For Three Sins...and for Four
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Intro: This morning as we opened our study in the Book of Amos, we mainly looked at who Amos was, the time in which he lived and the general message God gave him. Tonight we will begin to break down that message of judgment upon the nations and what their sin was.
Text: Amos 1:3-2:3
3 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron.
4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, Which shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad.
5 I will also break the gate bar of Damascus, And cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven, And the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden. The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir,” Says the Lord.
6 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver them up to Edom.
7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, Which shall devour its palaces.
8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,” Says the Lord God.
9 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
10 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, Which shall devour its palaces.”
11 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, And cast off all pity; His anger tore perpetually, And he kept his wrath forever.
12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, Which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.”
13 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead, That they might enlarge their territory.
14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, And it shall devour its palaces, Amid shouting in the day of battle, And a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.
15 Their king shall go into captivity, He and his princes together,” Says the Lord.
1 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
2 But I will send a fire upon Moab, And it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth; Moab shall die with tumult, With shouting and trumpet sound.
3 And I will cut off the judge from its midst, And slay all its princes with him,” Says the Lord.
I want us to remember that Amos was a part of the southern kingdom of Judah and God has sent him to the northern kingdom of Israel to preach a message of judgment. Now that’s like a southern man going to New York and telling AOC how to reduce crime [Arm the police]. They’re not going to listen!
So Amos has his work cut out for him but God gives Amos great wisdom on how to get them to listen. Amos starts out with Gods judgment upon surrounding nations to peak the interest of Israel.
It would be like a Trump rally in America and saying he would hold Russia, China, North Korea, Democrats and the media accountable. We’re applauding—“They’re going to get it!” MAGA!
Amos is doing the same thing saying, “God is going to hold these nations accountable “For Three Sins… and for Four”
1. Sins of Damascus, Gaza & Tyre; 3-10
1. Sins of Damascus, Gaza & Tyre; 3-10
The first three nations were Gentile nations. They are not related ethnically to Israel at all.
Judgment on Damascus [Syria] is for Cruelty
The Syrians were a cruel people that used wicked ways to torture people. They threshed Gilead meant they used iron tools to rake over their prisoners and mutilate them. Extreme brutality exposes a depraved heart.
God would send a judgment of fire into the Syria. This was fulfilled by Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria who conquered and exiled the surviving Syrians about 732 B.C. (2 K. 16:7–9).
41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Judgment on Gaza [Philistines] is for Making Slaves
The Philistines had a history of raiding border towns of Israel and carrying people away captive as slaves and selling them to Edom.
Slavery is a heinous crime for it profits at the expense of human life. [Prostitution, sex trafficking, sweat shops, political slavery]
God again would send a judgment of fire. God used Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the Philistine nation.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Judgment against Tyre [Phoenicia] is for Breaking Treaty
Tyre not only sold people into slavery to Edom, but they broke a treaty of brotherhood David had with King Hiram of Tyre.
There is a brotherly bond among all men in that we are created in the image and likeness of God. That doesn’t mean I like some folks or that they like me, but it does mean God loves them and I shouldn’t think less of them.
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
God again judges with fire and Nebuchadnezzar partially destroyed Tyre and Alexander the Great finished them off
2. Sins of Edom, Ammon and Moab; 11-2:3
2. Sins of Edom, Ammon and Moab; 11-2:3
The next three nations are a little bit different because they are actually relatives/cousins to the nation of Israel. That brings judgment a little closer to home.
Judgment against Edom for Revengeful Spirit
Edom came from Esau, and Israel from Jacob; Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, the sons of Isaac and I don’t think the descendants of Esau ever got over Jacob stealing [in their mind] Esau’s birthright. That changed the portion of their inheritance in the land, and they constantly were an enemy of their cousins. Edom would not let the Exodus come through their land and went out against them with the sword. Failing to show mercy where needed is a sin
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Again they were judged by fire. Edom was subjugated by the Assyrians in the eighth century B.C., turned into a desolate wasteland by the fifth century B.C. (Mal. 1:3), and overtaken by the Nabateans, an Arabian tribe, around 400–300 B.C.
Judgment against Ammon for Violent Crimes
The Ammonites were descendants of Lot through an incestuous relationship with his youngest daughter [Gen. 19:30-38]
Ammon’s violence against women and children to enlarge their borders is the height of cruelty towards the helpless. The Ammonites took a strong stand against God’s people, continually oppressing and harassing them. If they eliminated the source of multiplying [pro- creation] then they could control more land. They lived for themselves and coveted what others had.
That’s the same thought of those who believe in abortion. Eliminate everyone who does not think the same way they do so they can control the narrative of life.
13 “You shall not murder.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
God judged by fire and destroyed Edom. Modern day Jordan is built upon the ruins of Edom.
Judgment against Moab for Desecration of the Dead
The Moabites were descendants of Lot through an incestuous relationship with his older daughter [Gen. 19:30-38]
The Moabites went to war against Israel and Edom, but did not win. So they went after Edom alone and won the battled and desecrated the dead body of Edom’s king. Burning the body was considered sacrilege in that culture.
One of the atrocities of the Holocaust was the number of Jews that were put in concentration camps by the Nazi’s. The sacrilege [a violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred] was the burning of their bodies. Jews forbid cremation according to the Law and tradition.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
22 “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.
We are to honor our past as we seek to preserve our future. Desecrating the dead shows a lack of respect for the dignity of man, God’s creation.
6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,
7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God brought about the extinction of Moab at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.
Close;
It is for sure that your sin will find you out and that when it does, if not repented of, it will come under the Judgment of God!