Bobservations' Column
Titled - "For Three Transgressions"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz
Amos’ prophecy is addressed to the Northern Tribes.
In Israel’s west bank, we find a town named Balata, a suburb of Nablus in the disputed Palestinian territory. It is in Balata that we find the Well of Jacob. It has been a Holy Site since the days of Constantine, protected under the walls and ceiling of a Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Only Christians and Jews refer to it as Jacob’s Well, for the Palestinians do not acknowledge God’s blessings upon Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. And Palestinians tend to ignore the well because it is within the walls of a Greek Orthodox Cathedral.
As in the days of Jesus and before, during the days of the Kings of Israel and Jerusalem, Israel was like the United States, a divided land. While Israel is divided religiously today, the U.S. is divided ideologically as we head into our election season when we will be electing our nation’s “ruler” for the next four years.
Our reading this week in John 4 is about Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman at the Well of Jacob. At that time, Israel’s division was also an ideological one. The Jews of Jerusalem were of the Tribe of Judah, and along with the Tribe of Benjamin, they made up the Southern Tribes. All the other Ten Tribes were known as the Northern Tribes. The southern Tribes were simply referred to as “Judah.” But among the Northern Tribes, the region of Samaria encompasses an alternate place of worship to Jehovah, and the Samaritans were considered idol worshippers because God’s Word says that Mt. Zion, the location of Jerusalem, is where God desires to be worshipped. (Mt. Moriah is the place where Abraham was shown to offer his son Isaac. That natural altar is the rock altar under Islam’s Dome of the Rock Mosque atop Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.)
The history of the Temple Mount is well documented in the Old Testament.
It was once Araunah’s Threshing Floor atop the mount, and the scriptures themselves record the time when King David purchased the land from Araunah the Jebusite, and those scripture verses are the Title Deed to the Temple Mount. (2 Samuel 24: 24 – “…So David bought the threshing floor…for fifty shekels of silver.”)
“But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come.” -Deuteronomy 12:5, 6
Bobservations' Column: Audio Version
Sunday Morning's Audio Message:
Amos 1:1-15 - "For Three Transgressions"
Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:
As with each of the Minor Prophets, the title comes from the name of the prophet to whom God gave His message (1:1). The author of the prophecy is identified as Amos, a herdsman (sheep-master) of Tekoa (1:1; 2 Kings 3:4), and a " a small village 10 miles south of Jerusalem. He was also a “tender of sycamore fruit” (7:14) and was a contemporary of Jonah (2 Kings 14:25), Hosea (Hosea 1:1), and Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1). He was the only prophet to give his occupation before declaring his divine commission. Amos’ name means “burden” or “burden-bearer.” He is not to be confused with Amoz (“stout, strong”), the father of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1). The date of writing is mid-eighth century B.C., during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah (ca. 790–739 B.C.) and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (ca. 793–753 B.C.), two years before a memorable earthquake (1:1; cf. Zechariah 14:5, ca. 760 B.C.).
Amos was a Judean prophet called to deliver a message primarily to the northern tribes of Israel (7:15). Politically, it was a time of prosperity under the long and secure reign of Jeroboam II who, following the example of his father Joash (2 Kings 13:25), significantly “restored the coast (territory) of Israel” (2 Kings 14:25). It was also a time of peace with both Judah (cf. 5:5) and her more distant neighbors; the ever-present menace of Assyria was subdued earlier that century because of Nineveh’s repentance at the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:10). Spiritually, however, it was a time of rampant corruption and moral decay (4:1; 5:10–13; 2 Kings 14:24).
Amos addresses Israel’s two primary sins: 1) an absence of true worship, and 2) a lack of justice. In the midst of their ritualistic performance of worship, they were not pursuing the Lord with their hearts (4:4,5; 5:4–6) nor following His standard of justice with their neighbors (5:10–13; 6:12). This apostasy, evidenced by continual, willful rejection of the prophetic message of Amos, is promised divine judgment. Because of His covenant, however, the Lord will not abandon Israel altogether, but will bring future restoration to the righteous remnant (9:7–15).
