As God Overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Amos 4:11

As Amos the prophet continued to enumerate the ways the LORD attempted to have Israel “return” to Him, he included lack of water, “blasting and mildew” on their crops, palmerworms which destroyed their fig and olive trees, pestilence similar to that which came upon Egypt and slaying their “young men” and “horses” to exemplify God's effort. In chapter four and verse eleven of his prophesy, Amos included being “overthrown” like “Sodom and Gomorrah” as another effort of influence where we read:

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, says the LORD.

The verse begins, “I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning:” Amos began with the words, “I have overthrown” or “overturned, turned about, changed and transformed” “some of you” which means “some of the people of Israel”, “as God” who is “the divine ruler and judge” “overthrew” or “destroyed” “Sodom” which means “burning” and was “a Canaanite city usually paired with Gomorrah and located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; Both cities were destroyed by God in judgment” “and Gomorrah” which means “submersion” and was “the twin-city in evil with Sodom, both destroyed in judgment by God with fire from heaven”, “and you were as a firebrand” which means “Israel was like a hot branding poker used to gather embers” “plucked out” or “snatched, torn away, delivered, rescued, saved, stripped and plundered out” “of the burning” which means “cremation, conflagration and setting on fire”. The LORD “turned about and transformed” some of the people within Israel in the same way He did against “Sodom and Gomorrah”, and He “rescued” others of them from the “fiery” judgment that came upon them.

The verse continues, “yet have you not returned unto me, says the LORD.” Amos added, “yet you have not returned unto me” which refers to “the people of Israel not turning back and repenting” “says” or “utters, proclaims and declares” “the LORD” or “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the one true God”. Though Israel was judged like “Sodom and Gomorrah” they had not “turned back” to God.

When we consider these words of Amos, we understand the LORD's continual and persistent efforts to persuade Israel to repent and turn back to Him. The LORD was so patient with them, and He continues to be so today. Many people have heard of God's salvation through Jesus Christ His Son, and they continue to have difficulty after difficulty in their lives. Perhaps, some reading these words and can relate to Israel and find it high time that they surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, ask Him to forgive their sins and turn to a relationship with God. This was God's desire for Israel, and if He had to “overthrow” them like “Sodom and Gomorrah”and pull them from the “fire” like a “firebrand”, He would do so.

Next time Amos tells Israel to “prepare to meet” their “God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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