Amos 2 - Introduction

Israel Faced Her Transgressions Amos Two

Moab was Judah's neighbor to the south. Their transgression was that they were especially cruel to Edom and her king. They desecrated the nation of Edom by burning the remains of their king into lime.

God applied the same formula of judgment to His people that He applied to the other nations. "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment." Amos point out that God's people had also just gone on committing sin after sin. The sin of Judah was that they despised and disobeyed the law of God. They had God's Law and He expected and required them to obey! Religious lies led them astray from the Almighty. The wickedness of Judah would also cause them to face God punishment of fire.

Israel's sins are also pointed out following the same pattern as before, "For three transgressions of Israel, and for four." They continued to commit sin upon sin. They sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. The rich were cruel in their actions toward the poor. The people were immoral. "A man and his father will go in unto the same maid." Their idolatrous worship caused them to disregard God's commands concerning pledges from the poor. (Exodus 22:26-27) How could Israel reject a God that had been so good to them? Gratitude to God always leads to faithfulness to Him.

Israel had rejected God's prophets and had given the Nazirites wine to drink. The disobedience of Israel leads to God placing a heavy burden upon them. Israel would have no strength to defend herself against her enemies without blessing from God. Let us be weak enough to cry out, "We need God!"