Sunday Morning's Audio Message:
Key Words and Definitions with Reference:
Uzziah (1:1) - Was King of Judah from 790-739 B.C. and considered one of the good kings. Uzziah means "my strength is Jehovah." Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. Unfortunately, after Zechariah died, Uzziah made some mistakes later in his life. King Uzziah’s fame and strength led him to become proud, and this led to his downfall (2 Chronicles 26:16). He committed an unfaithful act by entering the temple of God to burn incense on the altar. Burning incense on the altar was something only the priests could do. By attempting to do this himself, Uzziah was basically saying he was above following the Law. It was not a humble thing to do. Eighty courageous priests, led by a high priest named Azariah, tried to stop the king: “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God” (2 Chronicles 26:18). Uzziah became angry with the priests who dared confront him. But, “while he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead” (verse 19). Uzziah ran from the temple in fear, because God had struck him (verse 20). From that day to the day of his death, King Uzziah was a leper. He lived in a separate palace and was not allowed to enter the temple of the Lord. His son, Jotham, governed the people in his place.
Jeroboam II (1:1) - This Jeroboam is not to be confused with the Jeroboam I. Jeroboam II was King of the northern kingdom of Israel, and an evil king. His name means "the people will contend." Jeroboam II was the son of King Joash, and the great grandson of King Jehu. He reigned 41 years (789-748 BC). He was the 13th king of the northern kingdom of Israel. He was not related to Jeroboam 1. He fought and conquered Damascus and Hamath and expanded Israel's boundaries. There were peaceful relations between Israel and Judah during the reign of Jeroboam 2, and Israel became wealthy. His reign was marked by great economic prosperity, but the rich were getting richer and the poor poorer, therefore his reign was also marked by injustice. The poor could find no redress in the courts and no one to champion their cause—until the coming of Amos. Although he reigned 41 years, there is not much written about him in the Bible, other than that he was as evil as Jeroboam 1, who had led Israel into the sin of worshiping idols (2 Kings 14:24).
The Earthquake (1:1) - This earthquake is mentioned by Zechariah (14:5), Josephus (Antiquities, IX.10.4) connects it with Uzziah's sin of usurping the role of a priest (2 Chronicles 2:16-23). An earthquake of severe magnitude occurred c.750 B.C., although it cannot be precisely dated.
Roars (1:2) - In Joel 3:16, the Lord roars against the nations; here, His wrath was directed primarily toward Israel (cf. Jeremiah 25:30). The verb to roar means to utter a deep and prolonged cry and is normally used of a lion that lies in wait for its prey (Amos 3:4, Judges 14:5). However, the verb is used here to describe the LORD's majestic power as well as His anger against Israel. The place called Zion is a mountain located on the eastern side of Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah. In this verse, Zion and Jerusalem are used synonymously to explain the location where Amos heard God's voice.
Mourn...Withers (1:2) - This is a message of destructive judgment. As a result of God roaring from Zion and Jerusalem, the shepherds' pasture grounds mourn, and the summit of Carmel dries up. Jerusalem was in the territory of Judah. Carmel was in the territory of Israel. It is a mountainous ridge extending about 20 miles along the Mediterranean Sea and jutting southeast into the fertile Jezreel Valley. It is a fertile land with abundant woods, flowers, and vineyards. But God's powerful voice of judgment would cause a devastating drought, from the shepherds' pasture grounds to the summit of Carmel. This drought is evidence of God's judgment. A similar judgment is described in Deuteronomy 28:23-24.
Carmel (1:2) - This refers to the mountain range that runs east to west in northern Israel, jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea (cf. 9:3). It is known for its bountiful trees and lush gardens. Carmel means "fertility" or "garden land." God's judgment brings a devastating drought.
Carmel (1:2) - This refers to the mountain range that runs east to west in northern Israel, jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea (cf. 9:3). It is known for its bountiful trees and lush gardens. Carmel means "fertility" or "garden land." God's judgment brings a devastating drought.
For Three Transgressions . . . and for Four (1:3) - This rhetorical device is repeated as an introduction in each of the eight messages (1:3-2:16), These are specific mathematical enumerations (e.g., Prov. 30:18, 21, 29), emphasizing that each nation was being visited for an incalculable number of infractions. With three, the cup of iniquity was full; with four, it overflowed. This judgment was to fall on Syria, whose capital is Damascus. The LORD pronounces judgment on the inhabitants of Damascus because they slaughtered the people of Gilead.
