Amos 6:1-14

Return to True Security

© 2000, J.W. Carter
     www.biblicaltheology.com              Scripture quotes from KJV

      Amos was a prophet who preached prior to the destruction of the Northern kingdom of Israel prior to its destruction by Assyria.  At the time he writes, Jereboam II is king, and the country is in a period of relative peace and prosperity.   The nation had expanded its boundaries to the limits set by the conquest of Canaan in the time of Joshua.  They thought that they were the world’s superpower.  They were no immediate threat to their neighbors who were also little threat to them.  During this time of peace the rich got richer and the poor got poorer as the wealthy exploited the less-powerful poor in their quest for power, position, and property.  During this time they also failed to see their need for God as they depended upon themselves for their needs.  They moved further and further from God until they were at the point of no return.  The leaders of the nation were not intending on turning the nation back to God, so God determined to judge them in the manner similar to the past:  military defeat.  However, in this case, God determined that Israel would not survive.  Unlike the southern Kingdom of Judah that returned after exile under the reign of Cyrus, Israel did not get an opportunity to return.   God would destroy Israel.

      This scenario does not sound much different than the United States of America at this time.  The US started out as “One nation under God,” with freedom of religious expression at its core, and faith in God as its foundation.  Over the years liberal politics have redefined the interpretation of the constitution to allow persecution of religious expression in any area where there is government influence.  A nation that once stood for human rights in a world where rights were systematically violated leads the world in the killing of unborn babies.  Like ancient Israel, the rich find their security in their power and possessions, despising the poor and ridiculing the faithful.

      Israel gave up dependence upon God for security, much as the United States has today.  Our coins still state, “In God We Trust,” though many groups in America are trying to have that statement removed.  This is not a nation that trusts in God.  It trusts in its own prosperity, property, and strength.  Like Israel, the US thinks of itself as the worlds only superpower who cannot be challenged.

Amos 6:1. 

Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

      Where is Zion? Though Amos is prophesying a warning to Israel, he also includes Judah in his argument, as he did once in Chapter 5.  Zion is the name of the mountain in Jerusalem where the Temple was built.  Consequently, those who seek to rebuild the temple on that hill are referred to as “Zionists.”  Mount Samaria is in Israel.  Consequently, the indictment of complacency is directed at both the Northern and Southern nations.  These are the leaders, the movers and shakers of the nation.  How does Amos describe them?  It is obvious that Amos does not consider them notable, so his referring to them as such is an insult.  He is stating that they are notable in their own eyes, thinking that they are better than everyone else and lead a nation that is better than every other.

      These people are placing their security in the stability of the nation, Israel.  What will be the result of such a choice?  How much of our personal security do we get from our own country?  We like to think that our government is so bloated and our judicial system is so slow that significant change is not possible.  However, one well-placed terrorist nuclear blast could completely topple the government and radically change our lives.

      This arrogance is characteristic of our own nation where our security is wrapped up on our definition of who we are.  The millennial year, 2000, was a humbling experience for many who place their confident security in their financial holdings.  Overvalued technology stocks swelled the financial markets to soaring heights, making many investors rich, only to quickly fall to their real value, creating a market that lost money over the period of the year.  Many investors lost great sums of money, most people who have their retirement vested in the stock market did not see any growth in their investment at all.

Amos 6:2.

Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?

      The cities of Calneh, Hamath, and Gath were all large and prosperous cities with conquering armies that maintained the security of their boundaries.  The first two were Aram cities on the far borders of Israel, and Gath was a city of Philistia, south of Judah.  Each had experienced their glory days when their strength was unchallenged.  Each later came to ruin as they faced God’s judgment on them.  Amos shows that their national security was no less tenuous than those other cities. 

      We have recently seen the fall of the major Communist governments around the world, with each fall resulting in chaos and suffering.  Just as Israel thought they were the only power left, we think the same in America.  Is our security better?  If God ordains the fall of this nation, nothing will stop it.

Amos 6:3-6. 

Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; 4That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; 5That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David; 6That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

      What does it mean to “put off the evil day?”  The complacent Israelites have forgotten that there will be a day of judgment to which they will be subject.  They do not feel that there is any accountability for their actions since they consider themselves righteous by their religious activities, and blessed by the testimony of their riches.  They see calamity coming to somebody else, not them.  They are ignoring the warnings that God has given them and continue to live in disobedience to Him.  Such ignorance will bring about their destruction.

      They sleep on ivory inlaid beds while the poor sleep on the ground.  They eat the most expensive foods, meat from calves and lambs.  Rather than work, they spend their time in leisure, playing musical instruments and making up songs.   What have we replaced the ivory beds and harps with?  Most likely, lazy-boy recliners and a TV remote.  Just like the degradation in spiritual focus that was characteristic of Israel, America has experienced a similar degradation.  We have seen a reduction in values, religious freedom, respect for life, and seen it replaced with consumerism, hedonism, and destruction of the nuclear family as the foundational block of our society.  Just like Israel, most of America is either ignorant of the decline, or supports it.  Just as God preserved a remnant of Israel and Judah, there is a remnant in America that does grieve over its ruination, with the predominant representation coming from the Christian church, a voice that is despised by most of the elite in our country.

      Their self-security is also demonstrated in overindulgence.  Drinking wine by the bowlful is excessive, wasteful, and self-destructive.  They were becoming a society of alcoholics.  Anointing themselves with the finest lotions was a demonstration of opulence, much as is displayed by the rich elite in our world, often the targets of the “rich and famous” media coverage.

