Amós 9
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Amós 9
Wiersbe - A. W. Tozer correctly says, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” The people of Israel created their gods in their own image and held such a low view of Jehovah that they thought He would approve of their sinful ways. Are you not as the sons of Ethiopia (Cushites) to Me, O sons of Israel?" declares the LORD - Jehovah is saying in essence He will show His Chosen People no special favor or partiality in judgment. The NLT renders it "Are you Israelites more important to me than the Ethiopians?" The NET Bible changes it from a question to a declaration of fact - "You Israelites are just like the Ethiopians in My sight." God chooses to illustrate His point with the sons of Ethiopia (Cushites in NIV) who lived in what is today southern Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia (See map) and were considered by Israel as an unimportant country living at the "end of the earth." Israel would have falsely reasoned "Surely God would treat them different than these foreign (Gentile) nations,", but here Jehovah says that is not going to be the case! In Jeremiah God makes a similar pronouncement against the Southern Kingdom of Judah for Judah's heart is uncircumcised just as that of the foreigners... Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised–Egypt and Judah, and Edom and the sons of Ammon, and Moab and all those inhabiting the desert who clip the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart.”(UNREGENERATE - See Ro 2:24-29, Col 2:11-13)(Jer 9:25,26) (See Excursus on Circumcision) Amos 3:2 indicates that Israel's "special status" as a nation would not preclude her just judgment, God declaring "You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” The NET Note adds that "Though Israel was God's special covenant people, the Lord emphasizes they are not inherently superior to the other nations subject to his sovereign rule." Have I not brought up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir - Of course He had (see Amos 2:10; Ex 12:51; Hos 12:13) The point is God was able to sovereignly transplant nations besides Israel. And in the context of the judgment coming on Israel it would not be difficult for Him to bring about the exile of the nation of Israel. Their supposed "superiority" would earn no favor with God's impartial justice. Hay explains that "The people of Israel may have prided themselves in remembering that God had released them from Egypt and relocated them in Canaan, and so He had. But other nations had experienced migration under divine direction, the Philistines from Caphtor, possibly the island of Crete, and the Syrians from Kir, possibly in Mesopotamia. While in many ways Israel was unique, it was not completely unique, and just as God would deal with other nations who displeased Him, so He would deal with them: He is "no respecter of persons" in regard to salvation (Acts 10:34+), and He is "without respect of persons" in regard to judgment (1 Pet 1:17+). (What the Bible Teaches) Bible Knowledge Commentary - God is the Sovereign of every nation. He had not only brought Israel up from Egypt (cf. Amos 2:10; 3:1), but had also guided the historical migrations of their archenemies—the Philistines from Caphtor (cf. Jer. 47:4; Zeph. 2:5), probably another name for the island of Crete, and the Arameans from Kir (cf. Amos 1:5), a location in Mesopotamia. And as God had determined to reverse the destinies of those two nations (cf. Amos 1:3-8), so He had determined to send Israel into exile (Amos 4:2-3; 5:5, 27; 6:7; 7:11, 17; 9:4). He would punish rebellion wherever it occurred.
Amós 9
Wiersbe - When Jesus Christ comes again, the breach between Israel and Judah will be healed, and there will be one nation submitted to one king (Be Concerned)