Damascus (1:3) - The city named Damascus was the capital of the nation of Aram during the 10th through 8th centuries BC. It is still the capital of modern Syria today. Here, Damascus represents the entire nation of Aram (or Syria). God commissioned Amos of Tekoa to proclaim His words to the Arameans to let them know that He took note of their transgressions, their offenses, and would judge accordingly.
Transgression (1:3) - refers to acts of rebellion committed against someone in authority, such as when Israel rebelled "against the house of David" (I Kgs. 12:19; 2 Kgs. 1:1).
Threshed Gilead (1:3) - The city of Gilead was an Israelite region located on the eastern side of the Jordan River, just south of Damascus. It was rich in pasture (Numbers 32:1) and famous for its balm (Jeremiah 8:22). As such, it attracted the Arameans who were one of the most frequent enemies of Israel. Such an attraction caused the Arameans to thresh the Israelites of Gilead with implements of sharp iron. Amos used the imagery of threshing to convey the damage wrought by Damascus upon the inhabitants of Gilead. Grain is threshed with farming instruments, which back then might include a heavy board, studded with sharp metal used to pull over the grain to separate it from the husk. In similar fashion, Damascus had threshed Gilead with their instruments of war. For this they will be judged by God.
Damascus (1:3) - The city named Damascus was the capital of the nation of Aram during the 10th through 8th centuries BC. It is still the capital of modern Syria today. Here, Damascus represents the entire nation of Aram (or Syria). God commissioned Amos of Tekoa to proclaim His words to the Arameans to let them know that He took note of their transgressions, their offenses, and would judge accordingly.
Transgression (1:3) - refers to acts of rebellion committed against someone in authority, such as when Israel rebelled "against the house of David" (I Kgs. 12:19; 2 Kgs. 1:1).
Threshed Gilead (1:3) - The city of Gilead was an Israelite region located on the eastern side of the Jordan River, just south of Damascus. It was rich in pasture (Numbers 32:1) and famous for its balm (Jeremiah 8:22). As such, it attracted the Arameans who were one of the most frequent enemies of Israel. Such an attraction caused the Arameans to thresh the Israelites of Gilead with implements of sharp iron. Amos used the imagery of threshing to convey the damage wrought by Damascus upon the inhabitants of Gilead. Grain is threshed with farming instruments, which back then might include a heavy board, studded with sharp metal used to pull over the grain to separate it from the husk. In similar fashion, Damascus had threshed Gilead with their instruments of war. For this they will be judged by God.
House of Hazael . . .Ben-Hadad (1:4) - Because of the Arameans' war crimes, the LORD said He would "send fire upon the house of Hazael" and it would "devour the palaces of Ben-hadad." Hazael was the king of Damascus in the second half of the ninth century BC, while Ben-hadad was his son and successor (2 Kings 13:3, 22-25). Deuteronomy 4:24 says that "God is a consuming fire." Fire is used symbolically for God's judgment, which would fall on the house of Hazael and the palaces of Ben-hadad. The house of Hazael referred to any of the descendants of Hazael, including Ben-hadad. The reign of this lineage would be destroyed for their wrongdoings. Apparently, a throne name, meaning "son of (the God) Hadad." Ben-Hadad II was a son of the Syrian king Hazael (841-801 B.C.).
Valley of Aven (1:5) - Means "valley of wickedness," it may refer to Baalbek, the center of sun worship, located north of Damascus.
Beth Eden (1:5) - Means "house of pleasure." It was located in eastern Syria across the Euphrates River.
Kir (1:5) - This was the original home of the Syrians. It was a region to which they were later exiled (2 Kings 16:9).
Gaza (1:6) - This is Philistia's most prominent merchant city, ideally situated between Egypt and Israel, here used to refer to the Philistine nation. Other Philistine cities such as Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron would also be judged by God (v. 8). The only major Philistine city not listed here is Gath. The reason might be because Gath was already captured by Hazael of Aram in 815 BC (2 Kgs. 12:17), and by Uzziah of Judah in 760 BC (2 Chron. 26:6, cf. Amos 6:2). These Philistine cities were located along the coast of what is the modern state of Israel.
Took Captive the Whole Captivity (1:6) - The LORD pronounces judgment on the inhabitants of Gaza because they deported an entire population of Israel to Edom (cf. Jeremiah 13:19), possibly during the reign of Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:16, 17; Joel 3:3), c. 853-841 B.C.).
