3-6. Here follow several questions of a parable-like kind, to awaken
conviction in the people.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?--Can God's prophets be
so unanimous in prophesying against you, if God's Spirit were not joined
with them, or if their prophecies were false? The Israelites were "at
ease," not believing that God was with the prophets in their denunciations
of coming ruin to the nation
(Am 6:1, 3;
compare
1Ki 22:18, 24, 27;
Jer 43:2).
This accords with
Am 3:7, 8.
So "I will be with thy mouth"
(Ex 4:12;
Jer 1:8;
Mt 10:20).
If the prophets and God were not agreed, the former could not predict
the future as they do. In
Am 2:12
He had said, the Israelites forbade the prophets prophesying;
therefore, in
Am 3:3, 8,
He asserts the agreement between the prophets and God who spake by them
against Israel [ROSENMULLER]. Rather, "I once
walked with you"
(Le 26:12)
as a Father and Husband
(Isa 54:5;
Jer 3:14);
but now your way and Mine are utterly diverse; there can therefore be
no fellowship between us such as there was
(Am 3:2);
I will walk with you only to "punish you"; as a "lion" walks with his
"prey"
(Am 3:4),
as a bird-catcher with a bird [TARNOVIUS]. The
prophets, and all servants of God, can have no fellowship with the
ungodly
(Ps 119:63;
2Co 6:16, 17;
Eph 5:11;
Jas 4:4).
JFB.
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