Vengeance

Amos 1:3-5 ESV

Bible Study

There are definitely times when reading scripture is a difficult puzzle. This scripture from Amos is one of those puzzles. High level we know for sure is that God speaks and is NOT PLEASED.

On the surface we do know who God is and we know who the parties are who have stirred the wrath of God.

In Amos 1:3-5 we are told, “Thus says the Lord:“For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron.

So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.

I will break the gate-bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven,and him who holds the scepter from Beth-eden; and the people of Syria shall go into exile to Kir,”says the Lord.”

So let’s break it down:

There were 3 transgressions and 4 of Damascus, the capital city of Aram (Syria) and God promised He will not revoke the punishment.

God’s words to Amos state He will not revoke the punishment because of what they did at Gilead with sledges of iron. Gilead is in Israel just east of the Sea of Galilee (called Kinneret at the time when Amos lived.)

Gilead belonged to Israel and Amos’ words from God promised fire would come to Hazael that will descend on Ben-Hadad. Hazael (King of Syria) was an officer of the King and according to 2 Kings 2:8 the Prophet Elisha prophesied he will bring trouble on Israel.

Ben-Hadad was King and the destruction by fire was promised to destroy the fortified cities and the palace of King Ben-Hadad.

Finally in verse 5 the gate-bar of Damascus will be broken and the people who live in the Valley of Aven (which is now Lebanon and Syria) will be devoured. Then those who “hold the scepter” from Ben-eden and the people of Syria will be sent into exile in Kir. The keeper of the scepter was Ben-Hadad, son of Hazael and the whole kingdom relied on the scepter.

Once again, Damascus was the capital of Aran (Syria) and Amos saw they would be broken.

Aven means sin or evil power and Amos prophesied they would be devoured.

The result of judgment of God on Damascus for its crimes against Gilead manifested itself as a fire that consumed the power in Damascus through Hazel and Ben-Hadad. The city gate was destroyed. That may seem to us like it’s an inconsequential happening but it was not. In ancient times when the city gate was destroyed it was an open door to being conquered. That’s exactly what happened.

As a result of the breaches and their crimes the Syrian people were exiled.

In God, Deborah

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