The book of the prophet Amos is one of the most studied in the Old Testament. During the last half of the previous century, Amos was popular for his strong message of social justice. But this is to miss the point. Amos is not primarily a prophet of social issues, but of the worship of the one, true God.
First, what is a prophet? Not someone who foretells the future. A prophet is a messenger from God, sent to call Israel back to Him when they have wandered from the path of truth. But a prophet speaks the word of God, which is “alive and active, sharper than a two-edged sword” (Hebrews). We are told that “God said…and it was so” (Genesis). In other words, because a prophet spoke God’s word, he did not merely foretell the future; the very words he spoke actually brought it about. And the essence of the prophetic message is simple: come back to the Lord, and all will be well; continue on your path of sin, and you will have to face the consequences. Not a popular message for those engaged in sin as a way of life, particularly if it is economically profitable! Little wonder the rulers of Israel killed the prophets at such a rate; they wanted to silence them before they spoke oracles which might come true.
Amos was also speaking against the background of Psalm 135: “…they have mouths, but they cannot speak…eyes, but they cannot see… ears, but they cannot hear…their makers will come to be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” The pagan gods of which he speaks had produced nations of great cruelty and immorality. And we become like the gods we worship. This is the core of Amos’s message.
In our times, economic exploitation and social injustice have reached epic proportions. Massive financial, economic and military forces, as well as the speed of transport and communication, have made this possible. But this is ultimately a consequence of the corrupt human heart. And our age is also one of the most godless in history. When the “bottom line” becomes our yardstick, then anything that promotes it is acceptable to us. And it has become the yardstick of the earthly powers of this age.
But if we worship the true God, the God of love, of truth and compassion, the God who did not spare his own Son for our sake, then we will become like him, for he purifies our hearts as surely as modern gods corrupt them. Of Jesus, Peter says, “there is no other name in heaven or on earth by which we can be saved.” Former earthly powers have fallen one by one. All looked invincible – but all have passed, Ozymandias-like, leaving few traces of their former glory. The same will happen to ours. Its apparently invincible power pales into insignificance before the authority of God. Like Amos, we need to remain faithful to the true God. He is our only hope. He will never let us down or abandon us.
Fr Phillip
