A common and unfortunate misconception about Israel’s prophets is that they were attempting to predict the future. The reason that this misconception is so easy to come by is that it is partly true. But it is not a prediction for the sake of telling people what is going to happen; it is a prediction of what could happen, or indeed what will happen if Israel were to carry on down the same road.

It’s like people today saying that climate change will make our planet hotter and cause devastating weather conditions. It will happen… unless we change our behaviour, in which case we might avoid it, but possibly not. Our only hope is to give it a go.

According to the text, Amos was a shepherd from a place called Tekoa and uttered these words while Uzziah (Azariah) was king of Judah and Jeroboam II reigned in Israel (1:1 - see 2Kgs 14:23 – 15:7 and 2Chr 26 for the accounts of these kings). This was a particularly successful period for both Israel and Judah. Not since David and Solomon had they possessed so much territory or been so prosperous. Amos, however, came from the underclass that had received none of the associated benefits.

It is significant that Amos opens with stinging rebukes on Israel’s neighbours (1:3 – 2:5) before turning on Israel herself. By pronouncing judgement on Syria (Aram), Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab and Judah, Amos levels Israel as equal with the surrounding ‘pagan’ nations. The implication: it is not enough to have the Covenant if you don’t keep it. Yahweh is not just the God of Israel, but of the whole world and he will judge everybody, Israel included, on their actions (see also 9:7).

Whereas to this point, prophetic critique of Israel has been focussed on worship of foreign gods, Amos’ key theme is Israel’s lack of justice for the poor and her complacent confidence in rituals. In other words, rather than tackling inappropriate contact with outsiders, this prophecy turns the focus inward. And the ‘heart’ of Israel – such an important theme so far – is found rotten.

Several times Amos lambastes the rich and powerful for their obstruction of justice, particularly for people in poverty (5:7-15, 6:12, 8:4-6). With vicious derogation, Yahweh spits, ‘I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!’

This is like a slap in the face to the nation built on her ‘superior’ covenant with Yahweh, centred around the Cultus and all its rituals and regulations for cleanliness. ‘What is the point of these rituals’ yells Amos, ‘when you despise the covenant with your everyday actions?! How could you have so totally missed the point?’

Judgement will come, claims Amos, especially on the complacent, so intoxicated by their wealth and security. It is a certainty. Unless… ‘Seek good, not evil… Hate evil, love good… Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy’ (5:14-15). It’s a long-shot – so deep rooted and ingrained are these evils – but if Israel could repent, there is hope.

One can’t help but wonder whether, if Israel had been less preoccupied with being ‘different’ from the ‘outsiders’ and more concerned with doing right regardless, her history could have been very different. One only need to look at Christian communities around the world where sins aplenty are condemned, yet opulence goes unchecked, to see this problem stuck on ‘repeat.’ Amos uncovers the injustice that money can buy and the double-standards afforded by power. At personal, community and national levels, we are prodded to look inside ourselves and ask some pretty uncomfortable questions.

If God came to our church, would he enjoy our songs, our liturgy, our ‘worship’? Or would he bellow out through Speakon connectors and Graphic Compressors ‘I hate your meetings! Away with the noise of your guitars, of your organ. But let justice and righteousness flow like an unstoppable flood!’?

Questions for reflection:

1. What do you do to alleviate injustice?

2. How do you organise your affairs to give priority to those poorer than yourself? How does your community? Your nation? What could be done better?