Amos chapter two is another list of punishments and why nations are being punished. Judah is told their strongholds would be devoured because they rejected the law of the Lord.

That didn’t happen for a long time, but it eventually does happen. God’s word will prove true, and just because there is a delay doesn’t mean that God is not acting or not going to bring about His word. It also doesn’t mean you got away with your sin if things seem good at first. Sin steals, kills, destroys. It doesn’t end well.

Israel’s rebuke is the majority of the chapter. They aren’t caring for the poor. They are using and abusing them. They are taking from the poor.

When it talks about taking from the poor, it is in ways that people could justify. They are taking fines from the poor. They are taking a pledge from the poor. A pledge would be like collateral. It is taken to make sure a loan is repaid and is kept if it isn’t repaid.

It also talks about their gross sin.

Then God recounts how He took care of them.

He was the one who brought them out of Egypt and destroyed the Amorites so that Israel could possess their land.

What you have is because of God. The blessings you have are because of God. Remember it was Him. It was all Him.

God wanted to help them. He raised up prophets for them, but they didn’t want to listen to them and told them not to prophesy.

What God says will happen to them is that the strong will not have strength and the bold will not have courage. It goes on to say that the fast runner will not save himself. The horse rider will not save himself.

Is it a curse or a gift? God is after good. God’s heart is love. Not being able to save ourselves is what is true. That’s what gets us to call on a Savior. Calling on a Savior is what gets us saved.

There is a final judgment after which there is no salvation; but until that day, take every opportunity to call on your Savior for salvation.