Amos, Pt. 5

First let me clear up something I was wrong on last week. I mentioned that idolatry was not a major issue at this time is Israel. Idolatry was always a major issue in Israel from Mount Sinai until after the exile. So yes, they were worshipping other gods, along with Yahweh. They were sure to get the temple worship right to Yahweh, but completely ignored Him in their ethics and business, all while worshipping other gods as well.

Now we move to Amos 5:1-6:9. You can hear the anger in the Lord’s words. He gave a nation His very heart and told them what He expected. They accepted the covenant to be His people. Now they have turned their backs on Him and are mistreating the poor and oppressed, while still pretending to love the Lord and believing they are pleasing Him by having the “proper” temple worship. The Lord is hurt and angry (and yes, the Lord does grieve.) This is a reminder that the Lord is a just God. Those who do evil will be punished. Those who are taken advantage of will be lifted up.

There is much discussion over the justice of God. Many people wonder how He can be a loving God and punish people, and even send them to hell. Yet, the same people that will not allow for the Lord to do that will be the one’s crying out for “justice” when someone wrongs them. We reflect in our treatment of each other the nature of dealing with sin against us and getting angry at injustice. When its us we want mercy, when it is others wronging us we want justice. At least the Lord is balanced. We don’t feel the hurt and anger nearly as strongly as the Lord. Justice demands that things are made right, and evil must be dealt with. To have a God who doesn’t do that means he is either a weak god or an indifferent god. Our God is neither. He is just and merciful, full of grace and full of wrath, and He will not apologize nor try to explain either. His character is one that wants to give grace and mercy, but He will grant those who do not choose to follow Him what they have always wanted, eternity apart from Him.

In Amos 6, the Lord has pleaded His case and Israel has gotten the guilty verdict. Now comes the sentencing, and those who are responsible for making money at the expense of the poor will be the most severely punished. This doesn’t mean the downtrodden are innocent, but it does mean that those who have are responsible for maintaining justice. That does not fit well with our society but it is still true. Those who have are responsible for maintaining justice. The “haves” are feasting and celebrating and ignoring others. The Lord is going to make things right.
In chapter 7, the sentencing continues. Amos is pleading with the Lord, and He relents twice. This is the Lord showing that He is doing this as a last resort. After all, He is sending Amos to declare their sin and giving them a chance to repent. After relenting twice, the Lord shows Amos a plumb line, which is used to see if vertical lines are straight. Israel is terribly crooked. The Lord is going to act, because He cannot let this go on. The Day of the Lord is coming, and things are going to be made right, and no one is going to enjoy it.

“When justice is bought and sold like weapons of war, the ones who always pay are the poorest of the poor.”-Derek Webb