Amos Begins His Summation By Identifying Religion Essay

The prophets of Amos day of the month in the 8th century during the reign of Jeroboam II ( 786-746 BCE ) in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Political stableness, material prosperity, and geographical enlargement were experienced during these times for both the Northern and the Southern Kingdoms ( 1:6 ) . Amos comes from a town South of Jerusalem called Tekoa ( 1:1 ) . Amos encounters a contaminated political system and society lacking in ethical motives and maltreatment toward the hapless as the affluent support a flourishing, yet perversive society. The southern land possesses the one true worship site in Jerusalem near its location. The Northern Kingdom used worship countries antecedently closed before the divisions of the land. Amos sees that this environment appears to be acceptable to those who are profiting the most.

Judgments are pronounced and the penalty has been declared to the foreign states and to Judah and Israel. Israel has been charged with suppressing the hapless, perpetrating societal unfairnesss and spiritual renunciation. The message is doom-destruction and expatriate. This paper will concentrate on chapter 2:6-16, but the narrative begins with the judgements of the foreign states get downing in chapter 1:3 that are Israel ‘s neighbours.

Amos, a Herder and keeper of lacewood trees has been called by Yahweh to vaticinate to Israel and denote its approaching day of reckoning because of unfairnesss and spiritual patterns that has transpired. The rich are basking an indolent and indulgent life style while the hapless become marks for legal and economic development ( 2:6-7 ) . The pattern of bondage for debt is easy accepted ( 2:6 ) . Standards of morality had sunken to a low degree ( 2:7 ) . The prosperity of Israel was cloaked in the camouflage of poorness and wretchedness for the hapless. Yahweh can no longer be soundless to demands of the hapless, he is ready to judge. Israel will be destroyed and exiled. They are no longer Yahweh ‘s people. Their major wickedness is the intervention of the hapless.

Amos begins his summing up by placing seven adjacent states that shared a relationship straight or indirectly with Israel. His audiences are forced to hear the summing up against their unfair patterns and spiritual renunciation. Amos briefly pronounces the offense and penalty of the seven states but, goes into a drawn-out descriptive item of Israel ‘s mistreatment of the hapless and disadvantaged in Israel ( 2:6-8 ) and their blazing neglect of Yahweh ‘s love and grace shown and given them in the past ( v.9-12 ) . The dice has been cast and there is no flight and turning back from Yahweh ‘s requital ( 2:13-16 ) . As for the other foreign states neighbouring Israel, Amos cites each offense. Damascus, “ because they threshed Gilead with implements of crisp Fe ” ( 1:3-5 ) . There had been changeless conflicts between Gilead and the Arameans. Damascus fell to the Assyrians in 732 BC.[ 1 ]Gaza against Philistia, because they exiled an full community ( 1:6-8 ) to manus over to Edom ; Tyre, refers to the Phoenicians, because of their offenses against humanity and they forgot the compact of affinity ( 1:9-10 ) ; Edom, who was Israel ‘s most acrimonious enemy, because he pursued his brother with the blade. They excessively forgot the compact of affinity ( 1:11-12 ) . The Ammonites, because they ripped open the pregnant adult females of Gilead in order to enlarge their districts ( 1:13-15 ) and atrociousnesss against defenceless adult females and kids showed how immoral they had become ; Moab, because he burned the castanetss of the male monarch of Edom ( 2:1-3 ) . In ancient times importance was placed on the dead adult male ‘s organic structure being peacefully placed in the household burial site. So their wickedness was for profaning Gravess. Each state was condemned for their evildoings and atrociousnesss performed yet Israel did non see these as an discourtesy but Yahweh did.

Now Amos is acquiring closer to place and Judah is condemned ( 2:4-5 ) because she has rejected the jurisprudence of the Lord and has non kept his statues. Judah, who one time shared a closer relationship with Yahweh, went astray by idolizing false Gods and following false instructions now has been judged with other foreign states. Israel is appalled by Amos ‘ message but the prophesier has non completed his address yet. Amos now turns his attending to Israel and begins his long descriptive dictum in a booming drawn-out item of evildoings and penalty against them.

