“I overthrew some of you,
As when God overthrew
Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were
Like a brand
Snatched
From the fire.
Yet you did not
Return to me,’
Says Yahweh.”
Amos has yet another oracle of Yahweh with the same theme about the failure to return to Yahweh. This time, Yahweh overthrew some of them like in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis, chapter 19. These Israelites were like a brand taken from a fire. Despite all these problems, the northern kingdom Israelites still refused Yahweh.
“Come!
Let us return to Yahweh!
He has torn us.
He will heal us.
He has struck us down.
He will bind us up.
After two days,
He will revive us.
On the third day,
He will raise us up,
That we may live
Before him.
Let us know!
Let us press on
To know Yahweh!
His appearing is
As sure
As the dawn.
He will come to us
Like the showers,
Like the spring rains
That water the earth.”
Hosea asked his listeners to return to Yahweh. Although, Yahweh had torn them down, now he would heal them. He had struck them down. Now he would bind them up. After 2 days, he would revive them. On the 3rd day, he would raise them up, a theme of the early Christian writers. Thus, they might live in the sight of Yahweh. They would want to know Yahweh, since his appearance was as sure as the daily dawn of the sun. He would come to them, like a soft shower or spring rain that waters the earth and makes it grow. So, the same thing would happen to these Israelites.
“Then I thought
I would pour out
My wrath
Upon them
In the wilderness,
To make an end
Of them.
But I acted
For the sake
Of my name.
Thus it should not be
Profaned
In the sight
Of the nations.
In whose sight
I had brought them out.”
Once again, Yahweh was angry, like he had been in Egypt. This time he thought about putting an end to these Israelites in the wilderness. However, once again, he thought about his name. He did not want to profane the name of Yahweh in the sight of other countries. These other countries had seen him take the people of the house of Israel out of Egypt. Thus for the sake of his name, he spared them.
“Thus says Yahweh God!
‘Clap your hands!
Stamp your foot!
Say!
Sadly!
Because of all
The vile abominations
Of the house of Israel!
They shall fall
By the sword,
By famine,
By pestilence.
Those far off
Shall die of pestilence.
Those nearby
Shall fall by the sword.
Anyone who is left
Or spared
Shall die of famine.
Thus I will spend
My fury
Upon them.’”
Yahweh told Ezekiel to clap his hands and stamp his foot. He was to speak about all the vile abominations of the house of Israel. They were going to suffer death three ways. They would either first fall by the sword. If not killed by the sword, they might die from famine or pestilence. Those far away would die from the pestilence. Those nearby would be killed by the sword. Otherwise, they would die of hunger from the famine. There was no mention of those living in captivity here. Yahweh was determined to show his fury among these Israelites.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 