Examining The Scripture CXXX: Dead To Rights & In God's Sights

In this post we see the nations in Amos 1:3-2:16 on which God announces judgment. There is a significance to their order. It is important to note who is last. The nation that is last will have had the advantage of seeing others fall before judgment reaches them. They will have had a chance to repent as they see surrounding countries fall one-by-one in a manner that leads like and arrow directly to them...to Israel. Yet they do little or nothing to correct their relationship with God.

Gods judgment is first against seven nations surrounding Israel and then against Israel. There would be no impartiality in God’s judgment. It would be thorough and absolute because of the nature of God Himself-Just, thorough and absolute. The nations in order are as follows. We see pattern in the mention of all these nations. The judgment for all of them is more or less being imposed because of the same thing: their sins and transgressions. Repetitive transgressions as noted in the repetitive phrase, “for three sins…even four”. Regardless of how many it is clear these transgressions have exceeded God’s allowable limit (grace and patience) as evidenced by His announced judgment.

The Seven Nations

(v. 1:3-5) Syria/Aram (Damascus)
(v. 1:6-8) Philistia (Gaza)
(v. 1:9-10) Tyre/Phoenicia
(v. 1:11-12) Edom
(v. 1:13-15) Ammon
(v. 2:1-3) Moab
...and finally (v. 2:4-5) Israel

Although all these nations suffered judgment due to some form of violations to a universal covenant with all humanity in the Noahidic (Jews and Gentiles) covenant. They had acted in a way that their own heart and conscience must have told them was wrong, as when one nation today practices atrocities on another. Israel’s was all the more pronounced because their transgressions had violated the Mosaic covenant and was specific to only them. Sin is sin but Israel had the Law. “Luke 12:48: Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” What we see here is God tightening the noose on Israel...until they choke. He is sighting in the cross hairs of judgment on is own people.

...they are dead to rights in their transgression with no escape and were so desensitized to their sin they had become too dumb to be afraid. Sad.