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Daily Devotions

Amos

Amos 
Day 
Day 17

"Transgressions of Tyre"

Text: Amos 1:9

ANCIENT PHONECIA

Tyre and Sidon were “twin cities” of Phoenicia. The Phoenicians were famous for their maritime prowess. Their ships traded far and wide and as a result Phoenicia prospered.

INDICTMENT AGAINST TYRE

Amos proclaimed a severe judgment and punishment against Tyre (representing Phoenicia).

“Thus says the LORD:
‘For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom,
And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.'”
Amos 1:9

1. “Thus says the LORD”

a) A reminder that this judgment came from the Lord.
b) Amos was only the prophet-spokesman.

2. “For three transgressions…and for four”

a) The list of all the transgressions is not given.
b) But God has examined the many transgressions of Tyre.
c) The transgressions committed were serious ones and the city of Tyre had to be punished.
d) The sentence will stay and the punishment would not be withheld.

3. “Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom”

a) The whole captivity was perpetrated by the Philistines for which they were judged.
b) The Phoenicians (Tyre) were just as guilty.
c) They assisted the Edomites by shipping out all the captives of Israel to other countries.
d) They were adjudged guilty of transgressions by the Lord.

4. “And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood”

a) This covenant of brotherhood was established by King David with Hiram king of Tyre.
b) This covenant was further ratified in the reign of Solomon.
c) Hiram brought cedar and cypress wood from Lebanon for King Solomon in his building programs (1 Kings 5).
d) However, with the passing of time, Tyre had forgotten the covenant of brotherhood.
e) Instead, Tyre aided the Philistines and the Edomites in selling the Israelite captives to other lands.
f) This was a transgression for which God held Tyre accountable!