Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
AMOS 2
1 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Moab,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because he burned to ashes
the bones of Edom’s king,
2 I will send fire on Moab
that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.
Moab will go down in great tumult
amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet.
3 I will destroy her ruler
and kill all her officials with him,”
says the Lord.
4 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Judah,
even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord
and have not kept his decrees,
because they have been led astray by false gods,
the gods their ancestors followed,
5 I will send fire on Judah
that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.”
Judgment on Israel
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel,
even for four, I will not relent.
They sell the innocent for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 They trample on the heads of the poor
as on the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
and so profane my holy name.
8 They lie down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge.
In the house of their god
they drink wine taken as fines.
9 “Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them,
though they were tall as the cedars
and strong as the oaks.
I destroyed their fruit above
and their roots below.
10 I brought you up out of Egypt
and led you forty years in the wilderness
to give you the land of the Amorites.
11 “I also raised up prophets from among your children
and Nazirites from among your youths.
Is this not true, people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine
and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
13 “Now then, I will crush you
as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.
14 The swift will not escape,
the strong will not muster their strength,
and the warrior will not save his life.
15 The archer will not stand his ground,
the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
and the horseman will not save his life.
16 Even the bravest warriors
will flee naked on that day,”
declares the Lord.
Application Notes
2:1-3 The Moabite had descended from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his older daughter (Genesis 19:30-37). Balak, king of Moab, had tried to hire the pagan prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites so they could be defeated in battle (Numbers 22-24). But instead of using them, Balaam could only speak the Lord's word of blessing. Later, however, some of the Moabites succeeded in getting Israel to worship Baal, which led to God's punishment of his people (Numbers 25:1-3). The Moabites were known for their atrocities (2 Kings 3:26-27). An archaeological artifact, the Moabite Stone, reveals that Moab was always quick to profit from the downfall of others.
2:4-6 After Solomon died, the kingdom divided, and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin became the southern kingdom (Judah) under Solomon's son Rehoboam. The other ten tribes became the northern kingdom (Israel) and followed Jeroboam, who had rebelled against Rehoboam.
God would punish the pagan nations harshly for their evil actions and atrocities. But God also promised to judge both Israel and Judah because they ignored the revealed law of God. The other nations were ignorant, but Judah and Israel, God's people, knew what God wanted. Still they ignored him and joined their pagan neighbors in worshiping idols. If we know God's Word and refuse to obey it, like Israel, we will carry an even greater burden of guilt.
2:4-6 Amos must have won over his audience as he proclaimed God's judgment against the evil nations surrounding Israel. They must have been delighted to hear others being accused. It is easy to see the faults of others, but Amos did not shy away from pronouncing judgment on his own country, condemning Judah before focusing on God's indictment of Israel. We need to work deliberately at self-reflection, making sure that we are learning to address our own faults more than our tendency to point out the faults of others.
2:6-16 God condemned Israel for five specific sins: (1) selling the poor as slaves (see Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Amos 8:4-6), (2) exploiting the poor (see Exodus 23:6; Deuteronomy 16:19), (3) engaging in perverse sexual sins (see Leviticus 20:11-12), (4) taking illegal collateral for loans (see Exodus 22:26-27; Deuteronomy 24:6, 12-13), and (5) worshiping false gods (see Exodus 20:3-5). These sins violated the heart and soul of God's law.
2:6-7 Amos was speaking to the upper class. This society had no middle class—only the very rich and the very poor. Outwardly the rich seemed religious. They observed the necessary rituals, gave money to charity, attended worship services, and offered the prescribed sacrifices. But these actions were all for show in order to have influence in the community. Inwardly these people were greedy and unjust, and they took advantage of the helpless, holding them in slavery through their debt. Be sure that you do not ignore or neglect the needs of the poor while you faithfully attend church and fulfill your religious obligations. God expects us to live out our faith—to stand for the truth and respond to those in need, even when it means we must sacrifice our time, resources, or reputation.
2:9-11 The prophets were constantly challenging people to remember what God had done. When we read these verses describing God's acts of faithfulness, we are amazed at Israel's forgetfulness. But what would the prophets say about us? God's past faithfulness should have reminded the Israelites to obey him; likewise, what he has done for us should remind us to live for him today.
2:11-12 The Nazirites took a vow of service to God. The vow included abstaining from wine and never cutting their hair. But instead of being respected for their disciplined and temperate lives, they were being urged to break their vows. If the highly principled Nazirites were corrupted, few models for good would remain among the Israelites. The nation had silenced the faithful prophets and the Nazirites.
2:16 “That day” refers to the time when Assyria would attack Israel, destroy Samaria, and take the people captive (722 BC). This military defeat came only a few decades after this pronouncement.
2:16 Adventure and hero movies are filled with images of people who seem to have no fear. Many people today have modeled their lives after these images—they want to be tough. But God is not impressed with bravado. He says that even the toughest people will run in fear when his judgment comes. Do you know people who think they can make it through life without God? Don’t be swayed by their self-assured swagger. Recognized that God fears no one, and on that day when he reveals his full power, all people will fear him.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)