Reading the prophetic books of the Old Testament can be a depressing experience. And reading about the sins that Israel is guilty of, and hearing of the punishments that God is going to visit on them, can be troubling. It can seem that humanity will never learn how to be faithful to God. It can also begin to seem like God is simply watching and waiting for an opportunity to punish His people.

But even though He has sent them His prophets with stark messages of warning, God does reveal His true heart for His people in the passages of Scripture that record His ″laments″ (Amos 5:1).

A lament is an expression of remorse and sorrow. Though Amos 5:2-3 describes Israel as fallen and never to rise again, God does not take delight in this situation caused by Israel's unfaithfulness. Instead, He mourns for fallen Israel.

This is the picture of a God who has warned His people, both in the past (by giving them the law with clearly-stated consequences for breaking the covenant) and in the present (by sending some disasters to call them to repentance). This is a God who has been patient with His wayward people, giving them ample opportunity to return to Him. And this is a God who grieves the discipline that is coming to His chosen people (see 3:2).

When the discipline comes, it is not because God's patience has been exhausted. Rather, it is a sign of His faithfulness to His word. In previous verses (4:6-12), God had reminded the people of His warnings and calls to repentance, but notes that they had not listened (″yet you have not returned to me″, vv. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11). And this is why He is going to visit them in judgment. This is the result of their unfaithfulness: no one will lift the fallen Israel up (5:2), and only a tenth of the warriors that march out will return (v. 3).

Yet even in God's own faithfulness to His word and His covenant, there is lament and remorse that His people must suffer. He would much rather–as Jesus would invite people about 750 years later–that the weary and burdened come to Him to find rest (Matthew 11:28-30). God's invitation to return does not have an expiry date; He is always willing to receive the repentant, that they may live (see Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11).