(v.2a) “You only have I chosen [known] of all the families of the earth”: God chose Israel for the Suzerain-Vassal covenant that they and agreed to (Mosaic). No other nations were God’s chosen people, or nation of priests. For this reason alone they were exceptionally spiritually culpable of the sins outlined in the previous chapter of Amos. Had they obeyed they would’ve been recipients of abundant blessings (Deut 28) instead…
(v.2b) “…therefore I will punish you for all your sins” : Because God chose them and intimately revealed Himself to them they should’ve reciprocated and acknowledged his mercy and grace. Special responsibility is given to those who know more. Israel (and Judah) 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.” God having elected them should’ve influenced their behavior to the positive. They were expected to be holy, instead they were sinful and covenant breaking.
This is a study in contrast between obedience and disobedience, blessing and curse, responsibility and accountability, sin and righteousness and how failure to be righteous is the inevitable pathway to judgment because they were chosen to be righteous and because of this they were expected to “step up to that task”.
What God's people should be...and what they become. This applies to us today also. We fall short of the mark and this is why we need Jesus Christ.
They were to be a priestly kingdom instead they became a blight or blemish and defamed God’s name by their actions. They were to be the sparkling diadem in God’s royal crown instead they became a piece of slag left behind in a smoldering heap of sinful garbage.
That difference...that link? Righteousness.
As we understand from Solomon and Paul:
"There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." Ecclesiates 7:20
"As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.' " Romans 3:10
Hence the need for Christ the link that was missing until the "Fullness of Time" (Galatians 4:4) and His incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection. In various time and in various ways God chose to speak through His prophets like Amos but in these latter days God has chosen to speak through His Son.
"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things..." Hebrews 1:1-2a
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