Tumults and Oppressed Amos 3:9

As Amos the prophet continued to persuade the people of Israel of their pending judgment, he shared how they thought the “Lord God will do nothing”, however God “reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets”. He asked them to consider when the “lion has roared, who will not fear?” and “who can but prophesy” when “the Lord GOD has spoken”. In chapter three and verse nine of his prophesy, Amos shared how royalty were to observe the “great tumults” and “the oppressed in the midst” of Israel where we read:

Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.

The verse begins, “Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria,...” Amos began with the word, “Publish” or “hear, hearken, obey, understand, be obedient, diligent, discern, perceive and tell” “in the palaces” which refers to “citadels and fortresses” “at Ashdod” which means “powerful” and was “a major Philistine city on the Mediterranean Sea west from Jerusalem which is modern Esdud”, “and in the palaces” which refers to “citadels and fortresses” “in the land” or “the earth, country, territory and region” “of Egypt” which means “land of the Copts” “and was “a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine and through which the Nile flows”, “and say” or “utter, proclaim or declare”, “Assemble” or “gather in and collect” “yourselves upon the mountains” which refers to “the people of Israel on the hill country” “of Samaria” which means “watch mountain” and was “the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam”. Amos called for the princes within the “citadels and fortresses” of “Ashdod” and “Egypt” to gather together as witnesses on “the mountains of Samaria”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.” Amos continued, “and behold” or “see, inspect, perceive and consider” “the great tumults” which means “confusion, disquietude, discomfiture, destruction, trouble and vexation” “in the midst thereof” or “in the inner part such as the seat of thought and emotion”, “and the oppressed” which means “the extortion and tyranny” “in the midst thereof” or “in the middle of, through, among and between the seat of thought and emotion”. Amos called the princes of those nations to see the great “confusion and discomfiture” and the “extortion and tyranny” acted out by the princes in Israel.

When we consider these words of Amos, we see how he called for the royalty to observe the manner in which Israel's people treated the poor. The people of Israel brought “confusion” and “tyranny” upon those who were disadvantaged, and Amos wanted their enemies to observe it. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners from their sins, and rather than having others observe the “tumults” and “persecution” we bring upon the “oppressed”, let us turn from wicked ways lest we be like those in Israel who fell beneath the awesome judgment of God.

Next time Amos writes how the people of Israel “know not to do right ”, 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.