AMOS 6
AMOS: PROPHET OF JUSTICE and
RIGHTEOUSNESS
(In light of the horrific massacre Israel experienced last Saturday, October 7, 2023, please note that this message from the prophet Amos occurred in the middle of the 8th century B.C. 75 years ago, Israel became an independent nation and Jews from all over the world returned their ancestor's homeland. Israel was celebrating 25 years since the start of the Yom Kippur War commenced by Egypt and Syria. It lasted 19 days, which Israel won resulting in a "peace treaty." with Egypt and "agreement" with Syria. October 7 was also the last day of the Jewish Holy Days. Many who were killed and or wounded, that day attended a concert commemorating those anniversaries.)
PRAYER:
We ended last week’s blog in a spirit of hope and
opportunity for change. (Repent means to
turn around and stop heading in the direction where sin controls one’s
life.) As we saw, right in the middle of
Amos, God offered forgiveness and provided a way of escaping the impending
judgment. Amos 5:4: Come back to me and live! Come
back to the Lord and live! v. 6, v. 14-15 tells what to do.
Seek good, and not
evil, that you may live; and so, the Lord, the Lord your God of Hosts, will be with you,
as you have said. Hate evil and love good and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of Hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (NRSV)
Read Amos 6. (If you haven't read the previous chapters do so now.) Notice the
message, again, turns to warning.
Remember, this was a time of prosperity and peace. Note the imagery, illustrating their wealth,
throughout the chapter. Amos' "message fell on deaf ears."* He leveled his
attack on those living in complacency and feeling secure. "It was a time when the rich got richer and when prosperity for the few masked the poverty of the many."* There was no fear of losing everything. Thus, they likely missed the message of hope
in the middle of judgment.
Great wealth and comfortable lifestyles lead people in thinking
they were secure. God was not pleased
when isolation kept them from those in need.
God wanted people to care for each other as God cared for them. There was no place for selfishness and
indifference. Amos called for the use of wealth to help others as a way of guarding against pride and complacency.
“Your luxury will not continue forever,” says Amos. He tells them to see the great cities to the
east (Caleh in today’s Iraq and mentioned in Genesis 10:10), north and west all
destroyed because of pride. What
happened to them would happen to Israel because its sins were just as great as
theirs. You
care nothing about the ruin of your nation, v. 6. … You will be the first to be lead away as captives. Suddenly your parties will end. v. 7
Where do you find security other than God? Is
it trustworthy?PRAYER:
Loving God as
I end this week, I thank you for the Hope and your Promise of being with us
no matter the circumstances I may face. Give me the confidence to live as you have
taught. May I, this coming week, see a mighty flood of Justice, and endless river of Righteous living. Amos 5:24, (NLT)
* The Haftarah Commentary, p. xii
