20240214

His coming fire

Amos 1:1-15 (JDV)

Amos 1:1 The words of Amos, who was one of the sheep breeders from Tekoa — what he saw about Israel in the days of King Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
Amos 1:2 He said: Yahveh roars from Zion and makes his voice heard from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel is dried up.
Amos 1:3 This is what Yahveh is saying: I will not stop punishing Damascus for three crimes, even four, because they threshed Gilead with iron sledges.
Amos 1:4 That is why I will send fire against Hazael’s palace, and it will consume Ben-hadad’s fortified buildings.
Amos 1:5 I will break down the gates of Damascus. I will cut off the resident from the Valley of Aven, and the one who wields the scepter from Beth-eden. The people of Aram will be exiled to Kir. Yahveh has spoken.
Amos 1:6 This is what Yahveh is saying: I will not stop punishing Gaza for three crimes, even four, because they exiled a whole community, handing them over to Edom.
Amos 1:7 That is why I will send fire against the walls of Gaza, and it will consume its fortified buildings.
Amos 1:8 I will cut off the resident from Ashdod, and the one who wields the scepter from Ashkelon. I will also turn my hand against Ekron, and the remainder of the Philistines will perish. the Lord Yahveh has spoken.
Amos 1:9 This is what Yahveh is saying: I will not stop punishing Tyre for three crimes, even four, because they handed over a whole community of exiles to Edom and broke a treaty of brotherhood.
Amos 1:10 That is why I will send fire against the walls of Tyre, and it will consume its fortified buildings.
Amos 1:11 This is what Yahveh is saying: I will not stop punishing Edom for three crimes, even four, because he pursued his brother with the sword. He stifled his compassion, his anger tore at him continually, and he harbored his rage incessantly.
Amos 1:12 That is why I will send fire against Teman, and it will consume the fortified buildings of Bozrah.
Amos 1:13 This is what Yahveh is saying: I will not stop punishing the Ammonites for three crimes, even four, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.
Amos 1:14 Therefore, I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah, and it will consume its fortified buildings. There will be shouting on the day of battle and a violent wind on the day of the storm.
Amos 1:15 Their king and his princes will go into exile together. Yahveh has spoken.

His coming fire

Amos was an unlikely prophet, but his words would come true. The disaster that awaited the false shepherds of the nations surrounding Israel was described as a fire. So, the Bible also describes the destiny of all who turn against God and his word for their personal gain. God’s judgment will be a fire that consumes the wicked. Ignore the warning if you will; the judgment will happen.