| Date | Version | Reading Plan |
|---|---|---|
| @November 9, 2023 | ESV (2016) | ESV Prophets Plan 2023 |
Pericopes
- Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors
Notes/Application
Amos pronounces judgment on five nations: Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom and Ammon. It will come in full measure as the sin of these people had overreached itself. God will break bar-gates and send fire to devour their strongholds.
There is a pattern of cause and effect that permeates all of these declarations. It was because each nation had sought power and dominance through unscrupulous means that they would now face judgment. This demonstrates how lasting, enduring success only comes from the Lord and through methods reflecting His righteousness.
Another repeated feature in the chapter was God’s punishment as fire that would devour the strongholds of the nations. Each of them had built up an infrastructure of protection which would have been impressive by earthly measure, but mere matchsticks to God. This is important to see because of how easily we can begin to place our confidence in the things of this world rather than God. We can breathe a false sigh of relief when our jobs are going well, relationships are thriving and health is intact, but these will all pass away. There is nothing to be compared to the eternal security we have in Christ. Everything else is but wood, hay and stubble.
Scripture Journal Notes
Commentaries & Resources Used
- ESV Study Bible. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008)
- Faithlife Study Bible (Lexham Press, 2016)
- Believer’s Bible Commentary (Thomas Nelson, 2016)
- CSB Study Bible Notes (Holman Bible Publishers, 2017)
- Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Guardian Press, 1976)
- The Bible: A Reader’s Guide (Sterling Publishing, 2011)
- The Infographic Bible (Zondervan, 2018)
- ESV Digital Scripture Journal (Crossway, 2019)