They Know Not to Do Right Amos 3:10

The people of Israel had turned from the ways of the LORD and found themselves directly in the path of the judgment of Almighty God. Amos the prophet shared how they ignored normal alarms such as a “lion roaring”, “trumpets blowing” and “calamity in the city”, and in chapter three and verse ten of his prophesy, “the LORD” through Amos declares “they know not to do right” where we read:

For they know not to do right, says the LORD,

who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

The verse begins, “For they know not to do right, says the LORD,...” Amos began with the words, “For they know” which means “they discern, discriminate, recognize or admit” “not to do” or “not to fashion, make, accomplish or produce” “right” or “straightforwardness, properly, recititude or equity”, “says the LORD” which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the one true God uttering, proclaiming and declaring”. God Almighty declared that they did not even “have knowledge of” how to do the “proper and straightforward” thing.

The verse goes on to say, “...who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.” Amos continued, “who store or “save, lay up and treasure” “up violence” which means “wrong, cruelty and injustice” “and robbery” or “havoc, violence, destruction, devastation and ruin” “in their palaces” which refers to “their citadels and fortresses”. Rather than do “right”, the people of Israel “laid up” and “treasured” “violence” and “ruin” in their places of royalty.

When we think through these words of Amos, we discover the LORD's appraisal of the people within Israel. His assessment was they don't even “know” how to do “right”, and they rather “treasure” “cruelty and havoc” instead of following the LORD's ways. Many would see our society in the same vain today. Jesus Christ came to save people from their natural sinful ways and to turn them to follow after God. We “know” what is “right” by following after the ways of Jesus, and those who are wise will not be among those who “lay up” “violence and robbery” in this world.

Next time Amos writes how the “palaces will be destroyed”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.