9 – Evil Follows Sin

The Lord begins to enter into a formal judgment. He is said, standeth up to contend. This is a reference to His occupying His judgment seat (1 Samuel 24:15; Isaiah 41:1) as He prepares to pass judgment on His people. The case as so clear that the judge decides it standing, without sitting down to hear argument or evidence. The peoples are the twelve tribes of the nation Israel. He is now going to tell them that they will suffer punishment for their misdeeds. God judges' sin in all nations but this nation is the one was by Him selected to bring His oracles (Bible) and Messiah to the world. They occupy a special place in His Creation. This diatribe will be directed at both civil and ecclesiastical in Israel. They are the princes (Aristocracy), chief priests (of the Temple), and elders (Sanhedrin) of the people. The leaders are the primary instigators of the sins against the people He includes the elders in this accusation as well. This is because they should have protested the wicked deeds of the leaders. Leadership and responsibility always go together.

In this passage the prophet now turns to deal with the women, "daughters of Zion"—in particular that class in society which can afford to live a luxurious and frivolous lives while oppressing the poor (Amos 4:1–3). The Lord discloses a close connection between Jerusalem's social evils and the women's behavior and lifestyle, whereby they induce their husbands in turn to act corruptly and unjustly. At that time the wealthy women of Jerusalem were proud and arrogant. They dominated and ruled over the nation. Adulterous women exerted a ruling influence over the nation. The leaders had become so driven to satisfy their lust