Judgment for the Chosen

Amos 3 is about judgment for the chosen. It includes a a covenant lawsuit focusing squarely on the northern kingdom, the elect of God. Chapter 2 focuses on the sins of Israel. Chapter three focuses on the covenant relationship between Israel and Yahweh. The oracle of chapter 3 is on the coming judgment (vss. 1-8) and declaration of judgment for the chosen (vss. 11-15).

God’s judgment in the Old Testament starts with a covenant lawsuit. The purpose of God’s judgment on Israel is justice. The poor have been abused (vs. 9). They bow to other gods (vs. 14). They are full of greed (vs. 15). God stands up for the poor. He will not allow his people to serve other gods. He abhors greed. God’s judgment on a nation like Israel is just. God’s judgment is righteous.

Three Sections

The covenant lawsuit is composed of three sections: vv. 1–8, vv. 9–12, vv. 13–15. Each section starts with the Hebrew word “shema,” the same “shema” found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5. “Shema” means “listen” or “hear.” This is a command, not a request and demands Israel listen less they feel the full weight of God judgment day, a judgment for the chosen. When God speaks, Israel is demanded to listen and hear what the prophet has to say. To ignore God’s voice is to seal their doom.

Each of the three sections are interwoven. They form a common thread found in most covenant lawsuits. The first (vss. 1-8) lays the foundation for why they are accused and why judgment is coming. The second (vss. 9-12) calls on the witnesses to observe. These witnesses are of cosmic proportion. God calls the host of heaven and the enemies of Israel to observe judgment for the chosen. The third (vss. 13-15) fulfil the rhetorical question at the end at the end of verse 8: “My Lord Yahweh has spoken, who will not prophesy?”

The message of the prophets were mainly a message of judgment and a message of hope. Amos preached judgment and gave Israel hope in that a remnant would be saved (vs. 12).

The covenant lawsuit starts with an accusation. The covenant relationship with Yahweh stands as the focus. It is the reason why Israel must face judgment. Verses 3-8 provide rhetorical questions to draw out the truth of their covenant relationship and the reason why they now face judgment. The use of rhetorical questions forces the audience to supply the answer for the foundation for their judgment.

The Themes

The first theme we read in verses 1b-2b is Israel’s close relationship with Yahweh. The rhetorical question in verse 3 reinforce this theme by asking how two people can walk together without meeting. This takes the hearer of the message back to Abraham when he walked with God.

The second theme, judgment for the chosen, is introduced in verse 2c-d. This theme is drawn out in even more detail in the rhetorical questions of verses 4-5. Just as a lion roars only after he has caught something, and a trap springs only when there is something to catch, in the same way, Yahweh’s judgment is coming because the northern kingdom has sinned.

The last two themes are described in verse 8 after being presented through the prior rhetorical questions (vss. 6–7). Verse 8a instructs the people in how they are to respond to Yahweh’s proclamation of judgment. This is drawn out further in the preceding rhetorical question in v. 6a–b. When a warning trumpet is sounded in a city, the people fear; they should respond the same way to this warning.

The last theme, v. 8b–c, concerns how the prophets are to respond to Yahweh’s message: they must proclaim what they hear from Yahweh. This is drawn out further in the previous rhetorical question in v. 6c–d and in its answer in v. 7.