A Little Too Close to Home; Amos 2-6

May the mumbling commence!

Today, we read from the prophet Amos.  Amos begins his book of prophecy denouncing the nations that surrounded Israel.  It is easy to pump our fists and rejoice at the comeuppance of those around us.  The United States rejoices at the troubles of Al Qaeda.  But, let’s bring it a little closer to home.  We may rejoice at the defamation of other religions – like Islam.  Let’s bring it a little closer yet.  We may rejoice at the defamation of other Christian denominations; we may claim that we have it right while the other denomination is patently wrong.  Now, let’s bring it even closer to home.  Even within denominations, there is division and rancor around some controversial topics – like human sexuality and the institution of marriage.  Those who do not judge as we do are patently wrong.

In the same way, Israel must have been shouting the amens to begin with; but Amos then turned to Israel.  And the detail was excruciating.  It is demoralizing when the microscope gets placed squarely on you.  Injustice and gross excess were the call of the day for Israel.  Read some passages from Amos 2-6:

            They sell the righteous for silver,

and the needy for a pair of sandals. 

 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground

and deny justice to the oppressed. (2:6b-7)  

"They do not know how to do right," declares the Lord,

"who hoard plunder and loot in their fortresses." (3:10)

           

I will tear down the winter house

along with the summer house;

the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed

and the mansions will be demolished," declares the Lord.  (3:15)

You trample on the poor

and force him to give you grain.

Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,

you will not live in them;

though you have planted lush vineyards,

you will not drink their wine. (5:11)

You lie on beds inlaid with ivory

and lounge on your couches.

You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. 

You strum away on your harps like David

and improvise on musical instruments. 

You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions,

but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. (6:4-6)

Sounds like the lap of luxury, doesn’t it?  Look around you.  Are not these words true for some who live in the United States these days?  But Amos tells them that it is the road to destruction.  In Amos chapter four, the Lord reviews the plagues that He has sent of Israel.  All of them were intended to cause Israel to return to the Lord and repent of their wickedness, but none of the plagues were successful with this goal.

God calls us to seek Him.  What does seeking God ask from us?  Read from Amos 5:14-15 –

Seek good, not evil, that you may live.

Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. 

Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.

Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.

If we seek good not evil and maintain justice in the courts, then we will heal the blight of our worship that the Lord detests when justice is absent from our midst – “Let justice roll like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (5:24)” 

Enough mumbling for today… 

Peace Out