Amos 1 Commentary
We have a series of judgments against Israel’s neighbors. Up first is Aram or Syria.
Syria ravaged Israel’s tribes east of the Jordan. The LORD God had mentioned it to Elisha when Hazael had gone to see the prophet in Damascus. For his part, Hazael had responded, “How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?” Second Kings 8. Nevertheless, Hazael did accomplish the ‘feat’ and it was horrible enough to even make the great prophet Elisha weep, albeit in long anticipation.
The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir.
The Philistines come up second and their crime concerns the enslavement of parts of the communities of God’s people. They captured and sold off Israelites as slaves to Edom. The LORD will “destroy the king of Ashdod.”
Then we have Edom and Ammon. You easily understand when the LORD complains: “None is righteous; none does what is right.”
This volume should be talking about Israel’s many sins but here we are with just about everyone else also in the dock! It is a testament to the fact that waywardness isn’t an isolated problem. Humanity is sinful. Different sins; according to tastes or sin opportunity. All have sinned. All are in need of salvation.
This kind of literature leaves the reader with an important question. What is the way forward? Is there hope for humanity? Isn’t there a chance that we can have a good report from even one nation? And all these atrocities against Israel, what is happening? We need to read on and see what Amos brings up tomorrow and the next 7 days.
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