Amos 3  Because of the unique relationship that God had established with Israel, and their utter rebellion against His commands, the judgement was inevitable and Amos declares this with a progressive series of questions...  examples of cause and effect...

Two men who walk together ( effect) must have met by agreement. ( cause)
A lion roars in the forest ( effect).. because he found his prey. ( cause)
A young lion growls in its den ( effect) because it has captured its dinner. ( cause)
A bird falls into a trap ( effect)  because it has been baited for that purpose. (cause )
A trap springs shut ( effect) because something has set it off. (cause)
A trumpet sounds an alarm in the city, ( cause) causing the people to tremble. (effect)

A calamity comes upon the nation ( effect).. because the Lord had done it.. (cause)
The Lord speaks... and the prophet must prophesy.
God reveals His intentions through His servants and He will do what He says.

"A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?"

Again, Amos proclaims the sins of Israel and the just punishment that the Lord is declaring against them.  He invites the enemies of Israel, the Philistines and the Egyptians.. to gather and watch.. witnesses to crimes committed by God's own people...

".. see the great tumults within her and the oppressions in her midst... they do not even know how to do right... these who hoard up violence and devastation in their citadels."

Samaria, the capital of Israel, was filled with panic and terror.  The rule of law had disintegrated. Violence and oppression was rampant. The rich hoarded their wealth and exploited the poor. They plundered and looted their own countrymen. Terror ruled.  They profited from oppressing the poor.

Now God has spoken and His judgements would be certain.  An enemy would invade, overrun, plunder and destroy the fortresses of the rich, who sat in their lofty positions.  Utter destruction would be like a lion that snatched a sheep and left only an ear or piece of bone.  They would be snatched out of their beds of ease, clinging to their blankets.  Their altar at Bethel would be destroyed.. "the horns of the altar".. the place where a fugitive could grab on and claim asylum.. would be "cut off".  There was no hope of escaping God's just punishment.

This truth stands for the day of judgement yet to come.  God has spoken and He will do what He says He will do.  Like the Israelites , some of us may think that a loving God will surely save us.. no matter what.. but that is false hope.  Unless we repent and put our trust in the One and Only Savior, Who died to pay for our transgressions.. we are still sinners.. still under judgement.. and will still pay the ultimate punishment - death. (Oh how thankful we are for Jesus Christ our Savior!)

In our natural, fleshly bodies, we "do not even know how to do right"..  We see in our country today the battle against the rule of law that is leading to tumult and devastation..  The rich grow richer and the poor are oppressed.  Violence is rampant.  We are in the same place as Israel was when God declared His coming punishment.

O Lord God, help us!  Bring repentance and revival to our land.  May we turn from sin and death.  May we turn to Christ and be redeemed, forgiven, and resurrected into new life.. holy, blameless and yielded to You, our God and King.  You are our God and we will serve You alone.  There is no other name that we will call upon, but the Wonderful name of Jesus, who is all in all.  In this name we bow before You and ask these things. Amen.