Amos 2:14-16

Amos 2:14-16

[14] Therefore the flight  shall perish  from the swift,  and the strong  shall not strengthen  his force,  neither shall the mighty  deliver  himself:  [15] Neither shall he stand  that handleth  the bow;  and he that is swift  of foot  shall not deliver  himself: neither shall he that rideth  the horse  deliver  himself.  [16] And he that is courageous  among the mighty  shall flee away  naked  in that day,  saith  the LORD. 

What does Amos 2:14-16 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Running fast would not provide escape from His coming judgment, resisting would not enable the Israelites to withstand it, and outstanding leaders could not deliver them from it. Archers opposing God would not be able to prevent Him from advancing against them, quick runners would not be able to flee, and riding a horse could not remove them from the scene of judgment. When Yahweh would judge the Israelites even the bravest among them would prove fearful and ashamed. In the past Israel"s heroes had routed the Canaanites, but in the future they would not even be able to deliver themselves in battle much less win a victory. This sevenfold description of Israel"s panic balances the earlier sevenfold description of Israel"s sin.
The fulfillment of this threatened judgment came when the Assyrians besieged and destroyed Samaria, Israel"s capital, in722 B.C. and carried many of the people of that land into captivity.
These oracles teach the modern reader that God is sovereign over all nations and holds them accountable for their conduct toward other human beings and for their response to special revelation (cf. Genesis 9:5-6). They also teach that God is patient with sinners and will only punish when the measure of human sin has overflowed His predetermined capacity. They also teach that God is impartial in His judgment; He will punish sin in His own people as well as sin in those with whom He has established no special relationship.