Amo 9:7 | KingComments | STEP | The judgments come on Israel because they are no better than the nations. In practice they are no closer to the LORD than the Gentiles. God takes away the carnal certainty on which they rely, namely that they trust that they are the elect people. After all, God proved that when He delivered them out of Egypt, didn’t He? This election guarantees that God will not reject them as His people or have them destroyed by the Gentiles, they believe. But to them what we read in Romans 2 applies: “For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision” ( ). He who keeps the law is a true member of God’s people and can count on God’s protection. The apostates will perish; they have become equal to the Gentiles. To boast that they are Abraham’s offspring is misplaced if they do not also do the works of their father Abraham ( ). Their behavior is equal to that of the nations, therefore they will be treated as the nations. The equality with the nations mentioned by Amos is not meant in an absolute sense ( ). But practically, the apostate Israel has come to the level of these peoples, who are also not connected to God. It is also true that apart from Israel, God also interferes with the other nations of the earth and gives them a place to live. All in all, there is no ground for Israel to exalt itself, as if God’s meddling were limited to Israel and thus Israel would be indispensable to Him. It is therefore not about denying Israel’s special privilege, but about opposing Israel’s carnal conception of it. The sons of Ethiopia are mentioned because of their black skin ( ) as a picture of the spiritual blackness of Israel. Jeremiah describes it this way: “How dark the gold has become, [How] the pure gold has changed!” ( ). Although they are children of Israel, they have no more value to God than the sons of Ethiopia. Christians, too, can behave in a way that they are in practice, no different to God than sons of darkness. Then He rejects them and their service, just as He does here with Israel. For degenerate Israel the exodus from Egypt has no higher meaning than that of the two mentioned heathen peoples from their former homeland to the area where they now live. It seems that the Philistines and the Syrians are not arbitrarily mentioned as examples. The Philistines are uncircumcised and therefore despised by Israel. But Israel behaves as if they are uncircumcised and that is why God equates them with the Philistines. The Syrians are mentioned because in exile they will be brought back to Kir, the place of their origin ( ). What will happen to the Syrians is an example of what will happen to Israel, the judgment that will affect them ( ).

‏ Amos 9:7

God’s People Are No Better Than the Gentiles

The judgments come on Israel because they are no better than the nations. In practice they are no closer to the LORD than the Gentiles. God takes away the carnal certainty on which they rely, namely that they trust that they are the elect people. After all, God proved that when He delivered them out of Egypt, didn’t He? This election guarantees that God will not reject them as His people or have them destroyed by the Gentiles, they believe.

But to them what we read in Romans 2 applies: “For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision” (Rom 2:25). He who keeps the law is a true member of God’s people and can count on God’s protection. The apostates will perish; they have become equal to the Gentiles. To boast that they are Abraham’s offspring is misplaced if they do not also do the works of their father Abraham (Jn 8:33 ; 37 ; 39-40). Their behavior is equal to that of the nations, therefore they will be treated as the nations.

The equality with the nations mentioned by Amos is not meant in an absolute sense (Amos 3:2). But practically, the apostate Israel has come to the level of these peoples, who are also not connected to God. It is also true that apart from Israel, God also interferes with the other nations of the earth and gives them a place to live.

All in all, there is no ground for Israel to exalt itself, as if God’s meddling were limited to Israel and thus Israel would be indispensable to Him. It is therefore not about denying Israel’s special privilege, but about opposing Israel’s carnal conception of it.

The sons of Ethiopia are mentioned because of their black skin (Jer 13:23) as a picture of the spiritual blackness of Israel. Jeremiah describes it this way: “How dark the gold has become, [How] the pure gold has changed!” (Lam 4:1). Although they are children of Israel, they have no more value to God than the sons of Ethiopia.

Christians, too, can behave in a way that they are in practice, no different to God than sons of darkness. Then He rejects them and their service, just as He does here with Israel. For degenerate Israel the exodus from Egypt has no higher meaning than that of the two mentioned heathen peoples from their former homeland to the area where they now live.

It seems that the Philistines and the Syrians are not arbitrarily mentioned as examples. The Philistines are uncircumcised and therefore despised by Israel. But Israel behaves as if they are uncircumcised and that is why God equates them with the Philistines. The Syrians are mentioned because in exile they will be brought back to Kir, the place of their origin (Amos 1:5). What will happen to the Syrians is an example of what will happen to Israel, the judgment that will affect them (Hos 11:5).