And even more tragically it need never have happened if they had only heeded the warnings they had received over many years. Almost forty years before Samaria fell, Amos, a prophet sent from God, had told them in no uncertain terms that they were heading for disaster.
What Amos said -- and how the people of Israel responded or failed to respond -- is recorded in the book in the Bible which bears his name.
God's message to Israel applies also to America, and Britain, and every nation on earth. More particularly, it is a message, a warning, to those who belong to God and bear His name. It reminds them, and us (if we claim to be such), of the price of privilege.
This
3rd chapter probably represents a separate message which Amos gave on another occasion than that of the opening two chapters. In our opening study of the first message of Amos, recorded in the
first two chapters, we saw how the prophet cleverly drew in his hearers so that they would hear his message when he finally targeted the nation of Israel.
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In
chapter 3, we see that he does the same thing again in his opening words, though most translations of the Bible obscure the fact. Look at the opening two verses and we will do a little retranslation. The important thing to notice is that Amos only reveals the kind of message he has to give with the last word -- sins.
I will underline the words I have changed and strike out the originals: "Hear this word the Lord has spoken against about you, O people of Israel -- against about the whole family I brought up out of Egypt: 'You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish visit you for all your sins'" (
Amos 3:1-2).
Do you see what Amos is doing? He gathers a crowd around and tells them that he has a special message from the Lord for them -- the only people on earth with whom He has entered into a unique family relationship. He reminds them that the Lord rescued them from slavery in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land, and therefore the Lord says He is going to speak with them in respect to something they have done.
At this point the answer depends on what is in focus -- what they have done. It is like the pupil who is called into the headmaster's study and the headmaster says, "I wanted to see you about something you did yesterday."
What is it that the pupil did? Something good or something bad? Will it be a reward or a punishment? When I was at school and this happened, I was always pretty sure that it must be something bad.
However, the people of Israel were absolutely sure that it must be something good that they have done -- here comes another reward. But Amos drops his bombshell with his final word, "your sins."