Lection: Amos 8

Amos 8:1-12
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42

“The Time is Now”

I love the way that the prophets of the Bible use such striking images to get their messages across. Amos is one of the prophets who was completely frustrated with the people of his time. They were taking advantage of the poor and cheating the needy ones who tried to buy food in the marketplace, and Amos was angry. More importantly, Amos knew that God was angry, and his job was to get that message across to the people. God was not going to put up with their greed, and cruelty, and injustice anymore!

So Amos talked about a basket of summer fruit. I mean, God gave Amos a vision of a basket of summer fruit. Our translation says it’s “summer fruit”, but others describe it as “ripe fruit” or even “rotten fruit” that has been sitting around too long and is starting to get overly soft, perhaps with fruit flies swarming around.

I would like to think that it’s not too late for these people to repent and change their ways, but Amos is pretty clear that their time to act and to change is running out. Maybe it’s just too late now. The damage … Read more »

Amos 8:1-12
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42

This morning the prophet Amos, whom we heard from last Sunday as well, continues his rant against the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 8th century BCE.

Amos puts God’s judgment and anger into words for the people so that there can be no doubt about what they have done wrong and why God is getting fed up with them.

Amos is addressing the people who trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land. He talks about how they sell grain to the poor, but they cheat them by using false scales. They are liars and cheats – trying to get rich at someone else’s expense.

Be assured, Amos warns them, God is paying attention and God has a good memory. God is going to turn things upside down. Their feasts will be over, and they will be mourning instead.

One of the things that I find most interesting about reading the prophets is the visions that they talk about. They get these strange images in their minds, and each one represents some kind of message from God.

You probably remember the popular one from the prophet Ezekiel, when he saw a valley full … Read more »