Verse 4
"Yea, and what are ye to me, O Tyre, and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? will ye render me a recompense? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head.
The omission of the names of many nations that were just as wicked as these cited has been widely misinterpreted, all kinds of allegations regarding the date of the prophecy being made to turn on the singular mention of just these; but these do not make up any kind of list, being merely well-known examples of horrible wickedness leading at last to God's judgment. Robinson spoke of this and other such data, as "obviously too indefinite to be of any great value in deciding the prophet's date."[13] It is significant that Amos also used these very examples of rampant wickedness. "Amos singles out the very nations mentioned by Joel, and reproaches them with such offences as Joel specifies (Amos 1:6-12)."[14]
"If ye recompense me ..." Jamieson explained the meaning here thus: "If ye injure me (my people) in revenge for fancied wrongs, I will requite you in your own coin, swiftly and speedily."[15] In all history, those nations which have undertaken to destroy Christianity have themselves been speedily destroyed. Secular Israel, pagan Rome, Assyria and Babylon are ancient examples, especially Jerusalem and Rome; but there are modern examples also. Hitler burned the Bibles at Nuremburg, but the fire did not go out until Berlin was totally ruined. God is still in control of his world.
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