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Amos 2:1-16
1 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I
will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones
of the king of Edom into lime:
2 But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of
Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the
sound of the trumpet:
3 And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all
the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.
Moab. A nation descended from Moab, son of Lot by his elder
daughter (Gen 19:37). Moabites were closely related to the Israelites
and the Ammonites. Burned the bones of the king of Edom. This perhaps
occurred in connection with the events recorded in 2 Kings 3, when
Mesha, the king of Moab, was at least temporarily successful in his
rebellion. The event is also described on the Moabite Stone, inscribed
by Mesha, who was king of Moab at the time (2 Kings 3:4).
Into lime. Or, to powder. The LXX has he konia, which was the
fine dust with which a wrestler's body was covered after it had been
oiled. This afforded his opponent the advantage of a firm grip. The
Vulgate has to ashes. The Targum indicates that the king of Moab used
the powder to plaster his house.
Kirioth. Perhaps the capital city of Moab, called Kir of
Moab in Isa 15:1. It is named on the Moabite Stone as the site of a
temple of Chemosh, a god of the Moabites.
Judge. The Hebrew word is shopet, which sometimes refers to a
judge in the usual sense of the term. It is also used of a king (cf. Mic
5:2) who functions as a judge (2 Sam 8:15; Jer 21:12), and may be used
of a high officer who functions in the place of a king (cf. 2 Kings
15:5).
(from The
Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by
Moody Press)
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MOAB
[MOE abb] (perhaps of my father) - the name of a man and a nation in the
Old Testament:
1. A son of Lot by an incestuous union with his older daughter (Gen
19:37). Moab became an ancestor of the MOABITES.
2. A neighboring nation whose history was closely linked to the fortunes
of the Hebrew people. Moab was situated along the eastern border of the
Dead Sea, on the plateau between the Dead Sea and the Arabian desert. It
was about 57 kilometers (35 miles) long and 40 kilometers (25 miles)
wide. Although it was primarily a high plateau, Moab also had
mountainous areas and deep gorges. It was a fertile area for crops and
herds. To the south and west of Moab was the nation of Edom; to
the north was Ammon. After the Israelites invaded the land, the
tribe of Reuben displaced the Moabites from the northern part of their
territory and the tribe of Gad pushed the Ammonites eastward into the
desert.
General History.
Moab was inhabited from prehistoric times. The KING'S HIGHWAY, a major
trade route from Syria to the Gulf of Aqabah, brought wealth and culture
to Moab as early as 2500 BC Some time during the 15 th century B.C., as
the nomadic population settled down, the kingdom of Moab arose, along
with the other kingdoms east of the Jordan River, such as Edom and
Ammon. The Moabites built fortifications throughout their territory,
especially on the south and east. Not long before the conquest of the
region by the Hebrew people, Sihon, king of the Amorites, invaded Moab
from the north and added much of Moab to his kingdom (Num 21:27-30).
The Israelite tribes of Reuben and Gad settled the northern part of the
territory of Moab. During most of Israel's history, the Moabites were
Israel's enemies. In the late eighth century B.C. Moab became subject to
Assyria, like many other nations in the region. When the Assyrian Empire
fell in 609 BC, Arab invasions intensified, and the kingdom of Moab was
taken. Thereafter Moab was occupied increasingly by nomadic Arabs, until
the NABATAEANS established a settled culture from the first century B.C.
to A.D. 106 AD. After that, the entire region was made into a Roman
province.
Connections with Israel.
Moab, founder of the Moabites, was a son of Lot by incest (Gen
19:30-38). Although the Moabites were of mixed ethnic stock, the
influence of Moab's descendants among them was great enough to give the
country its ancient name. The story in Gen 14 of the raid of
Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and his fellow kings records the conquest of
most of Moab about 2000 BC-1900 BC
Sihon's Amorite kingdom annexed much of Moab shortly before the
Israelite conquest of Canaan (Num 21:17-29). After the Israelites
defeated Sihon, Balak, the king of the relatively weak Moabites, joined
with the Midianites in hiring the prophet-magician Balaam to curse
Israel so the Israelites could be defeated (Num 22:1-20). Balaam's
mission failed, but when the Israelites camped in Moab just before
crossing the Jordan River, the women of Moab enticed the Israelites into
a form of idolatry that involved ritual sexual immorality. This resulted
in God's judgment against Israel (Num 25:1-9).
