The End Is Near

Did you ever wonder why Amos 1:6-8 mentions four cities of the Philistine Pentapolis (Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Ekron) but not the fifth, the large and important city of Gath? Ok, it probably never crossed your mind, you just read right over it, even if you were reading Amos, which you probably weren't in the first place. Well, I'm going to tell you anyway! If you flip a few pages over to Amos 6:2, you see the prophet use Gath as an example of what's going to happen to Jerusalem and Samaria because they're such idolaters. Back in 2 Kings 12:17, we read that Hazael, king of Aram (modern Syria), went up and destroyed Gath. Archaeologists have discovered a massive, man-made seige trench around the remains of Gath and a destruction layer in the city that dates to that same time period. Also N. Israel/Syrian style pottery was found at the bottom of the trench. Seems like good evidence that Hazael built this trench when he beseiged and destroyed Gath. He planned to go and do the same to Jerusalem, but king Joash paid him off out of the temple treasury. When Amos was preaching against the sins of Israel and Judah, the destruction of a big city like Gath would have been a vivid example of God's wrath poured out against those who reject him. I love how archaeology makes seemingly insignificant passages like this one come alive!