Warning. Warning. Warning.
That’s how this chapter opens. It is with a call for the righteous to turn from evil and “seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger” (v. 3).
But if there was no turning to God, the nations would face his wrath.
Philistia, the coastal peoples would be destroyed. Gaza would be abandon and Ashdod would be in ruins.
The Moab and Ammonites to the southeast of Israel. Modern day Syria and Jordan. They would be destroyed.
Same with Cush.
And also Assyria.
Why? Why would they be destroyed? Two reasons:
- They too were steeped in wickedness. Judgment began “with the house of the LORD” which was Israel, but the nations around them that did evil would not escape His judgment. But he had to deal with his own people first.
- They despised Israel. Even though Israel was doing evil, they were still God’s covenant people. And He expected them to be treated as such. We see God’s clear reason for judgment especially with Moab (Jordan area) and Ammon (Syria area) (v. 8-11). It says of them that they
* Insulted his people
* They made threats against the land of Israel
* They were proud
* They insulted and mocked the people of God
Interesting as this is what brought judgment in the past. And from what I understand they have reinstituted this mockery and hatred of Israel even today.
God will punish evil. And he will protect his people. This is a true message to all Gentile nations and that means any nation that is not Israel.
That and it is also about the people of God. We are, as the Scriptures say, “grafted in” to Israel. God has a special place for His covenant children–starting with his first covenant children of Israel and including through grafting in the people of the New Covenant.
