Amos 6:1-4

At ease in Zion -- Amos 6:1-4: The national leaders in Israel felt safe and at ease in Zion or Jerusalem and on the mountain of Samaria. However, these notable men of Israel were in trouble. Very grievous distress would come upon these people because of rebellion against God. They were secure, contented and unconcerned about their spiritual condition. These leaders had power that they used for evil instead of for good. God called upon Israel to observe what had happened to the cities of Calneh, Hamath, and Gath in Philistia. He asked them, "Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory." Israel should not have felt secure as if nothing bad would happen because of their evil.

Israel was cruel and violent. They denied that the nation was in any way in danger of judgment. They were like the people described in Ecclesiastes 8:11. Solomon said, "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." These rich rulers were guilty of lounging around on beds with ivory posts, while dining on the meat of their lambs and calves. The sadness of using what we have just for ourselves is a horrible evil indeed. They took advantage of the common people and had no respect for God.