Articles
Establish Justice in the Gate: Social Justice in Amos
The prophetic books of the Old Testament are, sadly, one of the least read sections of the entire Bible. Often the dense poetry and figurative language can discourage readers for fear of not being able to understand what the prophets are trying to say. This is a real detriment to a student of the Bible because the prophetic books are some of the most foundational texts to the Gospels and the New Testament church. The prophetic books contain the vast bulk of the messianic prophesies foreshadowing the coming of Christ, but they also do much more than simply predict Jesus. They are also some of the most in-depth looks at the character of Yahweh. By describing how Israel and Judah have angered God, the prophets reveal what matters to God in his people’s behavior. One of the topics that is extensively covered in the prophets, and correspondingly one of the topics that God cares deeply about, is social justice. That phrase has become enormously loaded in our country due to the deep political and partisan divides that all too often plague our discourse, but it is crucial that we not read our Bible through the lens of our politics. When the Bible describes God’s expectations on a subject, we must mold our behavior and thought patterns after the Biblical model rather than conform the Bible to a political viewpoint. One of the prophets that discusses social justice the most is Amos, and he serves as an ideal introduction to the Biblical portrait of social justice.
Amos is noted as being an odd person to bear God’s word; he is not from the traditional ranks of the prophets, but instead a humble sheepherder and tender of figs in Judah (Amos 1:1; 7:14). It is possible that Amos was specifically chosen from a lower social class to emphasize one of his main indictments of Israel: the religious and political leadership is oppressing the poor. Amos’ message begins with a series of prophetic oracles against the nations. He accuses them of terrible war crimes and enslaving the weak (particularly in Gilead, a province of Israel). Then, however, he turns his prophetic attention to Judah, who is accused of “rejecting the law of the Lord,” instead of a military crime (Amos 2:4-5). He culminates these accusations by bringing charges against Israel, and they are much more extensive than any of the previous nations: Israel is accused of, “sell[ing] the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals,” (Amos 2:6). Amos decries Israel for their greed and vitriol against those who are helpless in the dust and accuses them of using clothes taken as loan collateral and wine taken as economic fines in their religious service to Yahweh. This abuse of the poor will result in the utter destruction of Israel, and the people are wealthy will be brought low for their crimes! God will strike the wealthy and abusive in their grand palaces; Amos foresees that the Lord, “’will smite the winter house together with the summer house; the house of ivory will also perish and the great houses will come to an end,’ declare the Lord,” (Amos 3:15). Amos is building the case against the wealthy and the powerful of Israel: they have enriched themselves and built grand houses for themselves, but they have built their wealth upon oppressive economic policies towards the poor. Their taxes and loans have broken the people of Israel, but they have used it to enrich themselves and feast on the spoils.
Amos does not only condemn the male leadership however, but the women of Israel as well. Addressing them as the “cows of Bashan,” (which, bold young men looking for terms of endearment for their paramours, is not a recommended term to use on anyone you seek a relationship with!) Amos declares that they are the ones “who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!”” (Amos 4:1). The wealthy women of Israel not only oppress the poor themselves but also spur their husbands to crush the lower classes in order to provide for their extravagant lifestyles. Their crimes may escape justice at the hands of Israel’s leadership, but God will not allow their oppressions to go free; Amos prophesies that these women will be led out of the city on meat hooks and fishhooks (Amos 4:3).
Later in his text, Amos will further illustrate how Israel’s lack of justice has manifested itself. The corrupt leadership has rejected any who would reprimand them for their injustice, and “they hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks with integrity,” (Amos 5:10). Israel cannot plead ignorance; God notes throughout Amos 4 that He has sent numerous signs, plagues, and disasters to try and deflect Israel off their path of destruction. Israel has ignored these signs from Yahweh and have rejected any attempts by righteous men (likely including the faithful prophets of God!) to deter their economic oppressions. Amos says that, “because you impose heavy rent on the poor and exact a tribute of grain from them, though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, yet you will not live them…for I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, you who distress the righteous and accept bribes and turn aside the poor in the gate. Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is evil time,” (Amos 5:10-13). The wealthy of Israel have enacted burdensome taxation policies and heavy rental prices despite their enormous wealth and already well-made houses. Remember, the very concept of “renting” land or houses from another Israelite was already a bad sign: Leviticus 25 makes it clear that land was supposed to be returned to the original owners as soon as possible, even if sold. While houses in cities could permanently transfer to new owners and not be subject to Jubilee redemption, there was still the provision that, “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit,” (Leviticus 25:35-38). The oppressive practices of these landlords and wealthy lenders was antithetical to God’s intention of the people of Israel providing and supporting one another.
