Amos

Amos is a book that is famous for its focus on social justice. And deservedly so. The point I think there might be some disagreement is on the why. Why does Amos focus so much on social justice? Is it because God’s people should make God’s kingdom on earth, a part of which is social justice? And so would not doing social justice and helping to bring that kingdom into this world be a sin?

Amos doesn’t say that.

What Amos does say is that those who seek the Lord “hate evil and love good” (5:15). Those whom God has made His people do good and love good. They do good things; they love their neighbour, provide, care for and protect him. They do social justice because it is good, not in an effort to bring some semblance of God’s kingdom onto earth. They love, just like God loves them (see 1 John 4:19).

This is what the Israelites weren’t doing (see Amos 2:7). God’s people weren’t loving their neighbour (unless it helped them), or caring for them (too busy caring for themselves), or protecting him, (but exploiting him [4:1]). That’s just what high class affluent businessmen do. That’s just what we sinners do. Oh, come on, how many times have you turned a good deed and thought about the wind fall that could come of it?

So God says, “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream” (5:24). So justice does roll on all Israel, with their total and complete destruction. And so it does on every sinner, with their total and complete destruction. Ouch.

So, then, what’s the Gospel? God’s not done with Israel. He will restore them through Israel boiled down to one. Jesus does what Israel couldn’t and lives faithfully under God’s law. He loves cares for, and providing for His neighbour perfectly. And Jesus also goes to the cross where He pays for the sins of all sinners who put themselves ahead of others. Through Him righteousness flows like an ever flowing stream, covering us completely in His righteousness. And through Him Israel will be restored when He returns on the Last Day and gives all the new creation to the New Israel (all those who trust in Christ as the Messiah/Saviour of the world). “I will plant them on their land and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land I have given them” (9:15).