Amos 3

Amos 3:1-15 . GOD'S EXTRAORDINARY LOVE, BEING REPAID BY ISRAEL WITH INGRATITUDE, OF NECESSITY CALLS FOR JUDGMENTS, WHICH THE PROPHETS ANNOUNCE, NOT AT RANDOM, BUT BY GOD'S COMMISSION, WHICH THEY CANNOT BUT FULFIL. THE OPPRESSION PREVALENT IN ISRAEL WILL BRING DOWN RUIN ON ALL SAVE A SMALL REMNANT.

1. children of Israel--not merely the ten tribes, but "the whole family brought up from Egypt"; all the descendants of Jacob, including Judah and Benjamin. Compare Jeremiah 8:3 , and Micah 2:3 , on "family" for the nation However, as the prophecy following refers to the ten tribes, they must be chiefly, if not solely, meant: they were the majority of the nation; and so Amos concedes what they so often boasted, that they were the elect people of God [CALVIN], but implies that this only heightens their sins.

2. You only have I known--that is, acknowledged as My people, and treated with peculiar favor ( Exodus 19:5 , Deuteronomy 4:20 ). Compare the use of "know," Psalms 1:6 , 144:3 , John 10:14 , 2 Timothy 2:19 .
therefore I will punish--the greater the privileges, the heavier the punishment for the abuse of them; for to the other offenses there is added, in this case, ingratitude. When God's people do not glorify Him, He glorifies Himself by punishing them.

3-6. Here follow several questions of a parable-like kind, to awaken conviction in the people.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?--Can God's prophets be so unanimous in prophesying against you, if God's Spirit were not joined with them, or if their prophecies were false? The Israelites were "at ease," not believing that God was with the prophets in their denunciations of coming ruin to the nation ( Amos 6:1 Amos 6:3 ; compare 1 Kings 22:18 1 Kings 22:24 1 Kings 22:27 , Jeremiah 43:2 ). This accords with Amos 3:7 Amos 3:8 . So "I will be with thy mouth" ( Exodus 4:12 , Jeremiah 1:8 , Matthew 10:20 ). If the prophets and God were not agreed, the former could not predict the future as they do. In Amos 2:12 He had said, the Israelites forbade the prophets prophesying; therefore, in Amos 3:3 Amos 3:8 , He asserts the agreement between the prophets and God who spake by them against Israel [ROSENMULLER]. Rather, "I once walked with you" ( Leviticus 26:12 ) as a Father and Husband ( Isaiah 54:5 , Jeremiah 3:14 ); but now your way and Mine are utterly diverse; there can therefore be no fellowship between us such as there was ( Amos 3:2 ); I will walk with you only to "punish you"; as a "lion" walks with his "prey" ( Amos 3:4 ), as a bird-catcher with a bird [TARNOVIUS]. The prophets, and all servants of God, can have no fellowship with the ungodly ( Psalms 119:63 , 2 Corinthians 6:16 2 Corinthians 6:17 , Ephesians 5:11 , 4:4 ).

4. The same idea as in Matthew 24:28 . Where a corrupt nation is, there God's instruments of punishment are sure also to be. The lion roars loudly only when he has prey in sight.
Will a young lion cry out . . . if he--the "lion," not the "young lion."
have taken nothing?--The young lion just weaned lies silent, until the old lion brings the prey near; then the scent rouses him. So, the prophet would not speak against Israel, if God did not reveal to him Israel's sins as requiring punishment.