“A real surprise coming?”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Sunday, November 12, 2023
Amos 5:18-24 (Forward, p. 14) CEV p. 932
The people of Amos’ day were awaiting an epic event called ‘the Day of the Lord’. It was a time when God would finally intervene in human history and set everything to rights. And, it wasn’t ‘just’ them, but believers all through history—at the time of Christ yes, and even to our present day.
Here Amos tells Israel that it is in for a big surprise, a tremendous surprise. The Day of the Lord is not going to be quite what they expect. Instead of being a day of light, it will be one of darkness for them, because God will be coming to them as judge. They are in trouble because of all their past misdeeds, their denial of justice, their abuse of the poor, and their graft and bribery and greed. And even all their long-touted religious observances, their praises and sacrifices, will not stand them to good stead. What God really wants from them is justice and mercy and righteousness.
One of the basic tenets of Bible study and interpretation is that while a passage routinely speaks to a situation in the past, it does not necessarily speak to today. So then, does this passage still have relevance for today’s reader? I would say, ‘yes’, for injustice, abuse of vulnerable populations, greed and all such things, still exist today. And so too does worship, empty worship, that does not manifest itself in a change of lifestyle or behaviour. And so, it is most appropriate to apply this passage to us as well. And here, then, is a warning: we look forward to Christ’s return, yes, but He is coming not only as our friend and our Saviour, but also as our Lord and our judge. And so, Amos’ warning is most appropriate to all of us. The question then is: are we ready?
Forward notes: “I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies…Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (verses 21, 23-24).
“Ever since the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. burned the last verse of this passage into the American conscience in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, it has been one of the most cherry-picked verses in Scripture. Before demanding a flood of justice and righteousness, God essentially says,
‘Shut it down! I hate your overly precious worship and your liturgy for the sake of appearance. When I come, it will be with fangs and claws! Get out there and love your neighbour!’
“Worship is our gift at the altar, and Jesus says to be reconciled to our brothers and sisters before offering our gifts. Over and over in Scripture, God rejects our worship when we ignore justice. Until we ‘let justice roll down like waters,’ our songs are noise in God’s ears.”
Moving Forward: ‘Read the entire passage from Amos and reflect on its meaning and application.”