Thus says the LORD:
“For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals—
those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth
and turn aside the way of the afflicted;
a man and his father go in to the same girl,
so that my holy name is profaned;
they lay themselves down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge,
and in the house of their God they drink
the wine of those who have been fined.
“Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
whose height was like the height of the cedars
and who was as strong as the oaks;
I destroyed his fruit above
and his roots beneath.
Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt
and led you forty years in the wilderness,
to possess the land of the Amorite.
And I raised up some of your sons for prophets,
and some of your young men for Nazirites.
Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?”
declares the LORD.
Comment: Starting here Amos is dealing with the northern kingdom although the lessons taught are relevant to all ages and particularly to now – that is almost eight full chapters of his prophecy! He has the same introduction to the prophecy and claims, as in the others, that it will not be escaped nor avoided. But now the vague ‘for three or four’ and the mention of a major problem is replaced with a detailed list of accusations. 1. where possible they accept bribes of silver. 2. dealing with the poor a pair of sandals is enough for a bribe. 3. father and son rape the same girl. (maybe they would have claimed it to be consensual!) 4. They party in the sanctuary!
But then God lists for them how he dealt with previous inhabitants of their present homeland, how he rescued them from Egypt and how he has constantly sent them prophets. God surely must be ‘rip-snorting’ upset!
Prayer: Your word presents You with multi-facets, each perfect. Help me to remember that You are a Consuming Fire.
As I read it! 