3 of 8 I will not relent

“The Lord says: I will not relent from punishing Tyre for three crimes, even four, because they handed over a whole community of exiles to Edom and broke a treaty of brotherhood. Therefore, I will send fire against the walls of Tyre, and it will consume its citadels.”

‭‭Amos‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/amo.1.9-10.HCSB

Tyre is a city north of mount Carmel along the coast of the Mediterranean belonging to the nation of Phoenicia. Tyre and Sidon are cities often mentioned in the Gospels. 

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes! But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:13-14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/luk.10.14.HCSB

The judgment of Tyre may have already taken place before Jesus. So what was their crime? Like Gaza, they are guilty of handing over people to Edom. But this group seems different to me. In Gaza’s crime, they ransacked a community and handed over the prisoners to Edom. But here we are told that they handed over a whole community of exiles. There was a second community that may have been ransacked by Gaza and they fled north to be protected by Tyre. Tyre agreed to protect them and entered into a treaty with them, but in a few short years they broke their treaty and handed them over to the same people who Gaza handed their captives to. So while they did not ransack the town they are guilty of the same crime as Gaza. 

Since they are guilty of the same crime they received the same punishment. God sent a fire against the walls of their city and it consumed their citadels. God consumed citadels in seven out of eight towns in our “I will not relent” passages. Israel was the only one who would escape this judgment but was not exempt from judgment. 

Why was God so insistent about consuming the citadels? God wants to be the only God who is worshiped. In the citadels, they were worshiping other gods. Let us take a look at commandment number two of ten. 

“Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:4-6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/exo.20.5-6.HCSB

There is punishment for idol worship but before He judges He will supply them with an opportunity to repent by sending one of His prophets to give them a chance to repent, think Jonah. 

Take a look at the prophecy God gave Abraham. 

“In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15:16‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/gen.15.16.HCSB

God does not judge at the first sin but gives plenty of opportunities for repentance until sin is fully grown resulting in death. 

“Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:15‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/jas.1.15.HCSB

“The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/2pe.3.9.HCSB