Four illustrations of unfairness are cited by Amos in 2:6-8 against Israel. The dictum begins “ for three evildoings ” . The word evildoing ( ???‘?™???” pesa ) translated agencies in this context rebellion or judgement from the Lord, the jurisprudence.[ 2 ]It is suitably used because Israel has rebelled against Yahweh and has broken its compact relationship.[ 3 ]Yahweh expects Israel to keep and uphold certain criterions and behaviours because he chose them as his people. They have forgotten how Yahweh had ever provided for them and came to their assistance in conflict. The answerability of the states to Yahweh appears to be based on a compact relationship equivalent to the 1 between Yahweh and Israel.[ 4 ]This flows of course with the thought of Yahweh ‘s sovereignty over the foreign states whose beginnings, motions, and destines, like Israel ‘s, is under his control ( 1:3-2:5 ; 2:9-10 ) . But it is Israel, the chosen state who draws Yahweh ‘s wrath. A higher degree of answerability is expected from Israel because of the relationship shared with Yahweh, hence judgement and penalty will be more rigorous upon them.

Under the King ‘s regulation at that place has been good prosperity for the Northern Kingdom. During this period they were sing a wealth of prosperity and enlargement every bit far as some countries of the southern land. The clime was one of a true approval and belief that Yahweh approves of the life style. Amos addresses the moral issues sing success and the intervention of the hapless and the attachment to the moral duties of the compact. Amos is a dramatic spokesman on behalf of the moral demands of the compact. That Yahweh summoned Amos to convey this message is a testament to the shame Israel had fallen. Further, it seemed that spiritual and secular leaders evidently lacked the ability and bravery to manage the affair. Amos ‘s message rang powerful and accusingly.

Amos begins his letterings with “ therefore says the Lord. ” The prescription of the four charges by Amos “ for three transgressionsaˆ¦and for four ” is presented in the same expression as all other lands. He describes the merchandising of the righteous for money or goods ( 2:6 ) to be interpreted or connote the inutility of the hapless. These lower category people were being sold into bondage because they were accused of being unable to pay their debts. These accusals nevertheless were untrue. This may besides be an indicant that the hapless had to contend for whatever rights staying. The unscrupulous wealthy used the hapless as a beginning of wealth and considered them to be less than the monetary value of a brace of sandals. The squashing or trample of the hapless into the dust may hold meant that the affluent even desired the dust on their foreheads because of their greed and lecherousness ( 2:7-8 ) . This society presented as an unethical, corrupt, and illegal unfairness for which true justness cried out from Yhwh from the oppressing categories. Judges were easy bribed, politicians, and leaders to function the wealthy and influential societal categories. Israel proved to be no better than the Amorite whom they displaced when they entered Canaan ( 2:6-11 ) .[ 5 ]Amos uses inflated linguistic communication ( 2:6-7 ) to put incrimination on the negative impact of Israel that is now affluent and powerful to a society of people who do non portion in the wealth. Amos charges that the prosperity experienced by the wealthy is built on the dorsums of the hapless.

In add-on to the unfairnesss there is besides spiritual renunciations. Israel polluted the cultic relationship with Yahweh. Israel ‘s degeneracy ( 2:7-8 ) of male parent and boy lying with the same miss beside the communion table was a calculated act against Yahweh. Rather than being an acceptable topographic point of worship, the communion table is depicted as a topographic point for promiscuousness and partying as they lie on garments that were pledged for collateral for procuring debts to be restored to the proprietor. But these points were used to lie upon while imbibing vino in the house of God.[ 6 ]Amos focuses his comments on how Yahweh has ever provided firm attention and concern for Israel throughout their relationship.

Amos continues his summing up as he tells how Yahweh ‘s fantastic Acts of the Apostless and commissariats have been overlooked because of their infidelity. He recounts how Yahweh provided for their religious public assistance by ordaining Nazirites to assist maintain the jurisprudence. Alternatively they tempted and corrupted the Nazirites with vino ( 2:10-12 ) , violate and broke their vows of abstention, muzzle the Prophetss, and reject Yahweh ‘s manner of life. By perpetrating this hideous act they have besides silenced any type of communicating between Yahweh, the Prophetss, and the people.[ 7 ]They have one time once more oppressed those who are unable to support themselves. Israel is charged with perpetrating discourtesies against those whose lives were consecrated to Yahweh to supply way for his people. This clip Yahweh can no longer be quiet and speaks.

