Amos 6:1–3 (ESV)

            “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,
                        and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria,
            the notable men of the first of the nations,
                        to whom the house of Israel comes!
            Pass over to Calneh, and see,
                        and from there go to Hamath the great;
                        then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
            Are you better than these kingdoms?
                        Or is their territory greater than your territory,
            O you who put far away the day of disaster
                        and bring near the seat of violence?”

For a moment here, Amos includes Judea in his prophesy.  “Zion” is a reference to the mount on which Jerusalem sits.

As we’ve seen before, walled cities on hills are not easily conquered. But Calneh, Hamath, and Gath were similarly secure, and they’ve already fallen to the Assyrians.

But the question, “Are you better than these kingdoms?” has got to sting. Of course they’re better, right? They’re the chosen people of God.

Actually, they are. That’s why Amos is holding them to a higher standard.

So, being the chosen doesn’t mean they’re immune to punishment; it means they get more of it.

This is the key takeaway from the whole book, especially for Christians. As sons of God, we’re under His constant watch. That means discipline. Going easy on us is not part of the plan. He never said it would be.

But, for some strange reason, we all seem to want boring lives. Work, pain, and especially risk are all abhorrent to us. Yet gambling is addictive. How can that be?

The cold truth is that sin is a more complex beast than we like to admit. It isn’t just being bad or selfish; it’s also being stupid and inconsistent. Sin doesn’t make sense.

We tend to take our sin lightly, as if it’s cute or something. We notice the dreadful consequences of sin in others, and we’re honest about what’s going on there, but our own sin doesn’t get the same look. This makes our sin invisible.

Sin depends on being hidden. If we could see the ugliness of our own sin, we’d stop in an instant.

God’s discipline is often designed to help us see. Find this wavelength and peace will come of it.

These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Weekend DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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The weekly study guides, which include the Monday–Friday devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.