True Religion And Social Justice SS2 Christian Religious Studies (CRS) Lesson Note

At the time Amos prophesied in Israel, his focus was on two aspects of Israel’s life. Social justice and true religion. The true worship of God had given way to immorality and hypocrisy in the worship of God. The Israelites had forsaken the laws of Moses. God was very annoyed and sent his prophet Amos to warn the people.

AREAS OF SOCIAL DECAY WHICH AMOS ATTACKED

1. The judges themselves who were supposed to be custodian of justice were totally corrupt.
2. As a result of the judges’ corruption the poor could not seek redress in the courts. They were instead robbed of justice and justice was given to the highest bidder- the wealthy.

3. The poor were occasionally robbed of their properties when they could not fulfill their pledges.

4. The poor were exploited by the rich. The rich become richer by using false weights and measures while selling to the poor.
5. The rich built store houses and lived in luxury with money gotten from cheating the poor.

6. In spite of various forms of punishment like famine, drought, blight and mildew, locust infestation, depopulation, they still persisted.

7. The poor were humiliated and made to suffer unnecessarily.

8. Sexual immorality pervaded the social life of the people as there was indiscriminate sex. A man and his father could go into the same woman.
9. The rich slept on the garments taken in pledge from the poor. This was wrong because whatever was in pledge was supposed to be left untampered with until it was reclaimed. The same goes to the wine of those fined. But the rich drank such wine, in the house of God for that matter

10. Their women fed fat on the proceeds of their husband’s oppression of the poor. They drank wines from bowls; hence they are referred to as ‘’cows of Bashan’’.

Israel has turned into a nation that hates those who speak the truth and those who rebuke evil doers.

NATURE OF GOD’S PUNISHMENT

While Amos was busy warning the people to desist from their evil ways, he also pronounced to them unequivocally God’s punishment if they failed to repent. Amos therefore warned them that they should prepare for total doom . God would punish them as follows:

1. The women of Samaria must go into exile ‘’with hooks’’ i.e  fish hook. 

2. This means they would be exiled in a painful and humiliating manner.

3. There will be wailing in the street squares and vineyards, signifying a very outrageous calamity which God will bring upon Israel.

4. A nation will be raised by God that will conquer Israel and carry her into exile.

5. Those who extort money from the poor will never live in the houses they built, neither shall they rear their vineyards.

6. The hope of those exploiting the poor will be shattered and their feast turned to mourning.