Bible Reading

Amos Chapter 3 - Two Cannot Walk Unless They Agree

A call to align our will to God's.

|

2 min read

Israel’s privileged status did not exempt them from accountability before God. Instead, it heightened the need for Israel’s repentance and realignment with His will.

Privilege and Responsibility

“You only have I known of all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos 3:2)

Amos 3:2 highlights that Israel was a privileged nation, chosen and beloved by God. Yet, their repeated sins stirred God's righteous anger. Their privileged status did not shield them from accountability; rather, it heightened their responsibility to live according to God’s commands. Ultimately, their evil and disobedient behaviour triggered God's discipline of them.

Accountability before God

Amos uses rhetorical questions to announce judgment on the disobedient Israelites. In verse 6, he shifts from animal imagery (Amos 3:3-5) to the imagery of fear and the terror of battle.

He asks, “If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people tremble?”

Then he continues, “If a calamity occurs in a city, has not the Lord done it?”

The answer to both questions: Yes.

Through these questions, Amos urged the people to pause and consider the impending danger caused by their behavior. He reminded them that their calamity was not accidental but a direct act of discipline from God.

A Call to Repentance

However, the punishments given to Israel did not signify that God stopped loving them. On the contrary, God’s discipline is rooted in His love. God raised His prophet to warn the people about His judgment, calling them to repentance.

As echoed in Amos 1 and 2, we must remember that our God is faithful and just, and as long as we confess our sins, He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Walking in Agreement with God

Another important consideration for us to reflect on is how our daily lives align with God’s will.

"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)

This verse calls not only for harmony in marriages and relationships but also for alignment with God. In Amos' message, Israel was urged to align with God’s will and purpose, for they could not expect His favour while walking contrary to Him.

Yet, do we fully understand what it means to walk with God? A life of unbroken worship is only possible when we walk in agreement with Him. To walk with God, we must align our will to His, release distractions, and seek to please Him.

Just as Israel was warned through the prophets, we ought to be attentive to our behaviours and recognise that with privilege comes accountability.

Perhaps this is a timely reminder for us to reflect on areas in our lives where we may be out of step with God's will. And if such discrepancies exist, let us pray for the courage to repent and seek to align our actions and decisions with His will.

Related Topics

See Also

Ezekiel Chapter 21 - The Sword of God

Ezekiel Chapter 21 - The Sword of God

This chapter talks about the sword of God against His people and the Ammonites, with the word “sword” being mentioned 15 times! This sword (i.e. Babylon, v19-20) is a sword of judgement that God would use to punish these two groups of people for their sins. Here are 3 things that will happen when this sword is drawn: 1. This sword cuts off both the righteous and wicked (v3-4). Why both the righteous and wicked – is God being unfair? We know from the consistent message of the Bible that this is not so. God is just, and He does not indiscriminately slay the righteous with the wicked. Even for a city as depraved as Sodom and Gomorrah, God delivered Lot and his family, the only few righteous people remaining (fewer than 5!), before destroying the city (Genesis 18:23-26). Moreover, by cutting off the righteous from the land, God not only delivers them from further physical suffering including forced labour by the Babylonians, He also delivers them from further spiritual corruption by their wicked kinsmen who were steeped in idolatry. God’s promise of delivering the righteous from their troubles is a promise we must cling to (Psalm 34:19). We must also recognise that ultimately, God wants to deliver us in a spiritual sense – from the temptations of the evil one (Matthew 6:13), the corruption of the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:4), and the corruption in hell (Psalm 16:10). Therefore, let us trust in the righteousness of God, knowing His will for us is not to perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). 2. This sword causes the scepter of God’s people to be despised (v13, 26-27). The original meaning of Israel is “prince with God”. However, now that their scepter is despised, Israel is no longer prince with God, no longer son of the King of kings. Israel is dethroned, because of the people’s wickedness. Yet, God foretells the coming of One whom God will crown because He is the rightful Ruler (v27b) – this One is none other than our Lord Jesus, whose reign and kingdom is everlasting (Luke 1:33). Just like how Esau lost his God-given birthright because of his choice to gratify a moment’s hunger, Israel lost their precious status as prince with God, children of God, because of their choice to persist in their unfaithfulness towards Him (Ezekiel 14:13). How about us: do we make personal choices that jeopardise our precious relationship with God? 3. This sword will cause God’s people to be remembered and forgotten at the same time (v24, 32). What does God remember? Their sins. As a result, what will God forget? His relationship with them – in other words, an utter disowning of His people. But… did God permanently forget His people? Again, we know from the consistent message of the Bible, as well as history, that this was not so. Rather, God disowns them with the purpose of cleansing them from their sins so that He can re-own them as His people – a people with a new spirit and heart of flesh that submits to God’s laws (Ezekiel 11:19-20), who will no longer stray from God (Ezekiel 14:11). As the psalmist says: “His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life.” (Psalm 30:5) God promises that if we repent and return to Him wholeheartedly – fearing Him, meditating on His name, and serving Him (Malachi 3:16-18) – God will remember us and bless us with His favour for the rest of our life, in this age and the age to come. Conclusion: How can we prevent God’s sword of judgement from slaying us? By always using the sword of His word to prune away sin from our hearts (Hebrews 4:12-13). Let us daily examine our thoughts and intents to see if they align with the Bible’s standards. Remember that we are naked and open to Him, secret sins and all, and one day we must give an account to God who will judge all our thoughts, words and deeds. Amen.

Who Are We

We're the True Jesus Church, a global, non-denominational church built upon the teachings of Jesus and His apostles. Founded by the Holy Spirit, our mission is to spread the complete gospel of salvation to the ends of the earth.

Learn more about us

We have four places of worship, and we gather for Sabbath and night worship services. We welcome you to join us for any of our in-person services!

Worship with us