Amos does not simply list out the faults of Israel; he also calls them to a more righteous path. He encourages them to, “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, just as you have said! Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph…but let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream,” (Amos 5:14-15, 24). It was not enough for Israel to simply avoid wicked economic practices. The children of God were to be zealous pursuers of justice and righteousness. They were not just to avoid hurting the poor and oppressed, but also advocate for them and seek their betterment. Amos notes that there were still some righteous in Israel who had “reproved in the gate, and…spoke with integrity,” but Israel had hated and rejected these people. The terrible irony is that these were the only Israelites doing what the Mosaic Law expected of them! Israel was supposed to love justice and righteousness in the same way that the Lord loves them. Too often we look at justice as the job of judges and the judicial system, but Yahweh made it clear that it was the responsibility of the common man as well. When they maintained silence in the face of their brother’s oppression, they were complicit in it! Amos condemns the wealthy who bask in their extravagance and success while ignoring the collapse of Israel around them when he opines, “Those who recline on beds of ivory and sprawl on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who improvise to the sound of the harp, and like David have composed songs for themselves, who drink wine from sacrificial bowls while they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles, and the sprawlers’ banqueting will pass away,” (Amos 6:4-7). The wealthy had shut themselves off from the mourning of the oppressed, but they would become fully aware of the justice of the Lord as they were carried off into exile by the Assyrians. They could not protest ignorance or innocence of partaking; all who had lavished their wealth and refused to aid the needy were guilty of the oppression and would suffer the consequences.
A final oracle of judgment against the wealthy is given in Amos 8 when the prophet condemns the false religion of these people. While they were outwardly faithful and ensured they kept the sabbaths and festivals and sacrifices proscribed by the Mosaic Law, Amos reveals the festering heart at the core of their religion. He says, “Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain, and the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, and to cheat with dishonest scales, so as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals, and that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?” (Amos 8:4-6). While the elite play at religion, the reality is that they cannot wait for the façade of faith to be dropped so that they can go back to cheating and gouging the poor of the land. They tamper with scales and weights so that they can gain more money for less goods, and they intentionally sell poor quality goods so as to reap a greater profit. In all of their actions, the wealthy oppressors show themselves utterly consumed by greed and a lust for wealth. They destroy their brethren, who are also Israelites made in the image of God and heirs to the covenant promises like them, for the sake of silver and gold.
As biting and terrible as Amos’ condemnation is, there is no indication that it brought about repentance in Israel. The only response we see is that of Jeroboam and his priest Amaziah, who attempt to exile Amos out of Israel and accuse him of being a greedy prophet just looking for a payday! Unfortunately, we know how the outcome for the kingdom of Israel. Just as Amos prophesies, they are carried away into exile on Assyrian hooks while Samaria burns behind them. The wealth and prestige of Israel is plundered by their enemies, and the majestic houses and palaces built on the backs of the poor crumble and fade to ash. In spite of the sins of Israel, however, that is not the end of their story. At the end of his oracles, Amos gives a brief vision into the future of Israel and Judah: ““In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, and wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old…Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; when the mountains will drip sweet wine and all the hills will be dissolved. Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; they will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them,” says the Lord your God,” (Amos 9:11-15). Amos foresees a day coming where justice will truly flow like water and Israel acts as the kingdom it was always meant to be. Cities will be rebuilt and food and wine will flow freely, but not because of oppression of the poor; every man will be provided for through the mercy and grace of the Lord! No longer will the land be marked by oppression and competition, but peace and plenty for all.
So, what does Amos’ message of justice and righteousness have for us today? It should show us the importance that Yahweh places on fair and loving treatment of the poor and downtrodden. The reality is that there will always be oppression in a corrupt world of sin (Ecclesiastes assures us of that!) which means that there will always be causes of the poor and oppressed to champion. Christians, particularly those who have been blessed with comfort and prosperity, should be advocates for the less fortunate. We should be utilizing our riches not for selfish gain and lavish enjoyment, but as a tool to advance the cause of God’s kingdom. Jesus picked up on much of the language of the prophets concerning justice and the gospels contain numerous examples of Jesus condemning the wealthy and powerful for their treatment of the poor. Jesus commanded his disciples to minister to the poor and bring them into the fold of the Kingdom. We can do no less as modern disciples. At times a cultural attitude of avoiding the poor, or even condemning the poor as victims of their own bad decisions unworthy of help, can creep into the mindsets of Christians. That attitude is utterly foreign to the attitude of Yahweh. While wisdom and discernment should always be exercised in dealing with anybody, our first impulse should be generosity and compassion towards those less fortunate. Our first impulse should be to empathize and mourn with the oppressed. Most importantly, we should be praying earnestly that the justice of God would come sooner rather than later. We should look forward to a day where the poor in spirit will stand renewed before the King, and we should be depending upon God for our salvation rather than trusting in our wealth or our power. Let us always be striving for the kingdom, and let us always be doing our best to inaugurate the kingdom here on Earth!
