Amos
Book of Amos Amos - “to bear a load” Prophecy of Amos - outrage at the violence that had been done to the justice and righteousness of God Prophecy of Hosea - unfaithfulness of Israel to the love of God
Sins Against Society by Surrounding Cities Amos 1:3 Damascus – expansionist / brutal military policy (the oppressed) Amos 1:6 Gaza - the saleable were sold - whole communities including men, women and children (exiled refugee and slave) Amos 1:9 Tyre - managed the business side of the slave-trade - no sense of the covenant of brotherhood - (failure to value human rights)
Sins Against Society by Surrounding Cities Amos 1:11 Edom - ceaseless remorseless animosity (remorseless anger) Amos 1:13 Ammon - valued the material over the human (inhuman treatment of women and children - the most vulnerable) Amos 2:1-3 Moab - violence to the corpse of the King of Edom
Sins Against Society by Surrounding Cities Wherever crimes against humanity are committed they are crimes against the Lord God of all.
Sins Against Society by Israel (Amos 2:6-8) sell the righteous for silver - innocent party at law - judges open to • bribery - sold for the highest price the needy - socially helpless and defenseless - they have no • recourse but to submit oppression of the poor - coveting property - denying the poor man • even the dust on his head as a sign of mourning - this a clear oppression of the wealthy over the poor sexual acts carried out in the name of religion •
Sins Against Society by Israel (Amos 5:7-13) You twist justice, making it a bitter pill for the oppressed. You treat the righteous like dirt. … How you hate honest judges! How you despise people who tell the truth! You trample the poor, stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent. Therefore, though you build beautiful stone houses, you will never live in them. Though you plant lush vineyards, you will never drink wine from them. For I know the vast number of your sins and the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. So those who are smart keep their mouths shut, for it is an evil time.
The Consequence - Judgement More pronounced judgement against Israel since they were people who had been provided with divine revelation Amos 2:8 The lion has roared - who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken - who can but prophesy? Israel will go into exile Judgement at the 2 nd coming of Christ. An affront to the holiness of God.
The Problem - Religion without Spirituality (Amos 5:21-23) “I hate all your show and pretense - the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps.” Worship without righteousness is an abomination to God.
Call to Repentance, Right Living and Social Justice Amos 5:4-6 Now this is what the LORD says to the family of Israel: “ Come back to me and live! Don’t worship at the pagan altars at Bethel; don’t go to the shrines at Gilgal or Beersheba. For the people of Gilgal will be dragged off into exile, and the people of Bethel will be reduced to nothing.” Come back to the LORD and live! Otherwise, he will roar through Israel like a fire, devouring you completely. Your gods in Bethel won’t be able to quench the flames.
Call to Repentance, Right Living and Social Justice Amos 5:24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Call to Repentance, Right Living and Social Justice Righteousness - Tsedeqah A standard of right equitable relationships between people no matter their social differences. (In)justice - Mishpat Concrete actions that you take to correct injustice and create righteousness.
Made in the image of God The inherent dignity of each person. Genesis 1:27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Gospel of Jesus Christ The Pharisees. The beam in our own eye. Matthew 7:3 Luke 4:18,19 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come. ”
Gospel of Jesus Christ Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Social Justice Stemming from the Heart of God Th The Environ onment Poverty / Po / the Homeless Re Refugees In Indige genous Righ ghts ts Raci Ra cism Pe People with disabilities ………..?
For more. details on Westview’s Social Justice Team contact Lucie: lucie.perezmoncada@gmail.com
Social Justice Stemming from the Heart of God .....w .....what is God’s heart leading you u to today?
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