AMOS CHAPTER 2

The warnings and prophecies continue against Moab. I am not really sure why they put Moab in the same chapter with Judah and Israel. They are such a different type of judgment and relationship to God.
-Notice God does not hold the outsiders to the same standard of His people, but He also cannot tolerate their sin. Judah was the southern part of Israel, they split off of Israel during the period after David’s reign as king and when his son became king and was much harsher than his father. The people of Judah had turned away from God and followed idols, rejecting the law of the Lord and His decrees. Remember also how important Jerusalem was to this people, and I am sure that this prophecy did not make them happy.
-The Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:2-21) is pretty interesting. There are only three people in the bible that held a lifelong Nazarite vow – Sampson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. Most were between 30 and 100 days. The declarations of the Nazarite vow is that they would not drink wine, would not cut their hair, and not have contact with a dead body. This institution was a symbol of a life devoted to God and separated from all sin, a holy life. It says that the Israelites were trying to get them to break their vow by drinking wine. It seems that “God’s People” are the quickest ones to trip us up some times on our commitments and vows to God. I think it is a mixture of jealousy and lack of devotion on their part. Have you ever experienced a “church person” bringing you down in your walk with God?
-The Israelites did not care for the poor or show any mercy to them. They were on the pattern of the rich get richer and the powerful gained power and just the opposite for others. Remember that the powers of government in Israel were the religious officials. Isn’t it sad what happens when religious leaders are given political power? It would be great if they used to help the poor and serve the people, but they often use their position for their own pleasure. How would you handle power and money if it were given to you? Would you continue to live as you do and help others, or take the elitist role and get all that you can for you?
-When God brings judgment there is no getting away. This chapter ends with showing that God cannot be ran from and that His judgment is full. How do you view the justice of God?

Things I learned from this chapter
I learned that I cannot run from God and that He does hate sin. It doesn’t matter who the individual is, but sin is detestable to Him and His holiness cannot tolerate it. God cannot first be loving or first give grace and set aside His holiness. His holiness is fundamental to His character, the first attribute that penetrates all of His other attributes. God does hold His people to a higher standard it seems. Of course He would since He had given them so much and revealed Himself to them time and time again. It disgusts me to see the Israelites turn away from God so easily, but that in turn makes me look at my own life so often in disgust as well. How quickly I can forget my first love and betray my God for the immediate.