Read Amos 5:21-24 and Matthew 12:3-7
“Let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like a never-ending stream!” (Amos 5:24)
Amos, one of the minor prophets, brought the word of the Lord to the Israelites under the reign of King Jeroboam II. At this time, the Israelites were committing injustices against the poor, which included selling the poor into debt slavery and denying them legal representation. Amos reveals the hypocrisy of the wealthy Israelites and religious leaders and delivers them a message from the Lord: “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me” (5:21). Seeking the Lord is intimately connected with seeking justice for the poor and oppressed. You can’t have one without the other. Amos goes on to say, “Let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like a never-ending stream” (5:24). This is true worship.
Similarly, when Jesus walked this earth, He turned the tables on the religious leaders’ beliefs about following God’s law. The religious leaders were concerned with following the letter of law, while Jesus was con- cerned with the law of love. In Matthew 12, the Pharisees were trying to catch the disciples doing work on the Sabbath. In Jesus’s defense of the disciples, he quotes Hosea, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 12:7). Religious acts and ceremonies mean nothing without the presence of mercy, justice, and love for my neighbor.
Today, we can read countless news articles about people who are experiencing injustice, even in our own backyard. It’s easy to become numb. Amos’s message to the Israelites is one that we need today. If I go through the religious motions, such as going to church or reading the Bible, but am not opening my eyes to injustices of the world and taking action, then I am not following God’s call to love the Lord with all my heart and love my neighbor as myself.
DIG DEEPER:
- Why do you think it is often easier to pursue religious “rules” than to see God’s justice?
- What is a justice issue in your community you believe God would want you to learn more about?
written by Jenny Deller
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