Old Testament 4 Essay, Research Paper
Amos, disgusted with the beautiful ivories, the luxurious summer and winter homes, the impressive fortifications, and the teeming marketplaces, proclaimed that Yahweh too loathed the whole spectacle. (Anderson, pg. 258) The Lord God demanded obedience to him through the law that the people of Israel were ignorant to. You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. (Amos 3:2) The Israelite society became so focused on material prosperity and cultural achievement that it formed an oppressive social pyramid with royal courtiers and the merchant class at the top and a great mass of people ground into poverty at the bottom. (Anderson, pg. 259) God hated these who oppress the poor, who crush the needy. (Amos 4:1) He argued They do not know how to do right… these who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds. (Amos 4:6) Religion had no word of protest against the inhumanities perpetrated in the very shadow of the temples at Bethel, Gilgal, Dan, and Samaria. (Anderson, pg. 268) Yahweh hates the whole situation and practices, he states this by asserting Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. (Amos 5:23-24) Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so said the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. (Amos 5:14) All the Lord wanted was for his people to follow his commandments and solely worship him alone. Amos believed that repentance was the divine purpose behind the calamities that had befallen Israel. (Anderson, pg. 269) God wished for his people to despise evil, and love good, and establish justice in courts of law. It may be that Yahweh, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:15) The people of God did not realize what a controversial lifestyle they were living compared to the one intended for them to live. Demanding the purification of a cult so contaminated by pagan thought and practice that the people were indifferent to true worship and to Yahweh s ethical demands (Anderson, pg. 268) Amos delivered his message to the people in hope that they would change their ways and seek the Lord.