Moses saw the Promised Land from Moab's Mount Nebo (Num 27:12-23).
Here he was buried after his death (Deut 34:6). From the region of
Acacia Grove in northwest Moab, the Israelites crossed the Jordan River
into the Promised Land (Josh 3:1). The tribes of Reuben and Gad actually
settled in northern Moab (Num 32:1-37).
The nation of Israel was relatively weak during the period of the
judges, after the conquest. Eglon, a king of Moab, began to oppress
Israel, capturing territory east of the Jordan River as far as Jericho.
Ehud the judge delivered Israel from Eglon (Judg 3:12-30). The events of
the Book of Ruth occurred during this same general period. Ruth, a
Moabite woman, became an ancestor of King David and therefore of Jesus
himself (Ruth 2:6; 4:13-22; Matt 1:5-16).
The Moabites also threatened Israel in the days of Israel's first king,
Saul, who was apparently successful against them (1 Sam 14:47). Although
David had some early friendships among the Moabites (1 Sam 22:3-4), he
eventually conquered Moab (2 Sam 8:2). The Moabites remained subject to
Israel until after Solomon's death.
Omri, king of Israel (885 BC - 874 BC), kept Moab under his control, as
did his son Ahab (874 BC - 853 BC), until Ahab was so occupied with wars
against Syria and Assyria that Moab broke free. This was described by
King Mesha of Moab in his monument, the MOABITE STONE. King Jehoram of
Israel, King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom joined forces to
attack Moab about 849 BC. But they failed to conquer the Moabites
because of a superstitious lack of faith when the king of Moab
sacrificed his own son to show how deeply he believed in his cause (2
Kings 3).
On another occasion, a coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites
invaded Judah, but they were destroyed by God (2 Chron 20:1-30). The
Moabites apparently raided Israelite territory during the eighth century
B.C. (2 Kings 13:20).
The Assyrians conquered Moab about 735 BC and invading Arabs conquered
it about 650 BC The prophet Isaiah lamented over Moab's defeat (Isa
15-16), and Jeremiah predicted Moab's death at the end of the seventh
century B.C. (Jer 48). When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians
in 587 BC, some of the Jews fled to Moab to escape being taken into
captivity (Jer 40:11-12).
(from Nelson's
Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson
Publishers)
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Amos 2:
4 Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away
the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the
LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them
to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces
of Jerusalem.
Please note the
division at this point between "Judah"
[Amos 2:4] (Judah and Dan) and the 10 tribes of "Israel"
[Amos 2:6] who went north over the Caucasus Mountains.
The tribe of
"Judah"
became 'polluted' as the Kenites (sons of Cain) mixed themselves among
the people of "Judah".
And, rather than watching over and adhering to YHVH'S Government (Law -
The King line), these mixed peoples (referenced as "Jews" in
the scriptures, because they were no longer the pure tribe of "Judah")
set themselves up as the priests, scribes, and keepers of religion.
"they have
despised the law of the LORD"
The 'priest line' had been established, by YHVH, with the Levitical
tribe, the Levites.
The fact that these priests of the tribe of Levi allowed the Kenites to
mix themselves with the priesthood indicates that these of Levi were not
doing a good job for YHVH.
The kingdom of the "fig tree" (the good and bad figs...Judah
with Kenites), overseeing the Holy Land, is the last
"government" over Jerusalem before Satan's spurious government
(fallen angels) arrives in the sight of earthly flesh men.
Matt 24:32-51
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet
tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is
near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these
things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of
heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other
left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and
the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what
watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have
suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the
Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his
goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth
his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink
with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for
him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. KJV
What did FATHER have to say about the 10 tribes of Israel who crossed
over the Caucusus Mountains (scattered tribes...who became the Christian
nations)?
Is HE happy with our performance?
No.
Amos 2:
6 Thus saith the LORD;
For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away
the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and
the poor for a pair of shoes;
7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and
turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto
the same maid, to profane my holy name:
8 And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every
altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their
god.
What have these
'Christian' peoples of the 10 tribes of Israel done?
They have allowed every false god, false law and traditions of the
heathen to mix into their ways of thinking and their actions.
