longer and more detailed than those preceding it. It exposes the depth of Israel's sin and the severity of the impending judgment. The core issue is that Israel, despite knowing God and His laws, chose to act like nations ignorant of Him. This deliberate rejection of their covenant relationship with God made their transgressions all the more egregious.
Amos lists a series of offenses that paint a grim picture of Israel's moral decay. They sold the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6), echoing the practices of the surrounding nations (Amos 1:6, 9). They trampled the heads of the poor into the dust of the ground and denied justice to the oppressed (Amos 2:7). Sexual immorality was rampant, even within sacred spaces (Amos 2:7-8). They had completely forgotten God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Amos 2:10) and showed no gratitude for His provision and protection.
God’s patience has reached its limit. In Amos 2:13, God declares, "I am about to crush you." This crushing will be inescapable. Strength, speed, and courage will be of no avail when God's wrath descends (Amos 2:14-16). The mighty will not be able to save themselves. This section serves as a stark warning against complacency and the illusion of security based on worldly power or perceived righteousness.
The message of Amos 2 is clear: God's justice is impartial and comprehensive. No nation, regardless of its history or perceived favor, is exempt from accountability. The chapter serves as a powerful call to repentance and a reminder that true security lies not in national identity or outward religious observance but in genuine obedience to God's word.