Amos chapter 6

Their arrogant complacency. Their luxurious indulgence. Their complete devastation.

 


 

THEIR ARROGANT COMPLACENCY

 

VERSE 1. Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!

who are at ease. The expression “at ease” can also be translated as “complacent.”

those who are secure. The word “secure” can also be translated as “overconfident.”

Their rulers were proud and self-interested.

 

VERSE 2. Go to Calneh, and see; and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. are they better than these kingdoms? or is their border greater than your border?

Amos points out two great cities of the past that were conquered:

Calneh … Hamath. These were city-states in northern Aram. They were conquered by Assyria in 854-846 BC.

Gath of the Philistines. It was devastated by Aram in 815 BC. And by Judah in 760 BC.

 

VERSE 3. Those who put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

put far away the evil day. That is, they scornfully dismissed any thought of upcoming calamity.

They were truth-deniers.

 

THEIR LUXURIOUS INDULGENCE

 

VERSE 4. Who lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the middle of the stall;

Rather than heed the prophet’s warnings of judgment, the leaders of Samaria gave themselves to decadent hedonism.

Their sole concern was for their own luxurious lifestyle.

They did not grieve over the coming devastation of their own nation. Nor did they grieve for the human suffering that would result.

 

VERSE 5. who strum on the strings of a harp; who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;

 

VERSE 6. who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

 

VERSE 7. Therefore they will now go captive with the first who go captive; and the feasting and lounging will end.

they will now go captive with the first. The leaders of the nation will be the first to go into exile.

 

THEIR COMPLETE DEVASTATION

 

VERSE 8. “The Lord GOD has sworn by himself,” says the LORD, the God of Hosts: “I abhor the pride of Jacob, and detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.

 

VERSE 9. It will happen, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

 

VERSE 10. “When a man’s relative carries him, even he who burns him, to bring bodies out of the house, and asks him who is in the innermost parts of the house, ‘Is there yet any with you?’ And he says, ‘No;’ then he will say, ‘Hush! Indeed we must not mention the LORD’s name.’

we must not mention the LORD’s name. Maybe this is is the origin of Jewish people not saying the name of the LORD God.

 

VERSE 11. “For, behold, the LORD commands, and the great house will be smashed to pieces, and the little house into bits.

 

VERSE 12. Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;

 

VERSE 13. you who rejoice in a thing of nothing, who say, ‘Haven’t we taken for ourselves horns by our own strength?’

 

VERSE 14. For, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, house of Israel,” says the LORD, the God of Hosts; “and they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of the Arabah.”

 


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AMOS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize

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