Amos: Seek The Lord and Liveনমুনা

Let’s turn to the issue of justice which so heavily concerns the book of Amos. 5:7 is the first time that Amos explicitly condemns Israel for abandoning justice and righteousness (mishpat and tsedeq in the original Hebrew; see also 5:24; 6:12). In fact, it’s worse than that. As the ESV translates verse 7, some have turned ‘justice into wormwood’, a highly bitter herb synonymous with bitter calamity. Righteousness has been dramatically cast to the ground. The two words have overlapping meanings yet justice has a little more sense of righting individual wrongs – it is the judge who ensures that someone is granted justice. Righteousness has a little more of a communal sense – it is justice within a whole community or society. 

Within His Word, God reveals Himself as One with a particular concern for the oppressed or marginalised. More than 50 times He insists upon care for the fatherless, widow and alien. These were the powerless with no one to provide for them or protect them. 

To desire to see a church and a society where there is righteousness and justice for all is to have the heart of God. To be indifferent to such issues is to fall well short of Christlikeness. As an example, my church is located in an area of London which is synonymous with prostitution. There are huge numbers of women who have been illegally trafficked for the sex trade. We could all say, ‘That’s not my problem – I don’t visit prostitutes.’ Yet a number are involved in reaching out to these young girls, working with the police to try and see them rescued out of slavery while also seeking to share the gospel with them. I hope that Amos would approve.

Reflection

Do you tend to view righteousness only in personal terms? Do you look for communal righteousness in a church and a church without favouritism? Do you care about a just society?