Amos 1 (6)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 91.1-3
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.

Sing Psalm 91.1-3
(Lauda Anima: Praise My Soul the King of Heaven)
All who dwell within God’s shelter in His shadow will reside.
He our Tow’r, our Fortress ever, in Him we our trust confide.
From the trapper’s snares He saves us; safe from sickness we abide.

Read Amos 1.1-12; meditate on verses 11, 12.

Preparation
1. Why did God judge Edom?

2. What form would that judgment take?

Meditation
Edom’s ingratitude and depravity were the worst, since their crimes were committed against “his brother” (v. 11).

The Edomites had been opposed to Israel’s settling in the land of Canaan from the beginning (cf. Num. 20.14-21). We have noted how eagerly they purchased a multitude of Israelites to make them slaves and, we may assume, sell them in the lucrative slave trade of the day (vv. 6, 9). Yet as heinous as this sin was, it paled into insignificance—the LORD does not mention it here—with the other transgressions for which God was coming in judgment against them.

The Edomites were pitiless against the people of Israel and “pursued” them “with the sword”, filled with rage and anger (v. 11). That is, in their rage, they butchered as many of the Israelites as they could, whenever opportunity arose. They “tore perpetually”, never giving the Israelite who bordered their land any rest from savagery.

Such unrelenting anger and violence became more than God would endure. He would burn their main cities to the ground—at the hand of the Babylonians (cf. Jer. 46.7ff)—and put an end to their monarchy. In other words, they would cease to be a people: “His descendants are plundered, his brethren and his neighbors, and he is no more” (Jer. 49.10).

Moses explained that God “remembered” His covenant with His people (Ex. 2.24, 25). Israel did not, but God will not deny His Word. For the nations surrounding Israel, their time was up. Ironically, when judgment fell on Edom and the others, it would fall on Israel as well, and ultimately on Judah. Because God also remembered that if His people spurn His promises and Law, they will know the backhand of His wrath (cf. Deut. 28.15ff). And He continues to remember His Word and promises today.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
God remembers His promises and keeps them—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And we must remember that God is God. He is not like us, and sadly, we are not like Him.
“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD.
‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,
and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Is. 55.8, 9).

As gratifying as it is to know that God deals with His, and our, enemies, we also need to know, and fully understand, that the only reason we are not His enemies is because of Jesus’ saving work on our behalf.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5.8).

How can we ever fully comprehend a love like that? Our thoughts truly are not His thoughts. His love and forgiveness are beyond measure, something that we can only know “dimly”. “We can see and understand only a little about God now, as if we were peering at His reflection in a poor mirror” (1 Cor. 13.12 TLB).

Paul hoped for us that we might “be able to comprehend…the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge…” (Eph. 3.18, 19).

That amazing love makes all the difference in the way God deals with our sin. He pities those who fear Him.

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities…
As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103.8-10, 13).

Sadly for the Edomites who did not fear Him nor repent, their fate was ugly, bad, and deadly.
Sadly for those today who do not fear Him nor repent (Rom. 3.18), their fate is equally as sad.

Happily, for those who do fear Him, repent, and turn from their sinful ways (2 Chron. 7.14) the outcome is good.

“He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded…” (Ps. 105.8).

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13.20, 21).

Reflection
1. What does it mean to say that God “remembers” His covenant?

2. How does He “remember” His covenant toward you? What should your response be?

3. Knowing that God will deal with our enemies, how should this affect our witness for Christ?

[T]he Prophet says now, that the Idumeans had sinned more than their neighbors, and that their obstinacy was unhealable and that hence they could no longer be borne, for they had too long abused God's forbearance, who had withheld his vengeance until this time. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Amos 1.11, 12

Closing Prayer: Psalm 91.4-16
Thank the Lord for the forgiveness of sins and for His mercy and grace to meet us in all our times of need.

Sing Psalm 91.4-16
(Lauda Anima: Praise My Soul the King of Heaven)
He will shade us with His pinions, ‘neath His wings we safety find.
From night’s terror, from day’s arrow, from the fears that stalk our mind.
When destruction falls at noon time, safe in Him shall we abide.

Thousands at our sides may falter—it will not to us come near!
We instead shall see the end of all who at God’s mercy sneer.
Evil shall no more befall us for we hold the Lord most dear.

He shall give His angels charge to bear us up, lest we should fall;
they will guard and carry all who on the Savior’s mercy call.
Cobra, mighty lion, serpent: We shall tread upon them all!

Save us, Lord! We love You only; set us up secure on high!
You we know, on You we call in trouble: Hear us when we cry!
Show us Your salvation, let long life forever satisfy!

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.