Daily Devotional for Thursday, June 11

Ammon’s and Moab’s Judgment

“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border. And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord,” Amos 1:13; 2:3

The first Geneva convention was established in 1864 and was later expanded in 1949. These conventions, and other documents throughout time, were established to protect prisoners of war, civilians and give guidance as to how soldiers were to conduct themselves. These rules of war evolved over time because of the horrible atrocities that had taken place during times of war throughout history.
There have always been consequences for injustice and cruelty and a willingness to punish those with a disregard for life. We are reminded of some of these heinous acts and their consequences in Amos 1:13—2:3. The Lord said that He would not turn away from this horrible disregard of life (Amos 1:13) by the people of Ammon and would punish them for these acts. The people of Moab were also punished for their desecration of the body of the king of Edom by burning his bones and turning them into lime (Amos 2:1). In both cases, the Lord not only punished the people but also held their rulers accountable for such actions (Amos 1:14, 15; 2:2, 3). The Lord is always watching and aware of man’s sins, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins” (Proverbs 5:21, 22). Just because a person, or nations go to war, it does not justify some of the atrocities that people enact on others.

REFLECTION
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Tim Chambers