Hear this word that Jehovah hath spoken against you, children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
In the first two chapters Amos names the surrounding nations one by one; now God turns to the family He brought out of Egypt. Why should nearness to God be the very reason He judges them?
These opening words start a new section of the book. They also set Israel apart from every other nation.
"Hear this word." With these words we enter a new division of the book. Amos 4 and Amos 5 open in a similar way, though we may treat each as a distinct discourse... But in the third chapter, what ground does God take? "You only have I known of all the families of the earth." Clearly God has now singled them out; they are not mixed in with the other nations.
Amos came from Judah in the south, yet most of his message goes to the northern kingdom. The split between the two does not narrow who he speaks to.
Amos was himself a man of Judah, from the town of Tekoa, and he deals mostly with the northern kingdom of Israel. The split between the two tribes and the ten still stood, but the Spirit of God led the prophet to speak beyond the tribes he belonged to. He sends his message to "the whole family" that God had brought out of Egypt. There is no trace here of the selfishness that cares only about the people we are closest to. Despite splits and quarrels, from the days of the apostles until now, the church of God is one in His sight.
The words "that I brought up out of the land of Egypt" are not just a fond memory. They are why God has the right to speak this way.
The Lord had singled them out from the other nations. He had separated them to Himself. With His mighty power and outstretched arm He rescued them from slavery and brought them into the land He had promised their fathers. He had revealed Himself and made known His will to them exclusively. He had entered into covenant with them and called them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). So their responsibility was very great, for the degree of relationship is always the degree of responsibility. God's choice of the twelve tribes does not protect them from punishment.
We already run our own lives by this rule, without calling it theology.
This is a moral truth that never changes. It works the same way in human relationships. A man would resent in his wife what he would not even notice in someone else. He may rightly expect a submission from his child, and a sharing of the family's thoughts and interests from his son, that would not be looked for in anyone else. Even the world counts the failure of a trusted servant far graver than the failure of a casual labourer... The fact is that we stand in many different relationships. The higher the relationship, or the greater the privileges, the worse it is to be unfaithful to that relationship and to those privileges.
Nearness to God is a place of testimony, and testimony makes demands.
If we stand in the place of testimony — testimony to God — that testimony must agree with the heart and the principles of God. It must not misrepresent His character. Our walk must match our position. And the more direct this testimony is, the more jealous God will be about His glory and our faithfulness. Judgment begins at His house... Two cannot walk together unless they agree.
The rule did not end with Israel. It runs through both the Old Testament and the New.
"You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities" (Amos 3:2) is a principle of the greatest importance. To be in special relationship with God is at once deeply blessed and deeply solemn. "Begin at My sanctuary," said the God of the Old Testament (Ezekiel 9:6); "judgment must begin at the household of God," says the God of the New (1 Peter 4:17). If His people lose sight of what is due to Him, it is ever present to His mind, and He will not fail to judge the dishonour done to His holy name.
- Redemption. God's claim rests on what He did. He brought this family out of Egypt, revealed Himself to them alone, and bound them to Himself by covenant.
- Relationship. That rescue brought them near, and nearness sets the standard. The degree of relationship is always the degree of responsibility.
- Whole. The nation had split in two, yet God still speaks to "the whole family." The prophet does not stop at the border of his own tribe.
- Testimony. God set this family near Him to be His witness. So their walk must not misrepresent His character, since two cannot walk together unless they agree.
- Judgment. Therefore privilege never shields — it exposes. Judgment begins at God's house, and God will not fail to judge dishonour done to His name.
You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.
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