Amos 6:7. 

Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

      Amos’ prophesy is quite accurate here.  When Assyria overran Israel it first took all of the influential people into captivity, taking the spoils of their possessions, and removing the leaders from influence so that it would be easier to control the remaining population.  Assyria did not take the poor into captivity unless they were resisting Assyrian control.  The feasting and lounging of the complacent would be replaced by prison and cultural re-training.  Assyria would attempt to retrain them in the ways of their own nation so that they could return home and better represent the Assyrian empire.  Refusal to comply was met with torture and death.  Resistance was futile.

Amos 6:8-11. 

The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein. 9And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die. 10And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD. 11For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

      These verses picture the wrath of God and the total annihilation of Israel, the pride of Jacob.  There will be a tremendous amount of death, and those who survive will face the tortuous task of removing the piled corpses of their families.  Fear will be so widespread that the people will be reduced to silence, afraid that their simple mention of the Sovereign Lord will bring upon them a return of the wrath that they know they deserve.  Amos implies that the time for repentance is too late, that the Lord has already given the command.  We know that God does not destroy the faithful repentant, so it is clear that Amos’ prophesy is secure in the knowledge that the nation is not going to repent.

      Where does our nation stand in such judgment?  Is there a possibility that we are remaining to stand, only under a final judgment of destruction because our repentance, as a nation, will never occur?  America has a very large Christian remnant that is praying and working to turn the nation back to God.  As this study is written, the executive administration, under George W. Bush, includes many Christians who desire to be faithful to God in the administration of their duties.  We should continue to pray for our leaders and support those who maintain Christian values.

Amos 8:12. 

Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

      Amos uses the metaphor of two absurd situations that describe the rationality of their actions.  The first refers to running horses over rocky crags, referring to rocky terrain with very deep crevasses.  To do so is quite impossible.  Likewise, it is also unreasonable to try to plow such a place.  Some translations interpret the place being plowed as the sea, likewise impossible.  What they are actually doing is making a mockery of justice and righteousness.  They used their courts to oppress the poor, bringing judgments that favor their own profit.  They defined righteousness as their legalistic adherence to temple law, without any regard to the attitude of their own heart, and without any regard of God.  Their righteousness, intended by God to be a savored sacrifice, became a poison that would condemn them to destruction.

      These two errors can serve to remind us to avoid being swept into error by the applications of justice and righteousness that are defined by this sinful world, and to remain faithful to God, applying justice and righteousness in the manner that He intends:  in obedience to Him as His Word and the Holy Spirit leads.  When we do so, we find that the basis for the application of justice and righteousness is love, agape love.  When either justice or righteousness is applied free of the influence of agape love, it is an error that is tantamount to poison.

Amos 8:13.

Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

      These verses describe the bragging about petty accomplishments that were attained on their own.  The choices of locations is clearly a play on words.  Lo Debar means, “of no value,” or “nothing.”  They were proud of conquering a place of no value.  The German language has a good term for describing Lo Debar.  It is macht nichts, meaning “Lot of nothing.”  In the country you will often find wooden posts along the road at 50 meter intervals to help guide drivers at night and in fog.  We referred to them as “Mach Nichts Posts”, because if you knocked one down, the German response was, “Macht ichts,”  no big deal.  Karnaim meant “horn,” such as a ram’s horn.  They symbolized strength.  However, they were also used as trumpets to signal groups of people.  In this regard, Amos may be referring to noise.  Gideon won a battle by fooling his opponents into thinking he had a mighty army when each member of his 300-man platoon blew trumpets (horns).  The noise has no power.

      Amos is implying that their pride is based on no accomplishments of value.  They are fools, thinking that they have accomplished anything in their own power and strength.  We know that anything that we accomplish for God’s kingdom comes from His power, not our own, and with His power we can accomplish anything He commands.

Amos 8:14. 

But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.

      God declares to Israel that all that they have can and will be destroyed.  Lebo Hamath is on the northern border, and the valley of Arabah is their border to the south.  The defeat that they are about to experience will overwhelm them in a manner far greater than any of their own accomplishments.  They had placed all of their security in their nation, a nation that had wandered far from God, had failed to look to God for any purpose, and could not stand on its own against the judgment that was to come.  They had desired separation from God, and were going to receive it.

      What actually provides your deepest sense of security?  Is it in retirement investments?  Is it placed in the nation and its army that protects you against other nations?  Is it founded in a person or persons who are close to you?  Our security comes from God’s grace in the form of His promise that our future with Him is secure.  The only rational response to the knowledge of such security is to seek to obey God, and turn from those worldly sources of security that are baseless, and a waste of our time and resources.

      If your security is in money, how much is enough?  When do you reach the point of financial security?  How much are you willing to rob God by failing to tithe in order to build your own nest egg of possessions?  This may be one area that deserves prayer and repentance.

      Israel was experiencing tremendous moral and spiritual decay, a condition that seemed to continue unabated until the nation was ultimately destroyed.  How far do we allow our culture to decay?  What is our response to such destruction of moral and spiritual values?  Again, this may be another area that requires prayer and attention.

      We must approach God with humility, recognizing all He has done for us.  We should be praying for our home nation, that God will raise up leadership that is obedient to Him, and where possible we should take a stand for Christ in our fellowship, in our community, and in our government.  This might mean that God is calling you to public service where your light and salt can be applied to a nation that is desperately in need of it.