God's Reason

 

    God passed judgment on His people, but He did not do it without listing out the charges against them.  Basically God listed Israel's sins to explain to them why they were being punished.  He will never punish a people without making it clear why.  His plan is laid out.

    Amos had three claims to defend his prophecy: guarantee of judgment instead of escape, repeating what God spoke to him, and they had become so wicked that pagan nations judged them.  All this leads to the immanent destruction of God's Nation.  Certain actions to directly to a responding action.  The people were wicked, so God sent prophets to warn, then explain what was going to happen.  

    God arranged unrest and oppression for His people to correct their rebellious hearts.  When that did not work, they led themselves to their destruction.  It was not God's doing.  He just carried out His warnings.  The punishment always is justified for the crime.  God does not altar or show favoritism.  He gives us all chances to change, but eventually we have to face what we refuse to repent.  It will come to an end one way or another.

Amos 3