Amos 6

Amos is still lamenting the impending doom of the nation of Israel. In this section, he pronounces “woe” upon four kinds of people in the kingdom: the ignorant (5:18–27), the indifferent (6:1–2), the indulgent (vv. 3–7), and the impudent (vv. 8–14). The circumstances are different, but we have these same people in the professing church today. Do you recognize them?

This “woe” was addressed to both Judah (“Zion”) and Israel (“Samaria”) because both kingdoms were indifferent toward God’s Word and the judgment that hung over them. They called themselves “the foremost nation” (v. 1 niv) and enjoyed an unwarranted false confidence for several reasons.

The first cause of their complacency was their geography. Situated on Mount Zion, Jerusalem was considered impregnable (Ps. 78:68–69; 132:13–18); and Samaria also had a seemingly secure position. But when God decided to deal with these cities, nothing could stop the enemy.

As for their prosperity, government, and military strength, Amos had already exposed the folly depending on them; for the heart of each nation was corrupt to the core. The notable men in Israel’s government gave their opinion that the nation was safe and secure, and the people believed them, just as people today believe the political “experts” and the polls. False confidence that’s based on expert advice, statistics, and material resources and that ignores the spiritual dimension of life is sure to lead to shameful defeat.

Amos mentioned areas in Syria and Philistia that had already fallen to the Assyrian army and then asked two questions: “Are you better than they? Is your territory bigger than theirs?” If the enemy had already destroyed places bigger and stronger than Samaria and Israel, what hope was there for the Jewish people, especially when the Jews were living like the Gentiles and were disobeying the Lord? God doesn’t look at the talent of national leaders, the extent of a nation’s army, or the prosperity of its economy. God looks at the heart, and the heart of the two Jewish kingdoms was far from the Lord.

Complacency is an insidious sin, because it’s based on lies, motivated by pride, and leads to trusting something other than God (Zeph. 1:12). Like the people in the church of Laodicea, complacent people consider themselves “rich, and increased with goods” and in need of nothing (Rev. 3:17). In reality, however, they have lost everything that’s important in the spiritual life. When the Lord sees His people becoming complacent and self-satisfied, He sometimes sends trials to wake them up.

“It can’t happen here!” was the motto of the complacent leaders. “If a day of judgment is coming, it’s surely a long way off.” Whenever anybody mentioned the possibility of national disaster, the leaders laughed at the idea and disregarded it. But God had a different viewpoint. He said, “All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake us nor confront us’” (9: nkjv). Yet by their very indifference, they were bringing the day of judgment that much nearer.

Amos described their indulgent way of life—a way of life that left no place for the disciplines of the spiritual life. They were living for pleasure not for the glory of God. The common people usually slept on mats placed on the ground, but the wealthy enjoyed the luxury of beds of ivory and luxurious couches. They also used ivory to decorate their mansions (3:15). Excavations in Samaria have led to the discovery of the “Samaritan Ivories,” fragments of beautiful ivory carvings that once adorned their houses and furniture.

The wealthy also enjoyed elegant feasts, eating lamb and veal, drinking wine in abundance, enjoying beautiful music, and wearing expensive perfumes. The poor people, whom they exploited, couldn’t afford to kill tender lambs and calves, but had to settle for occasional mutton and beef, perhaps from a sacrifice. They would serve only cups of wine, not bowls; and their only “cosmetic” was olive oil.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying good food or good music, provided the things of the Lord are uppermost in your heart. David designed and made musical instruments, but he used them to praise the Lord. Abraham was able to prepare an elegant feast for his guests (Gen. 18:1–8), and the Lord didn’t rebuke him. But the sin in Amos’s day was that these luxuries distracted the people from the real problems of the nation, and “they [were] not grieved for the affliction of Joseph [Samaria]” (Amos 6:6). The NIV translates the Hebrew word sheber as “ruin,” for it means the total collapse of the nation.

When nations get pleasure-mad, it’s a sign that the end is near. Belshazzar and his leaders were enjoying a sumptuous feast when the city of Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians (Dan. 7). The Roman citizens enjoyed free “bread and circuses” as the empire decayed morally and politically and eventually fell to the enemy. One of the marks of the end days is the fact that people become “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4). No wonder Jesus warned His followers, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly” (Luke 21: nkjv).

