9:5,6
These two verses remind Israel who the Lord is. He is infinitely greater than all of us, for He is the One who created all things, who is in charge of all things. The earth is completely subject to Him. Israel had looked to her own strength, and was doing relatively well at the time Amos was prophesying to her. But there was rampant injustice in the land, and she was most definitely not in charge of her destiny. If she had any sense at all she would listen to the Lord.
9:7,8
These verses are crucial for understanding Israel, and God’s purposes for Israel, and indeed for Israel’s understanding of herself. God here reminds Israel that she was not the only nation created by God. Was (indeed, is) Israel special? Yes, but we need to understand that specialness. Israel took it as privilege, favouritism. They should have taken it as responsibility. If they had done this they would indeed have discovered the true extent of God’s love. And the same applies to us today as Christians. Israel enjoyed hearing and seeing God’s judgements on these other nations like the Philistines, but she herself was now a sinful nation. So she would experience the judgement of God. The apostle Peter well understood this matter, see 1 Peter 1:17 and 4:17.
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