God Knows What Is Going On

Amos 5:6-15

Today’s Scripture passage from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer comes from a rather obscure passage from the minor prophet Amos.  Traditionally, the twelve prophets in the Old Testament from Hosea through to Malachi, have been called “minor”, but that was not because their message was any less significant or important than the others.  They were called “minor” only because their books were shorter in length than the other books of prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, which are significantly longer.  The prophet Amos was from the southern Kingdom of Judah, but his message from the Lord was primarily for the northern Kingdom of Israel.  As mentioned before in earlier blogs, Amos was not an ordained member of the clergy, with multiple theological degrees, but was both a shepherd and a farmer.  People may think that only “qualified” ordained clergy with fancy seminary degrees can bring a “proper” message, but God will use whoever He chooses, including a shepherd or a farmer.

Amos’ time of ministry was brief, from around 760 - 755 BC.  Over the many centuries from the death of Joshua, the general who led the people into the Promised Land, until Amos’ time, the people had drifted into apostasy and outright idolatry.  Many had succumbed to the worship of the gods of the surrounding pagan nations, including many of the kings and religious leaders.  As a matter of fact, all of the kings of the Northern Kingdom had forsaken Yahweh for pagan gods, and a majority of the people followed.  It was to them that Amos came to bring God’s message.

Amos brought his message from the Lord, calling on the people to seek Him, and they would live (vs. 6).  Return to Yahweh, follow and obey His Word, or He would bring judgment on them.  The Lord warned that He would break out like a devouring fire, that no one in Bethel could quench or stop.  Bethel was one of about six villages that had a School of the Prophets, a type of Old Testament seminary.  Amos warned that even these seminarians-in-training would not be able to save the people from the judgment of God for all of their idolatry.

Not only had the people fallen into idolatry, but they perverted justice and cast aside righteousness (vs. 7).  In ancient times, the civic leaders would hold council at the gates of the city, and many matters between people would be settled there.  People would hope to find justice there, but as Amos stated, all too often they didn’t.  The people scorned and hated to hear anyone who would rebuke their unjust behavior (vs. 10).  They wanted to continue to take advantage of all that they could, oppressing the poor through their taxes, including taxes on the very food they ate.

These people who had turned their backs on the true worship of Yahweh thought that He did not know how they were living, that He didn’t see, but Amos warned them that was not the case.  God knew their many sins, just as He does ours (vs. 12), how they took bribes, cast aside justice.  Just as in the days of Amos, people may feel confident in their wealth, in their costly homes with large properties and gardens (vs. 11), but God can and would take them away from those who forsook Him.

Amos warned that in case these people felt that Yahweh was not strong or powerful enough to do anything to them, he reminded them that God created the stars in the universe, the Pleiades and Orion, noteworthy constellations in the heavens (vs. 8).  It is He who brings both the day and the night.  He made the sea and directs the crashing waves upon the face of the earth.  He is certainly capable to bring His fury upon sinners and rain ruin upon them! (vs. 9).

God does not enjoy bringing judgment upon people.  He would much rather that they turn to Him, that they would follow after good and not evil, so that they may live (vs. 14-15).  If the people would do so, Amos promised that God would be with them, and be gracious to them.

It is no different today from the days of Amos.  People have turned away from the Lord Jesus, and worship what they choose, whether it is literal pagan gods, or worshiping their own self and pride, their own false intellect, possessions, whatever brings them pleasure, etc.  People still seek to take advantage of each other, the rich trampling over the poor.  Where can the poor find justice today?  It seems no one cares.  God knows what is going on.  He is not blind, nor is He powerless.  People can only mock God for so long before He breaks forth in judgment against them!