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  COMMENTARY ON AMOS 6-9
  by Chuck Smith
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Shall we turn in our Bibles to Amos chapter 6.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel has become apostate. They are living in
luxury, carelessness, indifference towards God, when suddenly their
peace is disturbed because of an unknown person to them who suddenly
arises in Bethel, one of their cities of worship, and begins to denounce
their worship. Begins to denounce the Northern Kingdom, and begins to
prophecy the judgment of God. Amos suddenly appeared on the scene,
telling of the judgment of God that is soon to come upon this apostate
kingdom. In chapter 6, continuing his denunciations he declares,

Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion, that are trusting in the
mountain of Samaria, which are named for the chief of the nations, to
whom the house of Israel came! Pass unto Calneh, and see; go from there
to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they
better than these kingdoms? or their borders greater than your borders?
Ye that put far away the evil day, and caused the seat of violence to
come near; That lie upon the beds of ivory, and stretch yourselves out
on your couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out
of the midst of the stall; That chant to the sound of the viol, and
invent instruments of music, like David; That drink your wine out of
bowls, and anoint yourselves with the oils: but you are not grieved for
the affliction of Joseph (Amo 6:1-6).

So he describes now the conditions that existed in the Northern Kingdom
that were actually perpetuating its destruction. At ease in Zion, they
were trusting in the mountains of Samaria. They felt that their cities
were well defensed. That the city of Samaria, a very great stronghold.
Actually, Samaria sits on the top of a mountain. They had ingeniously
brought water into the city by a spring that was several miles away on
another hill, and had brought a tunnel all the way along and up into
Samaria. And by the process of water seeking its own level, as the pool
on the other hill would fill, of course it would bring the water to the
level there within Samaria. So they had a good source of fresh water
within the city. The city had the strong walls, the great towers, and
built on the hill they felt that they were impregnable as far as their
enemies were concerned. So they were trusting in their military
strength, in their strategic location, rather than really trusting in
the Lord. So the prophet said, "Now go to some of these other cities
that have fallen. You think that you\

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/chuck-smith/commentary-on-amos-6-9/
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