“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” 2 Peter 1:20 – 2:1
Verse 1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw 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 name, Amos, means “burden”. Amos was a prophet of God who prophesied regarding the northern kingdom which comprised ten tribes of Israel. He was a shepherd by trade and was from a town in the hill country of Judah near Bethlehem. Tekoa, which means “a stockade”, was built by king Rehoboam of Judah, son of King Solomon and grandson of King David. (2 Chronicles 11:5-12) Uzziah was the 10th king of Judah and he reigned for 52 years: 791-739 BC. Jeroboam 11 was the 13th king of the nation Israel and he reigned for 40 years: 786-746 BC. Remember that these dates are not precise as time was measured by the reign of a king and not by a calendar of years, but they will not be off more than a year or so. The only earthquake recorded in Old Testament Scripture is that recorded in 1 Kings 19:11 when King Ahab was in power in Israel and his reign was approximately 100 years prior to King Jeroboam 11, so this earthquake cannot be commented on other than to say that this vision of the prophet Amos occurred two years before the earthquake and that in metaphor an earthquake represents a shaking up of systems and of people.
Verse 2 And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.
The name, Carmel, means “garden-land” and there are two Carmels in Scripture. One was a mountain on the Mediterranean coast of northern Israel and the other was a mountain town on the west side of the Dead Sea south of Hebron. Since Tekoa was near Hebron, it is most probable that the prophet Amos was referring to the mountain town near Hebron. However, since his prophecy is about Israel, it is just as probable that he was referencing Mount Carmel in northern Israel.
For the LORD to roar is a picture of a conquering lion who’s roar can be heard far and wide. It indicates judgement that will be coming forth due to transgressions of the nation. It indicates an angry God.
Verses 3-5 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. 5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
Damascus was the ancient capital of Syria. The numbers three and four are interesting and they are consistent in these next verses and so they seem to not represent actual transgressions. In Scripture, the number three represents perfection and the number four represents the Earth. So metaphorically God’s punishment against these cities and nations and regions is just and perfect because the Earth is His and everything in it is His. “O house of Israel cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:6
Gilead is mentioned in 19 of the Old Testament books. Hosea 6:8 records, “Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.” So it was both a city and a mountainous regions east of the Jordan River. During King Ahab’s reign Syria conquered part of this region and this may be what the prophet Amos is writing about. Apparently they were cruel and brutal in their conquest of Gilead. The picture of iron instruments threshing out grain presents a picture of violence as the grain is beaten to separate it from the chaff. Normal threshing can be done by hand or with wooden sticks and so iron tools would never be used as they would be too harsh and destroy the grain in the process.
Hazael became a king of Syria and it was he who engaged in war with Judah and Israel for the possession of the city Ramoth Gilead. Apparently the fire sent by God into the house of Hazael was defeat when in battle with the Assyrian king Shalmaneser 111 at a great loss of men and equipment (6000 soldiers, over a 1000 chariots and close to 500 horsemen) resulting in him being driven into Damascus. Ben-hadad was king Hazael’s son.
Note: In Scripture, a house does not necessarily mean a dwelling place, but represents the family of certain individuals. For example, the house of Jacob would mean all of Jacob’s sons and their descendants. So the house of Hazael was referring to his family and his ruler-ship.
Verses 6-8 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: 7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.
Here the prophet Amos pronounces God’s judgement on the region known as Phillistia and the Philistines in which Gaza was the representative city. This nation engaged in the slave trade as they took captives and sold them to other nations. This form of financial gain was contrary to the law of God and so their punishment was destruction of their cities and their military fortresses.
Verses 9-10 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: 10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
Likewise, the region of Tyrus was condemned by God for their treatment of captives. Edom was the region that Esau, brother to Jacob, settled and the descendants of Esau were antagonistic towards Israel just as Esau and Jacob were antagonistic toward each other. Hence the lack of brotherly covenant or agreement. God promised destruction of Tyre and its people.
Verses 11-12 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever: 12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
Although God promised judgement against Edom for the continual aggression of their people against the people of Israel, the Edomites were never totally destroyed and they inhabited the region of Idumea and so became known as Idumeans. The king Herods were Idumeans and they were cruel and ruthless and attempted to kill the LORD Jesus Christ when a young child.
Verses 13-15 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border: 14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: 15 And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD. (Amos 1)
The Ammonites were ruthless and cruel in their wars against other nations and God promised through the prophet Amos that their capital city, Rabbah, would be destroyed and that their governing officials would to taken into captivity and exile.