👉 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
Explanation: Okay, letās break down this passage from Amos 2:4. Itās a really important verse in the Bible that speaks about Godās judgment on Judah ā a nation near modern-day Israel. Here's what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: God is saying he will not forgive Judah for their mistakes. Heās deliberately choosing to punish them, and heās going to do it for three times and four times. Let's unpack the details: āThus saith the LORDā : This means God is speaking directly to us. āFor three transgressions of Judahā : This refers to a series of sins or wrongdoings that happened in Judah (the people Israel was then). Itās not just one bad thing, but a pattern of behavior. āAnd for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereofā : This is the key part. God isn't going to let these sins go unpunished. He will continue to bring about the consequences of their mistakes. The word "turn away" means to abandon or refuse to face a consequence. āBecause they have despised the law of the LORDā : This is crucial. Judah had been ignoring God's laws and commandments. They were acting like they didnāt care about what was right, even though it was important for their relationship with God. Itās like refusing to follow a rule you know is important. āAnd have not kept his commandmentsā : This means they weren't following God's instructions or guidelines. They were breaking rules and laws that were given to them by God. āAnd their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walkedā : This is a sobering part. The lies and disobedience of Judah led them down a path of wrong decisions ā similar to what their ancestors had done. Itās saying they continued to make mistakes that were similar to those of their forefathers. In short: God is deliberately punishing Judah because they've been defiant and disobeyed him, leading to a cycle of sin and consequences. What does this mean for us today? This verse speaks to the importance of obeying Godās laws and commandments. Itās a reminder that we are accountable to God and that we must strive to live righteously. It also warns against ignoring what is right, as it can lead to serious consequences. --- Do you want me to: Explain this verse in more detail? Discuss the historical context of this passage? Connect it to a specific event or story?