The Tragedy of Sin

MEMORY VERSE: “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” —Amos 5:15

AMOS 1:1; 2:4-7; 8:4-7

AMOS lived and served as a prophet in the eighth century B.C. He lived in the hill country ten miles south of Jerusalem, and almost directly west of where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. It is generally assumed that Amos was a poor man, although the Scriptures do not definitely so indicate. He was a shepherd, and apparently also had some skill in the care of trees. Most important of all, he had been called by God to be one of his holy prophets, and in this role he served faithfully in both the northern and southern kingdoms of the then divided Israel.

A generous portion of the Book of Amos is directed against the sins of God’s people, and he was fearless in reprimanding them for their transgressions. His messages were directed mostly against the leaders of the people, particularly the religious leaders, for these were the ones chiefly responsible for the moral and religious attitudes of the people.

One of the chief sins of the time was the oppression of the poor, especially by those who trafficked in the resources of the land. “When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn [grain]?” (8:5) The exploiters of the poor disliked the observance of holy days, and could hardly wait for them to be over so they could get back to their exploitations, which they accomplished by falsifying their weights and measures.

Amos 8:7 is reassuring: “The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.” The Israelites were the covenant people of God, and his covenant with them called for rich rewards and blessings when they were faithful, and punishments when they were unfaithful, and as the promise states, God will “never forget” any of their works.

The history of the Israelites indicates clearly that they were punished for their iniquity. Ultimately the ten-tribe kingdom went into captivity in Assyria, and later the people of the two-tribe kingdom were taken captive to Babylon. The Babylonian captivity lasted for seventy years, and while the people were permitted to return to their own land, which many of them did, they remained a subject people until shortly after the death of Jesus, when they were scattered throughout the earth, and their nation destroyed. The people of the ten tribes never were officially released from their Assyrian captivity.

But God did not forget his promises to the Israelites, and for their fathers’ sake will yet pour out rich blessings of happiness and life upon them. This will be during the messianic kingdom reign. It will be then that he will make a New Covenant with them; a covenant the laws of which will not be written on tables of stone, but in their “inward parts.”—Jer. 31:31-34

This means that through the process of restitution, selfishness will be removed from the human heart. When this is accomplished the people will be in the same relationship with God as Adam was before he transgressed divine law. Speaking of the sins of his chosen people, the Lord said, “They like Adam (margin] have transgressed the covenant: … they have dealt treacherously against me.” (Hos. 6:7) But, during the messianic kingdom reign God’s mercy through Christ the Redeemer will be extended toward the Israelites; and, in fact, toward all mankind, and they will be restored to covenant relationship with him.

And when that covenant is made with the people it will not be necessary for anyone to say to his neighbor, “Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 31:34) How this will solve the problems of Israel and of the world!

Our memory verse states the thought of heart harmony with God in a slightly different manner: “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate.” Those who, during the kingdom period, have the law of God written in their hearts, will hate evil, and they will love good. How wonderful that God has made provision for this true reformation to be accomplished!

QUESTIONS

Who was Amos?

Of what did much of his book consist?

When will the Lord specially remember the people of Israel and of the whole world?

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