No other nation in human history had such opportunity to bless all mankind as did Israel. Her history was filled with many remarkable providences. God chose her, provided for her needs, and guaranteed her future, but only in order that she might be an avenue of blessing to others (Genesis 12:1-3). When the nation failed to measure up to its opportunities, its true religious leaders called them to task and warned them of the consequences. It was now time for such a warning again. Amos sought to deliver that warning in the chapter before us. He did so by revealing Israel's attitude toward those God-given resources which had been entrusted to her.
The Resources of Israel (6:1, 2).
The first resources alluded to by the prophet were religious and military. In pronouncing woe upon these "at ease in Zion and secure in the mountain of Samaria" (6:1), the prophet was coming to grips with the false sense of security (ease) held by those in Samaria as well as in Zion back in his own country where the same condition existed. Together they were interpreting the religious advantage of being a people with whom God dwelled as well as their military resources as guarantees of an indestructible security. Both of these were advantages which had accrued from their relationship to Yahweh. Their spiritual and military strength both came from God. He was the One who dwelt in her midst and had led her hosts (armies) to victory. The presence of God in the midst of His people as well as His leadership in battle were unique resources. No other nations had known such advantages as the Covenant People.
Turning from its religious and military resources, Amos next noted the human resources of the nation - "the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!" (6:1b). These human resources belongs to "the chief of the nations" - chief by virtue of their relationship to God and the world (Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5). Belonging to "the chief of the nations" of the earth suggests that they were resourceful men, enlightened men - men of worth and accomplishment (6:1b). They were leaders and judges to whom the people came in search of justice (2 Samuel 15:4) and who rendered special service to the nation. These man, known by God, knew God and His law. In such men Israel realized a resource (a human resource) beyond that enjoyed by the other nations. The men of the other nations may have been resourceful and wise indeed, but the men of Israel had privileges beyond theirs. They were known of God, and they knew God.
More recent interpreters of Amos suggest that the prophet's reference to "the notable men of the chief of the nations" is irony. They suggest that this was their own opinion of themselves. It may well be irony, and it may reflect their opinion of themselves, but it would also seem to reflect a truth which was generally acknowledged in the biblical attitude toward Israel. Israel was chief among the nations in so far as the purpose of God for her was concerned. She was to have been the avenue of blessing to all other nations. This was a unique role which no other peoples had.
Lastly, the prophet, turning to a specific comparison of Israel with other kingdoms, suggested that none could compare with Israel in their material resources (6:2). There is every reason to believe that the material wealth of Israel did exceed that of the surrounding kingdoms at this time in her history. Therefore, this statement of comparison followed.
If the interpretation of this section be valid, and it must be stated that there is no general agreement, then Amos had placed his finger upon one of the most vulnerable areas in Israel's life: her use of the resources entrusted to her by God.
The unique relationship between Israel and God (compare 3:2a) was the basis of her acquisition of these resources. The Old Testament writers were willing to acknowledge this, and they saw Israel placed under grave responsibility because of God's relationship to and provision for her. For them, and now Amos in particular, the nation's response to her responsibility, her use of her resources, would determine her future.
Israel's Use of Her Resources (6:1, 4-6, 12).
The conditions known to exist in Israel at this time and the message of Amos made it quite plain that Israel had misspent and misused the resources placed at her disposal.
First, Judah and doubtless Israel also interpreted the spiritual resources, which came from God's presence, as an absolute security. They were Gods people; He dwelt in their midst; they had nothing to fear. No harm could befall them no matter the conditions within the nation. Yet the pronouncement of "woe" (6:1) by Amos indicates that they had not properly interpreted the resources accruing from God's presence, nor had they used them to better the conditions of the poor and oppressed by practicing the righteousness revealed by the One dwelling in their midst. It also suggests that they had improperly interpreted their military resources. The mere possession of military resources did not mean that they were invincible. Their security rested upon more than military might. It ultimately rested upon their relationship to God and His purpose. Their security rested upon what they were and upon what they did with that which God had furnished them, not upon what they had.
Turning to the use of their human resources, Amos declared that they had used their insight, knowledge, and understanding (their human resources) to further their own selfish designs and ends. They had "turned justice into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood" (6:12). That is, these "notable men of the chief nations" had allowed themselves to be used by the nation or had used their place of leadership and authority in the nation to serve their own purposes. Those able to afford the price of their favor in defiance of the knowledge and understanding which they supposedly had or which they should have had as "chief men" would have every advantage. Those unable to buy their favor were at the greatest disadvantage. Thus, Israel had tragically wasted her human resources. These "chief men" had not served the lofty purposes of justice and righteousness as God had instructed or as He had intended. Those who were to have been a source of blessing to all men everywhere, became in reality sources of pain and harm. The nation had misused one of its greatest resources - it's "chief men" who were to have established justice in the land.
Finally, Amos turned to the use which they had made of their material possessions. They had squandered their plenty upon themselves in selfish indulgence (6:4-6). They lay upon beds with expensive ivory inlay in the shade of their awnings and ate the choice lambs of the flock (ate "the lambs out of the flock") and their specially fattened "calves out of the midst of the stall" without the slightest show of concern for the needs of others. They sang "idle songs to the sound of the viol," invented "for themselves instruments of music, like David," drank "wine in bowls," and anointed "themselves with the chief oils." The picture was that of a nation in which the wealthy were totally consumed with themselves and their own selfish pleasure. They were so concerned with themselves that they forgot about the needs and the desires of others. They wrongly interpreted their material prosperity as an evidence of God's pleasure with them and as a reward for their faithfulness. They should have interpreted it as a blessing to be shared with the poor and the needy. Instead they took the resources made available to them by the providence of God for the good of all men and cut them short by squandering them upon their own little selfish lives! Such practices were filled with folly and unspeakable danger. The very justice of God attaches danger to such a selfish way of life.
