Greetings guys, this is the PART 2. Read & remain blessed.
Amaziah's Reaction to Amos' Message Against Social Injustice
The people in responsible positions in the time of Amos were not favourably disposed towards his preaching against the evils of the society. The religious leaders, in particular, were in this group. They were not happy that Amos preached against oppression, moral bankruptcy and religious malpractices. The most vocal was Amaziah, the priest in charge of the royal sanctuary at Bethel.
When Amaziah heard of Amos's condemnation of the evils of his time, Amaziah told lies about Amos to the king, Jeroboam. He accused Amos of conspiracy and sedition. Amaziah said to the king: "...Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the land; the land is not able to beat all his words. For thimus Amos has said Jeroboam shall die by the sword and Israel must go into exile away from this land..".
When Amaziah came back from speaking to the king, he ordered Amos to leave Israel, return to Judah, to continue with his prophecy so that he can earn his living there. He warned the prophet never to prophesy again in Israel, especially at Bethel because it was the royal sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom. In reply, Amos denied that he was one of the professional prophets (sons of prophets), who earned their living by prophesying: "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son".
Amos said it was while he was tending his flock as a shepherds that God called him to prophesy to the people of Israel. Amos then told Amaziah that since he still up against his prophecy all the following a would happen to him: his wife would become a harlot in the city; his sons and daughters would be slain by sword; his land would be divided by line and he (Amaziah) himself would die in an unclean land, that is, in a foreign country. Amos concluded by saying that Israel would surely go into exile away from this land.
The Significance of Amaziah's Condemnation of Amos's Message.
Amaziah's negative reaction to Amos's Message against social injustice and irreligiousity is unfortunate. It reflects the selfish interest of some religious leaders and other highly placed people in the society who stand to lose when the evils of the society are condemned and a call for their elimination made. As Christians, we must condemn the bad acts of all such people like Amaziah and make concerted efforts to eradicate all the evils in the society.
TRUE RELIGION
According to Amos, there was no true religion in Israel because the people wrongly believed that all that God required of them in their relationship with Him and their fellow human beings was the practice of the external forms of their religion. They did not believe that the demands of Yahweh required a total change of their immoral life.
The people believed that they could please God only by regular worship on Sabbaths at the sanctuaries and other centres of worso and also by the prompt payment of tithes. Amos said that they offend God and multiply their sins by such lip-service to their religion.
The people also believed that what pleased God was regular sacrifices and offerings at solemn assemblies and not the moral demands of their religion. Amos said this was hateful to God: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon".
The people further believed that singing songs of praise with harps and other musical instruments was all there was to it's so far as their convenient relationship with God was concerned. Amos said that spiritual savings devoid of the moral aspect of their religion was most objectionable to God: "Take away from me the noise of your songs to the melody of your harps, I will not listen". Amos' condemnation of false religion is a call to the demands of true religion. True religion should not neglect the moral demands of religion. For Amos, this called for a total change of the moral life in a society. Hence the saying: "Hate evil and love good." True religion seeks God, not in rituals but in the right human relations through the practice of justice and righteousness. Therefore, Amos advised: "But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an over flowing stream."
The Significance of Amos' Message on True Religion
From Amos' idea of true religion, two things stand out. First, we are not to feel that the regular church attendance and prompt payment of tithes and church dues as the end of our religion. Secondly, we are to lay more emphasis on the moral demands of our faith through the practice of good human relationship. We can achieve this through faith in Jesus, and the practice of justice and righteousness.
Hope you enjoyed this article. See you in my next article. Stay blessed😁.
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