Read Amos chapter 5. Amos moves from talking about the injustice that is done in Israel to what the Lord thinks about it and what He is going to do. It starts with a funeral song for Israel, and then an admonition to seek the Lord instead of religion. The Israelites are in a time where they are not worshipping other nation’s idols. They have become a rich country and trust that this shows the blessing of the Lord. Amos boldly states that their prosperity is going to be a curse, because they have stopped seeking justice. The haves are having more at the expense of the poor, and are depriving those who have no voice (because they have no money) of justice. Amos’ definition of justice is to protect the innocent and make things right. The people are taking advantage of the innocent and lining their pockets. While acknowledging God with the “proper” religious festivals, they deny Him in their treatment of others.
Many in Israel were looking forward to what they call the “Day of the Lord.” They saw the Day of the Lord as a time when the Lord would bless Israel, because after all, their prosperity must be a sign of the Lord being with them, right? Amos proclaims that the day of the Lord is coming, but it will not be good, because with the Lord will come His hand of justice, and its going to be very different from what they expect. Israel has become complacent, comfortable, and materialistic in their lives and their religion. "I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:21-24). The Lord is rejecting their worship, because while they have the right forms, they are not living the right way.
When asked what the greatest command is, Jesus replied, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31). Everything we do in our family, work, worship, private and public lives must follow these two commands. We can have every form of worship correct, but if we are not loving our neighbor, it is of no value. In fact the Lord detests it. Our faith cannot be compartmentalized. It must be the foundation of all we do. If we come to worship to love God, fellowship, encourage, seek the Lord, learn, repent, and be edified so that we can bring His love to others then we are pleasing to the Lord. If we come to worship to check a list so that we can say we’ve done all the “right things” but then look down on, talk bad about, feel superior to, or mistreat others because of their race, class, nationality, age, sex, religion, etc. than our worship was in vain, and we and the Lord’s church would be better if we just stopped showing up. That’s a tough message, but in keeping with Amos. I hope we all wrestle with this passage, because it is a gut check, and the Lord has not changed what He is most interested in, which is justice, righteousness, love, and salvation. All things that Jesus lived out in His life, and calls us to as Christians. Proper worship is important, but is nothing if it is not built on a foundation of love for justice and righteousness. May they roll like a river through our churches and our lives.
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WOW!! Talk about slapping me in the face. I have a struggle with making my faith the basis for all that I do. Instead, my anger and/or emotions tend to be my driving force, and in being so, I do and say really stupid things to my friends, my family, and my co-workers.
Thank you, because I need to redierct myself into being a light instead of being blinded by myself.
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