1:3 Behold, the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth
1:6 ...I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field... I will uncover her foundations
1:12 ...disaster came down from the Lord
2:3 Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, against this family I am devising disaster, From which you cannot remove your necks; Nor shall you walk haughtily, for this is an evil time."
Observations
It’s a warning about coming desctruction
It seems like God has lost patience with a people who are determined to dissobey
See also
John 6:37-40 —
All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and belives in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Hebrews 10:26-29 —
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indigrnation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishement, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenenant my which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
C.S. Lewis —
From The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe “Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion” ... “Safe?" said Mr Beaver ... “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
Proverbs 29:1 —
He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Things God Does
and other interpretations
God never loses someone who has come to Jesus for forgiveness — He assures & ensures that their future is good
God will not wait forever for someone who resists Him; after an extended period of [1] awareness of God and His instructions, and [2] an exteded, determined period of resistance and dissobedience to God’s instructions
God does not bring destruction without warning
Application
There’s no need for me to be terrifed of God like I would be of a boss who will suddenly come by and bring bad consequences
Listen to God’s warnings so I’m not surprised
Do not fear unexpected consequences from God
For me personally, since I’ve come to Jesus with faith and repentance, I know that my future with God is assured
Do not fear any permanent destruction from God
As long as I pay attention to His communication, I don’t need to be afraid of Him
Similarly, as a mouse I would not have to be afraid of a good and friendly elephant rider who gives warning about where he will step, provided I listen to his warnings. As soon as I tune them out, I ought to be very afraid about being squashed suddenly.