Judah and Israel addressed together as nearest to God and therefore more responsible
After having specified each one of the nations that were found on the territory promised to Abraham, God addresses Judah and Israel together-the whole family whom He had brought up from Egypt. These only had Jehovah known of all the families of the earth; therefore would He punish them for their iniquities: a solemn but very simple principle. If we are in the place of testimony-of testimony to God-it is needful that this testimony should be in accordance with the heart and the principles of God-that it should not falsify His character-that our walk should agree with our position. And the more immediate this testimony is, the more jealous will God be with respect to His glory and our faithfulness. Judgment begins at His house. If there was evil in the city, it was that Jehovah had interfered in judgment.1 Two cannot walk together except they are agreed. Two important declarations are attached to this principle. On the one hand, if God intervene and make His great and terrible voice to be heard, there is a cause: on the other hand, God would not act without warning His people. He would do nothing without revealing it to His servants the prophets. But the lion had roared: should they not tremble? Jehovah had spoken; the prophet could not be silent. This was the condition of Israel. It is this latter kingdom that, for the moment, the Spirit of God particularly addresses. There should be left but a few little fragments of them, even like the morsels of a lamb that might be taken out of the lion’s mouth after he had devoured it. Finally, in speaking here of Israel, Jehovah specifies their idolatrous altars, and declares that all the glory of the people shall perish. We may again remark, here, the way in which the kingdom of Israel is taken for the whole people, although Judah is spoken of and judged in its turn. (See verses 9 and 12-14.)
(1. Though some take it as moral evil which would lead Jehovah to interfere-then shall Jehovah do nothing.)
With the exception of the first two chapters, which go together, each chapter in Amos is a distinct prophecy.