Where is God when wars and atrocities happen?

War crimes and atrocities in armed conflicts are nothing new, but in the West we can be too far removed from it all. However, with the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Gaza, we hear more news about the cruelties of war. The changing patterns of traditional alliances are also troubling, so that we may have the uncertain feeling of the ground not being solid under our feet. Given all these undercurrents, what are we to think about God’s presence in the world? Have we been abandoned? Is God aware of what is going on? Is He going to do anything about it? These are hard questions and, as so often, the answers only make sense when we live by faith.

Oracles against the nations

Old Testament prophecies frequently include oracles against the nations, though they tend to be tucked away deeper in a book. Surprisingly, Amos starts with these. God’s roaring from Jerusalem/Zion (i.e. from His temple, Amos 1:2) has an ominous ring evoking a fierce lion ready to tear its prey apart. It is an image of God’s judgment directed against Israel’s neighbours here (see map) for various war crimes. The addresses to the six groups all follow a similar pattern. For a start, each affirms God’s fixed determination to punish (the n+1 formula, ‘For three transgressions… and for four’ is a common stylistic device used for emphasis and does not correspond here to exact numbers of items). Each then lists the key sin and its punishment (see summary below).

[source]

Amos 1:3-5 Damascus/Aram (Syria)	Cruelty in war (Gilead – Transjordan)	Fire on cities, inhabitants and rulers (sceptre) destroyed, exile
Amos 1:6-8 Philistine cities	War captives (from Judah?) sold into slavery to Edom	Fire on cities, habitants and ruler destroyed, even remnant
Amos 1:9-10 Tyre (Phoenician city state)	Israelite war captives sold into slavery to Edom	Fire on city
Amos 1:11-12 Edom	Ongoing furious warfare with brother nation Israel	Fire on cities (Teman – southern border, Bozrah – northern)
Amos 1:13-15 Ammon	Cruelty in war for territorial gain	Fire on Rabbah (capital) Royal leadership’s exile
Amos 2:1-3 Moab	Burnt bones of Edomite king	Fire on cities People destroyed Leadership killed

The sins condemned

The indictments of these nations include a variety of sins relating to warfare and enmity between people groups. Threshing grain in the ancient world was done by flailing or beating grain or treading and crushing it. Thus, the image of threshing with a sharp iron evokes the brutal massacre of a population in Aram/Syria’s indictment (Amos 1:3). Although slavery was a common institution in the ancient world and existed in Israel as well, the latter’s laws strove towards more humane treatment of fellow human beings. Thus, selling off war captives into slavery and profiting from their misery was particularly gruesome. Since Philistia was just west of Judah, the population sold into slavery by them were likely captured during border raids into Judah. Tyre’s involvement in such practices is particularly bad given their traditional alliance with Israel, which made them ‘brothers’ (e.g. 1 Kgs 5:1, 12; 9:13).

Edom’s never-abating fight against Israel throughout their history goes back to the rivalry of their ancestors who were the brothers, Esau and Jacob (Gen 25:22-23, 27:40). Thus, the Edomites’ furious enmity is particularly condemned because of the family relationship. Ammon’s cruelty in warfare is summed up with the stock image of pregnant women being ripped open. Such treatment is not only brutal because it attacks the vulnerable but because it wages war even on the future generation (unborn children). Finally, it was believed that proper burial ensured a peaceful afterlife. Thus, desecrating graves to destroy even the skeletal remains of a person was seen as particularly vicious (Moab).

God, the Judge of all nations

God, then, holds accountable even pagan nations and He does so based on principles of general morality and decency. Extreme cruelty and lack of compassion, the attack on the vulnerable, profiteering from others’ misery, ignoring traditional alliances and familial connections and waging war on both the future generations and on people even in their death are condemned. God sees and will judge. Neither are crimes only denounced if they are against God’s people, though most in the list are. However, Moab’s vindictiveness against the king of Edom is as reprehensible as the rest. The Lord is the Judge over all nations. The Assyrian threat a few decades after Amos will indeed destroy and/or take captive and exile these peoples. Nevertheless, it is important to note that God’s judgment does not come as immediate retribution after the crime. While most of the atrocities here are impossible to date, the Syrian attacks against the Transjordan would likely fall into the century before Amos (e.g. 2 Kgs 10:32-33; 13:1-7). Thus, it is often not the generation that suffered brutalities who will see vindication. That is why we live by faith trusting that God will bring justice. Knowing this can also help not to harbour bitterness and plan revenge on those who hurt our people because we entrust ourselves to the righteous Judge who brings true justice in His time.

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