It’s difficult today to find people who are truly burdened about the sins of the nations and the sins of the church. Too many are like the rulers of Samaria or the members of the church of Laodicea, closing their eyes to reality and living on fantasy based on false theology. How many believers can honestly say, “Indignation has taken hold of me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law” (Ps. 119: nkjv)? Or, “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law” (v. 136 nkjv)? Too many Christians are laughing when they should be weeping (James 4:8–10) and tolerating sin when they should be opposing it (1 Cor. 5:2).

Dr. Vance Havner told of having dinner in a dining room that was dimly lighted. At first, he could scarcely read the menu, but then he found he could see fairly well. He said to his friends, “Isn’t it strange how easy it is to become accustomed to the dark?” That’s one of the problems in the church today: we’ve gotten accustomed to the darkness, and our lights aren’t shining brightly enough.

Since these wealthy exploiters of the poor considered themselves to be the first in the land, God said they would be the first to go into captivity (Amos 6:7); for theirs was the greater responsibility. Certainly King Jeroboam and his priest Amaziah, the political and religious leaders of Israel, were among the first to be judged (7:10–17), but their self–indulgent followers eventually had to exchange their lounges for chains and their wine and expensive food for the meager fare of prisoners.

“I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore I will deliver up the city and all that is in it” (v. 8 nkjv). The Lord not only said this, but He also swore by Himself to fulfill it, which makes it a most solemn statement. The phrase “pride of Jacob” (kjv says “excellency of Jacob”) is used in Psalm 47: to mean “the Promised Land.” God abhorred the very land of Israel, the land He had given to His people for their inheritance.

Jesus said, “That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15). The people boasted of their fortresses, their mansions, and their elegant way of life, all of which God abhorred and would one day destroy. We’re reminded of the destruction of the great Babylonian world system described in Revelation 17—18. People who live without God, whose god is really personal pleasure, will one day hear Him say, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Luke 12: nkjv).

These impudent people who rejected God’s warning would one day face three judgments.

Death (vv. 9–10). Amos describes a hypothetical situation to emphasize the terrors that will come when the Assyrians invade Samaria. Ten men, perhaps the remnants of a hundred soldiers (5:3), would be hiding in a house, but pestilence would catch up with them, and they would die. If a relative came to burn the bodies (the safest thing to do in war when disease is rampant), anyone in the house guarding the bodies would deny there were others there who also might die in the plague. But the disposal of the dead bodies wouldn’t be a “religious” occasion, for the people would be afraid to even mention the name of the Lord lest He become angry and send more judgment.

Destruction (vv. 11–13). Pride always goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18). The summer houses and winter houses that the wealthy enjoyed and boasted about would one day be nothing but ashes and fragments. The Babylonians would even burn Judah’s beautiful temple. This would occur because the Lord commanded it, and His commands are always obeyed.

The prophet argues from the order of nature (v. 12). Horses are too wise to gallop on slick rocks, where they might slip and fall. Farmers are too wise to try to plow the rocks or the sea, because the plow won’t accomplish anything on rocks or water. (Remember, Amos was a farmer.) Plain common sense convinces us of the truth of these statements. Then why would God’s people poison their own judicial system? What they did just didn’t make sense!

Their pride again came to the fore when they boasted of their military victories at Lo Debar and Karnaim (see nkjv or niv). We aren’t certain when Israel took these cities, and it’s not important. What is important is that they were proud of their achievements and confident that nobody could defeat them. Lo Debar means “nothing,” and that’s what God thought of their victory! They boasted that the victory came because of their own strength, and their false confidence would lead to their destruction.

Disgrace and defeat (v. 14). If a nation rehearses the victories of the past and gives the glory to God, that’s one thing, but if they claim the victory for themselves, they are asking only for future defeat. Humble dependence on God is the only guarantee of His help and blessing.

Assyria’s invasion of Israel wouldn’t take place because of the accidents or incidents of international politics. God would bring the army into the land and give Assyria the responsibility of chastening His people. “‘Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,’ says the Lord” (Jer. 5: nkjv).

Hammath is in the north of Israel, and the river of the Arabah is in the south. Thus this means that Assyria would devastate the entire land. At the time Amos spoke those words, Assyria was a rather weak nation; and King Jeroboam was able to keep Assyria, Egypt, and Syria at bay. But that would change, and Assyria would become a threatening world empire. After all, it is God who controls the nations and assigns them their lands (Acts 17:26).

The prophet Amos has finished preaching his three messages to the proud and complacent kingdom of Israel. He has looked within their hearts and exposed the corruption there. Now the Lord will give His servant six visions—five visions of judgment and one of the glorious kingdom that will be established after the day of the Lord. With the record of these visions, Amos will close his book.