God Does Not Condone Cruelty
We have now gotten to the specific judgments of groups. To begin with, we are told that Damascus has committed sin upon sin. (That is how the phrase for three transgressions… and for four… is interpreted.) So, they have utterly and continually rebelled against God, harassing and opposing God’s people, Israel. Evidently, this abuse of Israel was very severe. God describes it as being threshed with sledges of iron. David Alen Hubbard explains, “Threshing sledges with iron prongs or teeth are probably a figure of speech implying extreme cruelty and utter thoroughness in the treatment of those who opposed.” For this cruelty against God’s people, Syria (Damascus is the capital of Syria and therefore represents all of the people.) was attacked by Assyria and its citizens were taken in captivity to Kir (2 Kings 16:9).
Unusual cruelty has not departed from Syria even over thousands of years. Recently, an outcry has uprisen bringing to light the torture of Syria’s own residents as well as political opponents. The UN just released an order demanding that Syria stop their practice of torture. The International Court of Justice ordered Damascus to “take all measures within its power to prevent acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Unfortunately, they have passed down a legacy of cruelty which continues to this day.
Next, we have Gaza. This is a name we often hear in the news. Fighting seems to never cease in this part of the world. In Amos’ day, Gaza was a royal city of the Philistines. The crime for which God enacted judgment upon these people was not war. It was the fact that they “carried into exile a whole people to deliver them up to Edom.” The key to their sin is the word “whole”. Carrying off captives among the soldiers was a common custom. However, the military of Gaza decided to not only enslave the soldiers who had been defeated in battle but the entirety of the people. They sold women, children, old and young into slavery as a means of making a profit. Their sin was not only cruelty but greed. Tyre (modern day Lebanon) receives the same condemnation for the same crimes. This shows us a consistency in God’s judgement. He does not show partiality but righteousness and justice.
What can we learn from these condemnations? God cares about our actions. Not only does He care about our adherence to the letter of His law, He cares about the intention behind it. Behind every command is love. Jesus declared this in Matthew 9:13: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” Both of these nations stepped away from mercy. They embraced cruelty and placed their own twisted desires before compassion and justice. As we listen to the news, we will be hearing of the nation of Syria and Gaza. These are key players in the horror unfolding in the Middle East. Our reading today reminds us that God does not ignore the sins of nations forever. He brings judgment. He will judge those who revel in their wicked ways. Let us pray for those impacted by these twisted governments: not only those they attack and torture but their own people who are often their worst victims. History repeats itself. God remains just. He will not ignore their cruelty.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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