This sermon was delivered at the weekly service for residents of The Kensington on Sunday, October 10, 2021.
There is a long and important tradition of prophecy in the Bible. Before we dive into today’s verses from one of those prophets, I want to give us a little bit of a common understanding of how prophecy worked in Ancient Israel. To be clear, prophecy was not about predicting the exact events that would occur in the future.
A prophet was a powerful voice that shared God’s will and intentions with the people, but also shared what could be the outcome of behaviors. In many ways, Old Testament prophecy works like the 3 ghosts in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. They tell the past, present, and future through a particular lens.
In Dickens’ story, the Ghost of Christmas Past comes to illuminate important moments in the past and show how they shaped current events. The Ghost of Christmas Present, comes to show how others are experiencing the same moment in time. And the Ghost of Christmas yet to come, shows the possible outcomes of the current behaviors. This is how prophecy in the Old Testament works as well.
The prophet uses examples of the past to show how Israel got to the current moment- perhaps by illuminating certain events or reminding people of things that had been said before. The prophet then points to the current situation- laying out the problems being faced in the immediate moment. Then the prophet shows what could happen if the people remain on the same trajectory. This prediction is not finite, but rather a glimpse at what COULD be.
In the case of today’s verses from Amos, this moment is the funeral scene. In Dickens’ story, this is where Scrooge encounters his own lonely funeral. In Amos, the prophet is sharing his vision of the death of Israel as a nation. That death, in this case looks like Exile, it appears to be inescapable.
Amos is one of those oft overlooked prophets, and the book that bears his name is primarily concerned with the treatment of oppressed peoples. The book of Amos is likely the oldest book of prophecy in the biblical record. Amos was likely one person, but this isn’t an autobiography. It was likely written in 760ish BCE and was specifically addressing the end of the Northern Kingdom (aka Israel.)
Let’s be very clear, this is not a “hey, God’s super proud of you” kind of prophet situation. This is a “God is really upset, and there’s no way to get you out of this” situation. For Israel, this is not a moment for repentance. This is a moment to listen. Amos is telling Israel that exile is unavoidable, and that they have brought it on themselves through capitalism, oppression, and the mistreatment of the poor. Biblical scholar, Donald Gowan, puts it this way: “Oppression of the weak and poor by the rich and powerful stands under the judgement of God.”1
Oppression of the weak and poor by the rich and powerful stands under the judgement of God.
Amos speaks out against those who trample on the needy and “do away with the poor of the land,” and he reminds the people that God isn’t impressed by offerings or festivals that come at the expense of those in need. He calls to question the corruption of capitalism and court systems that make situations worse for those too poor to compete in the marketplace or navigate the courts. Amos condemns capitalism and consumerism when it comes at the expense of others.
There’s a lot that has led up to this moment, but the best way to summarize it is to say that God is disappointed that the Israelites are just continuing a “business as usual” kind of religion while the world crumbles around them. Essentially, the people have decided that their traditions are more important than the people around them. They have decided that tradition matters more than helping others- that sacrifices of bread and meat are more important than feeding those who are hungry. The people are so focused on the rules of their religious practice that they aren’t actually doing what they have been called to do. This is a perfect example of following the “letter of the law” rather than the spirit.
The problem is that the people have gotten so rich and so successful that they sincerely believe that going through the motions of their religion is enough. They are worshiping, yes, but doing so without adhering to God’s greater call for justice and compassion.
This is echoed in today’s reading from Mark where Jesus says, “ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Neither Jesus nor Amos are saying that wealth in and of itself is bad. But they are saying that wealth at the expense of others is a problem.
This is where I can really agree with both Amos and Jesus on a deep level- I don’t have problem with people amassing wealth, but when they do so at the expense of the safety and health of others? I have a HUGE issue. Choosing to joyride in space instead of paying your fair share in taxes is exactly the kind of wealth both Jesus and Amos find problematic. Giving money as philanthropy in order to get a tax write off, but doing nothing to fix the systems that created the problem? It doesn’t work and it doesn’t make God happy.
And in this moment in Amos? God is not happy. So God has shown displeasure- with droughts and fires and plagues. God has tried to remind the people again and again what the true nature of worship, justice, and service are. But the message isn’t getting through.
The people still just kept doing what they wanted the way they wanted. It’s like God has tried again and again, with increasing severity, to get the people’s attention. But they only see what they want to see and refuse to change. So out of desperation, God sends Amos to try again. This is especially interesting, because in the grand timeline of the biblical story, Amos is the first of the prophets. This is God saying, “well, I’ve tried everything else, maybe they’ll listen to one of their own.”
So Amos reminds the people of their past, describes their current reality, and then in Chapter 5, we get a full on Funeral for Israel. It begins with a lament- sadness that Israel has died and that there is no one left. God said, “Seek me and live,” but the people didn’t seek, now the entire nation is being mourned. Today’s verse ends with one last chance for Israel, “Seek Good and not evil, that you may live.” This again is Amos reminding the people that it doesn’t have to end the way he’s describing- that there is an opportunity for redemption even in the face of exile or even death.
Let’s return to Dickens for a moment. Does the tactic work? Is Scrooge frightened enough by the prophecy of the third ghost that he changes his behavior? Yes. Of course, yes. That’s the entire point of the story- that once confronted with the true outcome of their behavior, a person will change.
Does it always work that way? Of course not.
In fact, it USUALLY doesn’t work. And that’s the hard truth of the matter. Seeing the potential impact of one’s actions will only have an effect if the person has the capacity for change. Now, I’m not one to give up on people, and neither is God, so that’s why we end up with story after story of prophets who came to talk to the people of Israel and to try to convince them to change their behaviors.
And it didn’t work here. Israel ended up in Exile. And, “the exilic and post-exilic Jewish communities set about to make sure their society was such that no prophet like Amos need rise again”2 Were they successful, no. Prophets were still needed. Prophets ARE still needed. We still need people who are willing to point out to us where our actions will end. So no, it doesn’t always work, but there’s still good news.
There are still lessons to be learned from Amos- and I think the most important one is that we cannot let our concern for tradition and the “letter of the law” get in the way of actually taking care of people. Amos wants us to remember that taking care of people has to come first. Jesus reminds us of that message again and again, even to the point of saying that a rich man cannot enter heaven. Billionaires on joy rides through space aren’t getting it done, and I think there’s a lesson in there somewhere too. Perhaps they need a visit from a set of ghosts?
Perhaps a little reminder wouldn’t hurt us either.
Amen.
1 Donald E. Gowan, “Amos,” in Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature; Daniel; Additions to Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Jonah; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi, ed. Leander E. Keck, Nachdr., vol. 7, The New Interpreter’s Bible, general articles & introduction. commentary, reflections for each book of the Bible, including the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books; in twelve volumes / [ed. board: Leander E. Keck ...]; Vol. 7 (Nashville, Tenn: Abingdon Press, 2000), 345.