Amos 1:1-5

Transgressions of Demacus -- Amos 1:1-5: Amos was not a professional prophet. He said, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit.” (Amos 7:14) He was a herdmen or he raised sheep near the town of Tekoa. He was very specific in saying that God showed him things "concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake."

The Lord will roar in judgment from Jerusalem against the wrongs of the heathen nations and also against the wrongs of His own people. "Carmel shall wither" is a statement that shows God's displeasure with the sins of His people. Carmel was one of the beautiful places in Palestine. Its devastation is certainly a sign of God's displeasure.

God promised to punish Damascus or Syria for countless transgressions. Damascus was the capital of Syria. For three transgressions and for four indicates that these people had many opportunities to do right and yet had continually chosen to do wrong. God said Demascus "threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron." One translation said, "They dragged logs with spikes over the people of Gilead." Damascus was guilty of cruel treatment against Gilead. Hazael and Benhadad were a father and son that were both kings in Syria. God promised to burn down their palaces because of transgressions. He promised that the Syrians would be dragged of to Kir as prisoners. The captivity happened just as God predicted. (2 Kings 16:9)