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Israel’s Guilt and Punishment
3 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
“You only have I known
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities.
“Do two walk together,
unless they have agreed to meet?
Does a lion roar in the forest,
when he has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from his den,
if he has taken nothing?
Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth,
when there is no trap for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground,
when it has taken nothing?
Is a trumpet blown in a city,
and the people are not afraid?
Does disaster come to a city,
unless the LORD has done it?
“For the Lord GOD does nothing
without revealing his secret
to his servants the prophets.
The lion has roared;
who will not fear?
The Lord GOD has spoken;
who can but prophesy?”
Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod
and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt,
and say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria,
and see the great tumults within her,
and the oppressed in her midst.”
“They do not know how to do right,” declares the LORD,
“those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.”
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
“An adversary shall surround the land
and bring down your defenses from you,
and your strongholds shall be plundered.”
Thus says the LORD: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.
“Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob,”
declares the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,
“that on the day I punish Israel for his transgressions,
I will punish the altars of Bethel,
and the horns of the altar shall be cut off
and fall to the ground.
I will strike the winter house along with the summer house,
and the houses of ivory shall perish,
and the great houses shall come to an end,”
declares the LORD.
(ESV)
Amos 3 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
How can two people walk hand in hand if they aren’t going in the same direction?
“They do not need to be agreed about everything. They must, however, wish to keep each others company, and they must be going by the same road to the same place.”
Alexander MacLaren
This is a rhetorical question asked by God and a powerful illustration of Israel’s choices. In order for this to happen, two people must meet together. They must agree on where they are going, and what path they are taking. They must have the same goals and ideals. They must care for each other in order to go hand in hand. This is where the truth needed to sink in for Israel. The above statements were not true in their case. They could not expect God to walk hand in hand with them as they pursued their sin. It simply cannot happen.
Furthermore, God sums up these rhetorical questions by stating that He has told His prophets the whole story. So, not only are they going different directions, but God has revealed in plain, understandable language which direction He is going. Keep in mind that He is also gracious in giving them fair warning and allowing them to repent. These are revelations we are utterly incapable of comprehending without His divine intervention.
“The closer our relationship with God, the more searching His scrutiny and chastening. The sins of God’s children which may seem of slight consequence are rigorously dealt with by their Heavenly Father, who loves them too well to allow their life to be permanently injured.”
F.B. Meyer
God could have left Israel in their filth. He could have left us in our filth. He didn’t… and this reality punctuates His relentless love for you and for me.