Take Two: Amos 2, Proverbs 26

The prophetic oracle continues in Chapter 2. In fact, there is no break between the two. God has pronounced judgment agains the neighboring nations to the northeast, southwest, northwest, and southeast. He then moves on, in this chapter to Judah in the South and to Israel (Northern Kingdom) itself.

The sins of Moab relate to the desecration of an Edomite (enemy) king's body (Amos 2:1-3). This is an example of vengence and devaluing of the dignity of man.

Now moving on to God's "Covenant" people...Judah's sin relates to the breaking of God's Covenant with them (Amos 2:4-5). They rejected God's Law. It is interesting that the sins of breaking God's Law/Covenant are equivalent to and warrant the same judgment as the sins of the nations. Defying an instruction of God is no different than killing a pregnant woman for material prosperity (Amos 1:13) or exacting revenge against an enemy king (Amos 2:1-3).

CONSEQUENTLY...I wonder in Christians living in the New Covenant era (us) see the rejection of God's instruction (to forgive, to tithe, to worship together, to care for the oppressed, etc.) as required or optional? Do we recognize that God has not changed? If God required certain activities from His people as a basis of Covenant relationship...should we expect that God expects LESS from people under His New Covenant which He instituted through the sacrificial death of His own Son? Do Christians today see a diminished responsibility to obedience since we live under Grace? Are we then being presumptive and assuming that God will treat us differently and requires a diminished level of commitment since we live in the NT era?

Now the focus moves to the sins of the audience to whom Amos speaks. Israel had become immersed with material prosperity. To gain financially, they would act as shrewd business people...and would act mercilessly (Amos 2:6). They (figuratively) trampled upon the poor..driving their heads into the dirt of the ground (Amos 2:7). Both a father and son would have sexual relations with a female slave, in violation of God's covenant (Amos 2:7). They would worship at altars they constructed (without God's direction...consequently) in a manner that was outward rather than inward (Amos 2:8). In fact, they would prostrate on garments taken from the poor (in violation of the covenant) and drink the wine that was taken through altar fines and tax...for their own benefit (equivalent to setting up a "no cussing" jar in your office...and using the proceeds to go buy a bottle of liquor to drink.) In other words, they had turned religious worship into a profit center as well...

The more prosperous they were financially, the further they strayed from God positionally. And God saw all of it! In Amos 2:9-12, God (through the prophet) points out that the basis for Israel's existence was God's grace toward them and God's victory over their enemies. Yet...in the face of Grace, they had turned toward profiteering over faithfulness.

The pronouncement of judgment is different against Israel (Amos 2:13-16). Literary critics believe it is for rhetorical purposes. It certainly does serve to build the suspense...even though the anticipation and outcome are the same. God will judge Israel and they will be powerless to resist.

We, as God's people, are required to approach God on His terms and not our own. This relates not only to our worship hours...but to every part of our lives.

Proverbs 26:24-25 is the takeaway today. A man's heart is often masked by the words that he says. We are not called to evaluate a man by what he says...but by what is in his heart...which ultimately bears itself out in his actions.