Are they working for YHVH now, or for themselves? Are they honestly
'Christians' (men of Christ, working according to The Saviour's way)?
FATHER tells us that they are doing those things which are against YHVH,
and acting in a manner (pretending to be Christian) which actually
velifies Christ's Holy Name in the sight of men.
Titus 1:1-16
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to
the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is
after godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before
the world began;
3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is
committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and
peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order
the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had
appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children
not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled,
not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy
lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy,
temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be
able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers,
specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses,
teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians
are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be
sound in the faith;
14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn
from the truth.
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled
and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is
defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. KJV
"Thus
saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will
not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous
for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;"
6. Sold the righteous ... and the poor. A picture of the
injustice and oppression in Israel.
7. Go in unto the same maid. A reference to the temple
prostitute, who carried on her practices as part of the Canaanite
fertility cult ritual with which the Israelites had become involved.
8. Clothes laid to pledge. These were garments given for security
by the poor. They were being held over night by the creditors in
violation of the Law (Ex 22:25-26; Deut 24:12). The Law said that,
because the poor needed the garments to sleep in, they should be
returned at the close of the day.
Drink the wine of the condemned. The wine actually belonged to
those who had pawned it. The verse presents a picture of ruthless
fore-closure against honest debtors.
(from The Wycliffe
Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody
Press)
Amos 2:
9 Yet destroyed I the
Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and
he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his
roots from beneath.
AMORITES
[AM oh rites] (Westerners) - the inhabitants of the land west of the
Euphrates River, which included Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. The
Amorites were one of the major tribes, or national groups, living in
Canaan. The Old Testament frequently uses "Amorites" as a
synonym for Canaanites in general. The Book of Genesis cites Canaan as
the ancestor of the Amorites (Gen 10:16).
Shortly before 2000 BC, the Amorites lived in the wilderness regions of
what today is western Saudi Arabia and southern Syria. In the court
records of ACCAD and SUMER they were known as barbarians, or uncivilized
people. Beginning about 2000 BC, Amorites migrated eastward to Babylon
in large numbers. There they captured major cities and regions from the
native Mesopotamians.
Throughout Old Testament times, other Amorites remained in Syria,
Phoenicia, and the desert regions to the south (Josh 13:4). A
significant number, however, settled in the land of Palestine itself,
eventually occupying large areas both east and west of the Jordan River
(Judg 11:19-22). These Amorites spoke a dialect which was closely
related to Canaanite and Hebrew. Occasionally, the Amorites were
identified as a Canaanite tribe (Gen 10:16). At other times they were
called the people of Canaan (Deut 1:27).
When Israel invaded Canaan under Joshua, the first Israelite victories
came against the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, who ruled much of the
Promised Land east of the Jordan River (Josh 12:1-6). Various cities
west of the Jordan-Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon-also
were called "Amorite" cities (Josh 10:5), even though
Jerusalem was also known as a Jebusite city.
While conquering Canaan, the Israelites frequently fought with the
Amorites. After the Israelites prevailed, the Amorites who had not been
killed remained in Canaan and became servants to the Israelites (1 Kings
9:20-21).
Much of our knowledge about the Amorites and their culture comes from
clay tablets discovered at MARI, a major Amorite city situated on the
Euphrates River in western Mesopotamia.
(from Nelson's
Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson
Publishers)
Amos 2:
10 Also I brought you
up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the
wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
11 And I raised up of
your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not
even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD.
12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets,
saying, Prophesy not.
13 Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of
sheaves.
14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong
shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver
himself:
15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of
foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse
deliver himself.
16 And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in
that day, saith the LORD. KJV
"Yet
destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of
the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit
from above, and his roots from beneath."
10. Amorite. A general name given to the people east of the
Jordan and the Canaanites west of the river.
11. Nazarite. The law of the Nazarite is given in Num 6:1-21.
13. I am pressed. Better: I will press you in your place, as a
cart presseth that is full of sheaves (ASV). As a cart presseth. Israel
would experience the grinding pressure that a fully loaded wagon exerts
on the ground over which it travels.
16. In that day. When God's judgment would fall upon
Israel.
Verses 14-16 describe an overwhelming disaster.
(from The Wycliffe
Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody
Press)
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