September 17th, 2022

Once again it happens that the Old Testament text for this Sunday is a significant distance from the book’s beginning. The text is from Amos 8[:4-7], and this chapter is the second-last chapter of the book. It will be nice that next Sunday’s text will be a little closer to the beginning of that book, but that text will be only from chapter six.

The beginnings of ancient books were significant, especially since there were no separate outlines or introductory notes. The first thing that Amos does at the beginning of his book seems a bit self-centered at first glance. He gives a couple of the details about himself, and one of his first is that he was a shepherd. But this is in stark contrast to those who were ‘professional’ prophets. And it is certainly very theocentric that Amos starts out his message by saying that ‘from Zion Yahweh roars and from Jerusalem he gives his thunder (1:2; a somewhat-literal translation).’ That certainly would get the attention of people, in much the same way that a shepherd would be attentive when he would hear the roar of a wild lion or the sound of some thunder nearby. Some serious trouble could be very near.

In the first two chapters, Amos starts his statements of judgment on the various surrounding nations in a very orderly way, and what follows is a somewhat-literal translation:

‘This Yahweh says: For three sins of … and for four, I will not turn it back….’

What takes the place of the first ellipsis in the text are the names of various nations. Amos starts with those nations that are around Judah and Israel, and those nations were in all likelihood not liked by Judah and Israel, and so those in Judah and Israel probably liked to hear those words of judgment. The statement at the end, with the other ellipsis, that ‘I will not turn it back’ implies that the LORD will not turn back his anger or wrath against this particular country.

After the above initial statement, after stating at least one problem that the country had, Amos talks about fire being sent. And the people of Judah and Israel probably liked to hear that as well.

The last two nations, though, that were included in that list of judgment were the nations of Judah and Israel. And fire is sent on Judah as well. Amos does not talk about fire being sent when he is talking about the last nation, Israel, but that certainly does not mean that the LORD will go easy on Israel. In Amos 2:15 there is talk of ‘crushing’ Israel. Now that seems to be a bit harsh. But you might want to check out the list of sins that the LORD has against them, starting at 2:6.

Now the numbers three and four are important in the structure that leads to giving at least one big sin that the LORD has seen and that is stated. And this use of a pair of numbers to give an important message occurs elsewhere. You might want to see Proverbs 6:16; 30:15, 18, 21, 29; and Micah 5:5. Here the numbers used are also six and seven. It is also hinted that the last one on the list is an important one.

The number seven is an important one. And, with the lists above, the number four is also important. And the number three is also important, due to the Holy Trinity. Numbers are important, especially when the Hebrew language, the language of the vast majority of the Old Testament, had its letters also have the meaning of numbers.
​
There is a difference of one between three and four and between six and seven. Amos indicated just one sin can cause significant problems with a particular country. All the commandments are ultimately connected to the first commandment of having no other gods. And the good news is that, with all these sins, these totally innumerable sins, we know of one Savior. And that is certainly enough.