Yahweh describes how he had destroyed the Amorites who were similar giants for them who were as strong and tall as cedars ( 2:9 ) showing his superior power and love for His people. The cedar tree is known for its tallness and might and the oak for its strength and, if Yahweh possesses the power to drive out the Amorites, he besides possesses the power to destruct and can drive out the Israelites.[ 8 ]In add-on, he reminds them how he rescued them from bondage in Egypt and led them safely through the wilderness for 40 old ages.[ 9 ]He had preserved them so they could take possess the land of the Amorites.[ 10 ]

As he continues in his narrative, Yahweh uses the word “ imperativeness ” ( ?”?§?© , me ig ) ( 2:13 ) which possibly besides be translated as “ under you ” to bespeak that Israel possibly crushed like grain on a threshing floor because of the load and weight of their wickednesss they will be unable to take flight and move ( 2:13-14 ) . But the word is besides used once more in the undermentioned line so it may propose the Hebrew significance of “ moan, ” “ agitate, ” or “ split ” to cite either the heavy burden or an approaching temblor.[ 11 ]Whatever intending it indicates that Yahweh will take immediate action and Israel has forfeited her privileged position. Yahweh provinces that regardless of how fleet they possibly in flight the Israelite ground forces immobile and helpless ( 2:14 ) . As He had fought their conflicts for them in the past, now Yahweh will contend against them for the strength that Israel one time had was now being turned against them. There is no flight for Israel nor do they cognize who they are to get away from. The Swift, the strongest, and even the bravest warrior will be unable to salvage his life ( 2:15-16 ) . The 1s who flee bare possibly the few whom Yahweh will save.

Amos, the foreigner from the southern land who traveled to talk against the northern land has spoken. He is neither a priest nor a prophesier, but describes himself as a Herder and keeper of lacewood trees. He has pronounced his prophets against the states in a structured order against the adjacent states including Judah and climatically concludes with Israel and her offenses against humanity. The development of the hapless can no longer be overlooked and Yahweh will move against the unfair. In 2:6 it is ill-defined who “ they ” is being mention, the improper Judgess who were bribed or creditors selling the hapless into bondage. In either case this is an unfair act by both parties against an guiltless individual. The needy besides appear to fall to the same destiny as that of the hapless being sold into bondage. There is no protection against the patterns of the unscrupulous behaviour of the wealthy. There is no get awaying against the at hand penalty. Israel had been warned but failed to listen. They felt that by executing nominal rites this would pacify Yahweh. Like a heavy grain cart barreling down the hill go forthing paths, so will at that place be judgement and the ego righteous will be destroyed. The mighty ground forces of Israel which Yahweh led will be destroyed now by Yahweh. They who had forgotten Yahweh ‘s particular relationship with them will be the receptors of his wrath. The prosperity of the land has infested the people with immoral behaviour, unfair patterns, and devotion. They did non experience that the jobs of the oppressed were their duty or that they contributed to the job. What they refuse to recognize was that Yahweh requires more from those who are in a place to assist those who are unable to make for themselves and in demand. They do non seek forgiveness because it is excessively late. There is no room for penitence because they have disregarded and overlooked all of the old warnings. The foreign states have received their judgements as good and although there are many offenses committed by each of them, merely one is mentioned in Amos ‘ announcement and that is adequate for Yahweh. It must be noted that a relationship between Yahweh and the states occurred likely before the land was divided. The geographical location is noted because of boundary lines refering to the northern and southern lands. Judah should non be forgotten every bit good because she excessively one time shared in the stopping point relationship with Yahweh but chose to listen to false instructions and sermon and take part in devotion every bit good.

Amos has completed his undertaking in this subdivision as prosecuting officer and announcer for the laden. It is eldritch that the people whom Yahweh led for 40 old ages in the wilderness, protected from giants and other war doing state, he will now pay war against. He inside informations that they will non be every bit fleet as they had been in old wars. Nor will at that place be any flight or anyplace to get away for the Swift to fly. Even the strongest will hold no power or strength to salvage his ain life from the inevitable. And, those who are bowmans will non be able to supply any protection. They will be immobile. But Amos does go forth a little gleam of hope that the state of Israel will non be wholly wiped out ( 2:16 ) . There will be a few who will be able to get away and get down anew.