Amos 4, 6-13

6. God brought famine upon Israel for their sin of worshiping another god, but they still did not repent:

"I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places, yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

7. God also brought drought upon Israel, or some cities of Israel, in order to provide them with an opportunity to repent and turn back to Him:

"I withheld the rain from you while there were still three months until harvest."

This put their food supply in jeopardy.

8. Not only was there the possibility of ruined crops, but there wasn't even enough water to drink.

"Two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, but would not be satisfied; yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

Notice that the purpose of these hardships is to get their attention, so that they would stop living as they have been and try something new--which is to follow God in a truer way.

9. In addition to drought, God also sent plagues of scorching wind, mildew, and caterpillars upon the land of Israel--again, with the purpose of bring them to repentance.

"I smote you with scorching wind and mildew; and the caterpillar was devouring your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees; yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD."

Among other things, the caterpillars also threatened the food supply.

10. God also brought military defeat upon Israel, in which many of their men died.

"I slew your young men by the sword along with your captured horses, and I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils; yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.

11. This military defeat--or some other event--was as great a calamity and judgment on Israel as the fire and brimstone that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

The destruction was nearly total, as a "firebrand snatched from a blaze." Even so, the people of Israel did not repent: "Yet you have not returned to Me, declares the LORD."

12. Israel has proved absolutely stubborn and unwilling to repent and, therefore, God will stop bringing chastisements upon Israel and will bring instead a final judgment:

"Therefore, thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I shall do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel."

13. The God whom Israel defies and treats with such disrespect is the only true God, the LORD.

This God is the God who created Heaven and Earth and who continues to rule over nature: "He who forms mountains and creates the wind...who makes dawn into darkness"

This is also a God who communicates with human beings: "He who declares to man what are His thoughts."

He also "treads on the high places of the earth." I suppose that means that He can get high up to places that we cannot reach, because He is greater than we are.

All the armies of Heaven obey Him. "The LORD God of hosts is His name."