In Amos 4:6-11, the prophet reviews the judgments that the Lord has sent to Israel to awaken her out of her sin. He gave cleanness of teeth, that is, there was nothing to eat (v6), He withheld the rain (v7), He struck them with mildew (v9), He sent pestilence and sword (v10), and He overthrew some of them (v11). All of this was done to alert them to their sin and call them to repentance. It did not have its desired effect. Each description of judgment is followed by the chilling reality “yet you did not return to Me.”
Israel simply refused to admit they were dwelling in horrible sin and that these hardships were in fact judgments from God. Instead, they clung tighter to their sin while accusing God of neglect and abandonment.
However, they should have known exactly what was happening. God had said many years earlier that He would do these things should they turn from Him! In Deut 28, Moses outlines the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. Guess what items are included in the list of curses? Pestilence (v21), mildew (v22), no rain (v23), overthrown (v25), and famine (vv52-57), and these are just a few.
He said that He would, and He did. He also said that they would, and they did. God had told Israel they would not heed His warning. They would turn from Him, commit vile transgressions, and face His judgments (Deut 31:29). Failure to keep the law with dire warnings and failure to repent under harsh judgment are telltale signs that we are truly totally depraved, and we desperately need saving grace! Thank God He also said He would bring a new covenant (Deut 30:6), and He did!
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