Posted by / Monday 18 July 2016 / No comments

Amos pronounces God's judgment on Israel



GOD’S JUDGMENT ON ISRAEL
In the course of his work as a prophet, he had seen many visions. In his fourth vision, Amos saw a basket of summer fruits which meant that the summer season had come to an end. Amos interpreted this to mean, God’s judgment upon Israel was certain. Israel was going to go to exile.

In his last vision, Amos beheld God standing before the altar, striking down everything in sight. Amos interpreted this to mean the complete destruction of Israel and that nobody was going to escape the wrath of God.

In those days, the popular belief was that God had chosen Israel and therefore was obliged to protect her no matter what the people did. They believed that in spite of their wickedness, God was going to judge the Gentiles and not Israel.

The people believed that there was going to come a time when God would establish his lordship over the Gentile nations and dispense justice to Israel. It was going to be a day of light, victory and blessings, a day when Israel would triumph over their enemies.

Amos, on the other hand, told the people that God was going to punish the people because though he had chosen Israel as his people out of all the families of the earth, they did not reciprocate God by being obedient to Him. They also did not keep the moral demands of God but rather committed apostasy and social injustice.

According to Amos, though God had called Israel to a special position, it called for greater responsibility and does not entitle them to any special privileges. If God had a special relationship with Israel, it did not mean that they should misbehave.

Amos said “The day of the Lord” would be a day of judgment, a day of darkness for Israel rather than a day of doom for the Gentiles.

He concluded by stating emphatically that Israel would be punished for her unrighteousness and would be sent into exile.
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