Amos spoke of God's judgment toward his people who oppressed the poor and the needy while they themselves sought after pleasure. They made a great show of being religious and they bragged about their charitable offerings but they were steeped in sin. YHVH attempted to get their attention by withholding rain so that their crops dried up. He struck their gardens and vineyards with blight and mildew. He sent plagues among his people. He brought suffering to his people to impress upon them their need to turn from sin and seek Him. But they did not return to Him. Thus He warned his people, "Prepare to meet your God."
YHVH says to Israel, "Seek me and live." There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground. There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detests the one who tells the truth. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil.
Amos 5:14-15 Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.
God desires justice and righteousness. He despises the religious ceremonies and offerings of the unrighteous. He does not accept their offerings and hates the noise of their songs. They have lifted up the shrine of their king, the pedestal of their idols, the star of their god -- which they made for themselves. Therefore, they will go into exile.
God condemned the complacent who ignored the warnings of the prophets. They enjoyed their lives of leisure, their quality meats and fine wines and entertainment. They did not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore they would be among the first to go into exile; their feasting and lounging would end. The LORD God Almighty abhores the pride of Jacob. He will deliver up the city and everything in it.
Throughout Scripture the heart of God is revealed by how he cares for the oppressed, the fatherless, the widow, the stranger; and how he abhores the oppressor, the proud and the arrogant. God desires justice and righteousness. God despises those who make a show of being religious. They love to tell others how to live their lives but do not themselves practice what they preach. Pure religion is this: to care for the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27.
Dear Father,
Thank you for sharing with us your compassion for the oppressed and the needy. May we also have the same heart as you. Help us to practice pure religion. There is much in the world to distract us and seduce us. Please protect us from going down the path of destruction. Help us to care for those in need. And help us to keep from being polluted by the world.
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