Hey guys,
I finished reading Amos--took me a while, but I wanted to absorb it.
God lists the wrongdoings of Israel: being unjust to those who are righteous, needy, poor, and oppressed... worshiping idols... looting.
I think it's interesting that the Bible says because God had specially chosen Israel to be an example for other nations, God will punish Israel for her sins (Amos 3:2). God is angry at how Israel has treated the poor and will take revenge. Often times people blame God for the world's injustice--what they don't realize is that God hates injustice! And God will punish those who bring injustice.
There's some pretty graphic imagery in Amos 4, where God says women who oppress the poor and crush the needy will be dragged by hooks through a wall (Amos 4:1-3). Umm... ouch. That's drastic. And that is how serious God is about all the unfairness and poverty in the world.
God also warned Israel plenty of times... wow, what a merciful God! He brought famine, droughts, destroyed vineyards and plagues upon Israel--and still they kept on sinning. This shows God's supreme authority over nature as well.
"Seek me and live" appears thrice in Amos 5. God lashes out at those who oppress the righteous
"hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts" Amos 5:15
One thing that strikes me is that DESPITE all of Israel's sin, God has mercy and forgives, willing to give another chance, give a fresh start.
In Amos 7, Amos stops God from sending swarms of locusts on Israel's crop and releasing fire on the land by pleading on Israel's behalf. And then God relents.
God keeps saying he will destroy Israel and not spare them any longer in Amos 8.
"I will never forget anything they have done."
God doesn't forget our sins when we don't recognize them and confess that we have done wrong.
It's comforting to hear that when you are the victim of a heinous crime... because God is the ultimate ruler of justice.
BUUTTT in Amos 9, after allll those verses about destroying Israel, God says he won't totally destroy Israel (Amos 9:8). He says he will restore Israel and bring her back from exile. This is kind of a sudden and unusual change of mind. Why would God do this? Why would God give mercy on a sinful nation?
Justice Project needs a motto. We need cool T-shirts. heh heh.
-Dominique
1 comment:
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