Amos

Amos was not a priest Not a court prophet He was a shepherd from Tycho God sent him north

to prosperous Israel the nation looks strong the worship looked active but God saw violence under the music under the music Amos names the nation’s first, Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, then Judah, then Israel. The trap closes slowly, the guilty ones are the listeners.

They sold the poor for silver They crushed the needy at the gate They loved their houses They loved their feasts

They sang their songs while justice died Justice died

Let justice roll like waters Let righteousness flow like a stream God rejects worship when the weak are crushed Songs become noise when hearts refuse truth

They wanted the day of the Lord Amos said, you do not understand For rebels, that day is not light It is darkness

A man escapes a lion Then meets a bear He reaches home Leans on the wall

And a serpent strikes God showed a plumb line The wall was measured It was not straight

God showed a basket of summer fruit The end was near Israel’s religion Could not cancel

Israel’s rebellion The end was near But Amos does not end With ruin alone after judgment

God will raise David’s fallen tent The nations will be gathered, the land will bloom again God tears down pride, but keeps his promise

Let justice roll like waters Let righteousness flow like a stream God rejects worship when the weak are crushed Songs become noise when hearts refuse truth

Amos teaches clearly Religion without justice is evidence against us God sees the poor, God measures nations God will judge corruption and restore what he promised.