Enough: Amos 3:9-10
Unfortunately, few people understand the concept of enough. I truly struggle in the right circumstance. Sit me down with a carton of peanut butter ripple chocolate ice cream and I can convince myself to eat the whole container before I feel I’ve had enough. Other people passionately acquire things. Some people obsess over likes on social media. What is enough?
God tells Amos to invite the Philistines (Ashdod) and the Egyptians to witness the acts of the people in Samaria. They have an oppressive society.
Why would God call upon the Philistines? The Philistines neither respected God nor followed His ways. Why would they care if the Hebrew people abandoned God’s ways?
Why call upon the Egyptians? Not only did the Egyptians not follow God’s ways, but Egypt is frequently used in the Bible as an analogy for corruption and living apart from God. Why would God care what the Egyptians thought?
The Philistines were known for their violence. They were incredible warriors. A battle with a Philistine often led to someone’s death. They were dominant figures – most notably Goliath, Lahmi, Saph, and Ishbibenob. The Philistines understood violence. If God invited the Philistines to witness the violence of the Hebrew people in Israel, then it must be a truly violent place. God calls experts in violence as a witness regarding the violence among His own people.
The same is true for the Egyptians. The Egyptians were experts in living apart from God’s ways. Without trying to make light of the scenario, the Egyptians were experienced at turning their backs upon God’s ways. The Egyptians understand how to part with God’s people. The Egyptians know how to identify people who let God’s ways depart from their midst.
God is making a blunt point through Amos. Things have gotten so bad in Israel the worst of the worst can recognize how bad it is. The people of Israel have fallen so much they are more recognizable to the enemies of God than they are to God.
God then lays down a horrible accusation. The people of Israel no longer know how to do right. It is one thing to know right from wrong and choose wrong. That’s sin, and it is wrong. It’s another thing completely to have fallen to the point of no longer knowing right from wrong.
In the previous chapter, Amos made an issue regarding how the society of Israel focused wealth up into the elite and ruling class. The poor were kept poor. The poor were forced to live in a way that kept them poor and indebted to the elite. The poor had no chance and the elite reveled in their ability to arrange a society to maintain the status quo rather than care about their neighbor.
The society of Israel was corrupt. They no longer knew how to do right. They lusted after their own prosperity rather than caring for others. Unfortunately, few people understand the concept of enough.