The Danger of Israel's Folly (6:6b, 3a).
The folly of Israel's way may be seen in two things. First, their conduct and their attitude toward others had caused them to put "far away the evil day" (6:3a). Their encouragement of the oppression of the poor and the less fortunate (6:3b), a thing which they profited in and thereby delighted in, had caused them (in mind at last) to declare distant the day of judgment upon evil. They acted as though "that day" were too remote to have any vital effect upon them. Their one concern was their own self-satisfaction and pleasure. This had blinded them to the reality of judgment. They had blotted it out of their minds. They did not have or would not take time to think of it. Things were going so well for them that nothing could alter their condition in the future. Therefore, why think about such "a day"? It was too remote to even be considered!
The second factor indicating Israel's folly was the utter unconcern and indifference to the wounds which the conduct of the leaders had already brought upon the nation and the wounds which would yet be brought upon it because of their injustice and oppression (6:6b). The reference was to the present and the future. The present wound had reference to the hurt inflicted by the abundance of the rich and the poverty of poor caused by the injustice of their leaders and the oppression of the needy. The future hurt was a greater hurt which would come upon the nation because of the hurt which had already come into it. It was as though the present hurt had already entered the larger hurt and had determined ultimate ruin for the nation (6:7a).
The Unreasonableness of Israel's Practices (6:12).
In seeking to awaken Israel to her folly, Amos turned to the unreasonableness of the things going on within the nation. He turned to natural law in an attempt to help them see what they had done. He began his effort with the question, "Shall horses run upon the rock?" (6:12a) It was a question which dealt with the reasonableness of horses running upon the cliffs where wild goats usually roam - cliffs high, precipitous, covered with shale, and associated with danger and death. The answer implied in the question would be "no!" It would be an unreasonable thing, even a disastrous thing to run horses there, since the horse and rider, if the animal were mounted, would surely be destroyed as a result of slipping and the inevitable fall upon the rocks below. It was as though the prophet were saying, "There is no greater unreasonableness to be found than that of running a horse upon the rocks of a cliff. Anyone of reason would know better - no man of knowledge would run such a risk."
The second question asked was "will one plow there with oxen?" (6:12b) or, as most translate it, "does one plow the sea with oxen?" This question, like the first, suggests an unreasonable practice and implies an emphatic "no!" Whichever form of the question one may choose, whether plowing the cliffs or the sea, the point is the same: either labor is unreasonable and to no avail. Neither cliff nor sea would produce anything but disappointment and heartache for the tiller. Therefore, the effort would be an unreasonable one. It was a thing a knowledgeable, reasonable man would never attempt. This was the point of both questions. They were suggesting the unreasonableness, danger, even destructiveness associated with defying the natural laws of the universe, or better, the laws of prudence. A wise man, a knowledgeable man would never resort to running horses on cliffs or plowing in the sea with oxen. Israel with all her understanding would never engage in pursuits so fraught with danger and so identified with unprofitableness. She knew better than to defy the laws of nature. Her understanding of nature and her laws would keep her from it.
Though Israel knew better than to defy the laws of nature, Amos declared that she had defied the laws (rule) of God - laws requiring compassion and justice in all human relationships. This she had done in turning "justice into gall and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood" (6:12b) and causing "the seat of violence to come near" (6:3b); that is, she had defied the moral laws of God by administering them in such a way as to cause bitterness and hurt instead of sweetness and helpfulness.
Israel had also defied the rule (law) of God by boasting that she had become what she was by her own strength. Her boast involved the conquest of Lo-debar and Karnaim, small cities of the kingdom of Damascus located on the east side of the Jordan River (6:13, RSV). Lo-debar means "a thing of nought," and Karnaim means "horns" or "power." In having boasted of her military successes over these towns, Israel had ignored the role which Jehovah had played in them. They had in their boasting failed to acknowledge the help of God. Therefore, the prophet held their victory up to scorn by referring to the one town which meant "a thing of nought" and the other which meant "horns, symbols of power," as though they were of such little significance that to have boasted of these victories was vain. He seemed to suggest that the thing which Israel had boasted of having done on her own was of such insignificance that it as unworthy even of mentioning, let alone boasting.
The Result of Israel's Unreasonableness and Folly (6:7-11, 14).
Amos turned now to make known the consequences of Israel's unreasonable attitudes and practices. They would go into captivity. This was revealed in the words: "For, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel . . .; and they shall afflict you from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of Arabah" (6:14). Here God declared that he would cause Israel to be oppressed (crushed) from one end of the country, "the entrance of Hamath," to the other, "the brook of Arabah." The oppression would have a disastrous effect. There would be a deportation (captivity), and the first in line to go would be those who had been leading Israel in her folly (6:7). That which they had acquired through their oppression and injustice would be destroyed (6:8b).
Samaria, the capital city, would receive the brunt of the blow. Its men and wealth (goods and animals) would be given over to the conquerors. The loss in life as a result of the invasion would be staggering. Those who survived the war would die from a plague (6:9). Entire families would be wiped out. The accumulation of the dead would be of such proportion, or their corpses would be so disease laden that the bodies would have to be burned rather than buried. When a survivor was found and inquired of by those performing the last rites, he would advise silence out of fear that in their conversation Yahweh's name might be invoked and because of such an invocation, further destruction would fall upon them (6:10).
Thus Amos revealed that Israel's poor stewardship of responsibility and her squandering of the resources furnished her by God could but end in destruction and death. Such injustice and unconcern required judgment. They need expect nothing less. It was tragic that such an opportunity to bless men should have been squandered by Israel through her abuse and misuse of the resources given her by the providence of God. She knew better, yet she refused to do better. Disaster was the result of her refusal.
