Project 119: Amos 2:4-16
| Project 119 | Mary Splawn
Recently at the Ark Adventure in Kentucky, I watched an evangelistic movie that depicted a young cross-wearing woman who was antagonistic toward the faith! When asked about the necklace she wore, she explained that it was a gift from her grandmother. Later in the film, it was revealed that the grandmother was a faithful follower of Christ who desired the same for her family yet somewhere along the way, her granddaughter had walked away from the truth.
This film is reminiscent of what has happened with the Israelites. They have walked away from the God who had so graciously delivered them from their enemies in past days. As verses nine and ten say, God brought their nation up out of the land of Egypt and God defeated the Amorites on their behalf. But, somewhere along the way, they have forgotten God’s provision and have abandoned God’s law. Even worse, they have given themselves over to worship false gods. And because of their disobedience, they will suffer judgment.
This passage warns us of the dangers of forgetting, because if we forget all that God has done on our behalf, we too will be in danger of walking away from the One who has delivered us from the wages of sin and death. Let us take some time to thank the Lord for His work on the cross and recount to God the many ways He has been faithful to deliver us!
Amos 2:4-16 (ESV):
Judgment on Judah
4 Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of Judah,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they have rejected the law of the LORD,
and have not kept his statutes,
but their lies have led them astray,
those after which their fathers walked.
5 So I will send a fire upon Judah,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”
Judgment on Israel
6 Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals—
7 those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth
and turn aside the way of the afflicted;
a man and his father go in to the same girl,
so that my holy name is profaned;
8 they lay themselves down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge,
and in the house of their God they drink
the wine of those who have been fined.
9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
whose height was like the height of the cedars
and who was as strong as the oaks;
I destroyed his fruit above
and his roots beneath.
10 Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt
and led you forty years in the wilderness,
to possess the land of the Amorite.
11 And I raised up some of your sons for prophets,
and some of your young men for Nazirites.
Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?”
declares the LORD.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
and commanded the prophets,
saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’
13 “Behold, I will press you down in your place,
as a cart full of sheaves presses down.
14 Flight shall perish from the swift,
and the strong shall not retain his strength,
nor shall the mighty save his life;
15 he who handles the bow shall not stand,
and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself,
nor shall he who rides the horse save his life;
16 and he who is stout of heart among the mighty
shall flee away naked in that day,”
declares the LORD.