Edom (1:6) - Edom is the land founded by Esau, and bordered Israel to the east and was south of Moab (Genesis 25:30, 32:3).
Ashdod (1:8) - The place called Ashdod was a city located midway between Joppa and Gaza, about three miles from the coast. It is identified with modern Tel Ashdod, 15 km north of Ashkelon and approximately 4 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The city called Ashkelon was a large seaport located on the Mediterranean coast 20 km north of Gaza and 50 km south of Tel Aviv (Judges 1:18).
Ekron (1:8) - Ekron was the most northerly of the major cities of Philistine. During Israel's conquest of the Promised Land, Ekron was not taken by Joshua (Joshua 13:3). When the land was divided among the 12 tribes, Ekron was given first to Judah and then to Dan (Joshua 15:11, 45, 46; 19:43). It was eventually taken by Judah (Judges 1:18), but subsequently fell back to the Philistines.
Ashdod (1:8) - The place called Ashdod was a city located midway between Joppa and Gaza, about three miles from the coast. It is identified with modern Tel Ashdod, 15 km north of Ashkelon and approximately 4 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The city called Ashkelon was a large seaport located on the Mediterranean coast 20 km north of Gaza and 50 km south of Tel Aviv (Judges 1:18).
Ekron (1:8) - Ekron was the most northerly of the major cities of Philistine. During Israel's conquest of the Promised Land, Ekron was not taken by Joshua (Joshua 13:3). When the land was divided among the 12 tribes, Ekron was given first to Judah and then to Dan (Joshua 15:11, 45, 46; 19:43). It was eventually taken by Judah (Judges 1:18), but subsequently fell back to the Philistines.
Covenant of Brotherhood (1:9) - A long standing, brotherly relationship existed between Phoenicia and Israel, beginning with King Hiram's assistance to David in building his house (2 Samuel 5:11) and Solomon in building the temple (1 Kings 5:1-12; 9:11-14), and later solidified through the marriage of Jezebel to Ahab (1 Kings 16:31). No king of Israel ever made ware against Phoenicia, especially the two major cities, Tyre and Sidon.
Tyre (1:10) - Tyre was a city located on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel (modern-day Lebanon). Like Damascus and Gaza, Tyre is used to represent the entire nation of Phoenicia. The prophet probably chose Tyre because it was a wealthy city in the early eighth century, allowing the Phoenicians to control most of the commercial activity in the Mediterranean.
Pursued...cast off all pity (1:11) - The Edomites attacked the Israelites on numerous occasions, and many wars were fought as a result.
Teman (1:12) - The place named Teman was considered the principal city of Edom (Obadiah 9). Since Teman means "south" (Exodus 26:18) it is likely that Teman was in the far south of Edom. Teman is the name of the grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:11), after whom this town in northern Edom was named.
Bozrah (1:12) - A fortress city of northern Edom, about thirty-five miles north of Petra. It was the ancient capital of Edom. Some identify it with the modern village of Buseirah, located north of Edom. God's judgment would thus be so severe that it would destroy the major Edomite cities, from the north to the south, and presumably all points in between.
People of Ammon (1:13) - Descendants of Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot and his younger daughter (Genesis 19:34-38). God's indictment fell on Ammon, a fertile area northeast of Moab, east of the Jordan River, between the Arnon and Jabbok rivers and extending eastward to the Syrian desert. This territory is located in the modern country of Jordan, whose capital Aman bears the memory of its heritage as being part of Ammon.
Ripped Up the Women with Child (1:13) - Such inhumane treatment in wartime was not an uncommon practice (cf. 2 Kings 8:12; 15:16; Hosea 13:16). The description sounds like they slashed the stomachs of the pregnant women so that the mothers would have to see their unborn children die before they died themselves. This would indicate a particularly brutal and sadistic treatment of the women. To make it even worse, the motive of the Ammonites was simply materialistic—they just wanted more land.To rip up something is to destroy it by tearing it into pieces. While we do not know exactly when the Ammonites did that to the Israelite women, we do know that such murderous acts were a common feature used in the ancient world to decimate the enemy.
Rabbah (1:14) - Situated east of the Jordan River, this was the capital city of Ammon.
