Amos the
prophet was commissioned by the LORD to pronounce judgment upon the
enemies of Israel and Judah. After stating the vengeance that would
be spread to “Damascus, Avan, Syria and Gaza”,
he also included “ Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron and the
remnant of the Philistines” among
those who would be “cut off”.
In chapter one and verse nine of his prophesy, Amos turned his
attention toward “Tyrus”
and the judgment that was pronounced upon them where we read:
Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of
Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the
punishment thereof; because they
delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the
brotherly covenant:
The
verse begins, “Thus says the LORD;
For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away
the punishment
thereof;” Amos
began with the words, “Thus says”
or “utters, declares and proclaims” “the
LORD”
which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah and is the existing One and the
proper name for the one true God”; “For
three transgressions”
which means “the three or a triad of rebellions and willful sins”
“of Tyrus” which
means “a rock” and was “the Phoenician city on the
Mediterranean coast”, “and for
four” or
“four transgressions”, “I will
not turn away”
which means “the LORD will not return, turn back, refresh, restore
or repair” “the punishment thereof”
or “the
treading out, trampling on or being broken and torn”. Amos' warning
was against the land of “Tyrus” which committed “four
transgressions”
against Israel and Judah.
The
verse goes on to say, “because they delivered up the
whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:”
Amos continued, “because
they delivered up the whole captivity”
which is all the Hebrew word “cagar” and means “to shut, close
up and imprison the people within Israel and Judah” “to
Edom” which means “red”
and was “the land of Idumea which was south and southeast of
Palestine”, “and remembered”
or “called to mind, mentioned and made a memorial” “not
the brotherly” which means
“relative, kinship and resemblance” “covenant”
or “alliance, pledge and league”. Amos revealed how “Tyrus”
was also guilty of turning the people of Israel and Judah over to the
land of “Edom” even though “Edom” was the latter name for
“Esau” who was the brother of Jacob who became Israel.
When
we meditate upon these words of Amos, we see another example of
people who were destined to receive the judgment of “the LORD”
because they opposed Israel and Judah. “Tyrus” was guilty
of leading the people who were exiled into the oppressive control of
“Edom”, and they may have thought themselves justified in
doing so. Their mistake was to underestimate that God Almighty was
watching, and He demonstrated how opposing His people is a bad idea.
Jesus Christ is God's Son, and if “the LORD” came to the
aid of the people who were oppressed by “Tyrus”, how much more
shall He come against those who have opposed His Son?
Next
time Amos
shares how God will send “fire
on the wall of Tyrus”,
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.
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