Amos 2:1-16
Q.1. Does God treat the sins of His people any differently from those of the other nations? Why was God about to judge the nation of Judah? – (Amos 2:1-6)
The way Amos wrote his vision from God was repetitive and revealed that God treats all sins the same way – Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke its punishment … wording repeated for – Damascus (1:3); Gaza (1:6); Tyre (1:9); Edom (1:11); & Ammon (1:13); Moab (2:1). When God addressed the sins of Judah and Israel, His condemnation did not vary. Notwithstanding, Judah was ripe for judgment – … because they rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept His statutes; Their lies also have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked (Amos 2:4). Since God had so dramatically redeemed His people from slavery in Egypt and had entered into a Covenant relationship with the twelve tribes of Israel, they were much more culpable for their sinful behaviour.
Q.2. What made the sins of Israel particularly hurtful to God? How had Israel treated her prophets and Nazarites? – (Amos 2:7-16 c.f. Gen.15:16; Num.13:25-33)
Now Amos turned the torch on Israel. Their sins were contrasted with God’s faithfulness to them. He could not have done more – 9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, though his height was like the height of cedars and he was strong as the oaks; I even destroyed his fruit above and his root below. 10 “It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, and I led you in the wilderness forty years that you might take possession of the land of the Amorite (Amos 2:9-10). Not only had they taken advantage of all the defenceless (Amos 2:7-8), but they had also insulted God by forcing the Nazarites to drink wine and break their vows, and had stopped the mouths of the prophets – 11 “Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. Is this not so, O sons of Israel?” declares the Lord. 12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and you commanded the prophets saying, `You shall not prophesy!’ (Amos 2:11-12). Thus they stilled the convicting voice of the Lord in their midst – a foolish way to treat God.