Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Amos 5:14
As a teenager, Ryan lost his mom to cancer. He found himself homeless and soon dropped out of school. He felt hopeless and often went hungry. Years later, Ryan founded a nonprofit that empowers others, especially young children, to plant, harvest, and prepare their own garden-grown food. The organization is built on the belief that nobody should go without food and that those who have something should care for those who don’t. Ryan’s concern for others resonates with the heart of God for justice and mercy.
God cares deeply about the pain and suffering we face. When He observed terrible injustice in Israel, He sent the prophet Amos to call out their hypocrisy. The people God once rescued from oppression in Egypt were now selling their neighbors into slavery over a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6). They betrayed innocent people, denied justice to the oppressed, and trampled “on the heads” of the poor (vv. 6-7), all while pretending to worship God with offerings and holy days (4:4-5).
“Seek good, not evil, that you may live,” Amos pleaded with the people. “Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is” (5:14). Like Ryan, each of us has experienced enough pain and injustice in life to be able to relate to others and to be of help. The time is ripe to “seek good” and join Him in planting every kind of justice.
Amos 2:6-16
Judgment on Israel
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent. They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.7 They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.8 They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. In the house of their god they drink wine taken as fines.
9 “Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them, though they were tall as the cedars and strong as the oaks. I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.10 I brought you up out of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness to give you the land of the Amorites.
11 “I also raised up prophets from among your children and Nazirites from among your youths. Is this not true, people of Israel?” declares the Lord.12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
13 “Now then, I will crush you as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.14 The swift will not escape, the strong will not muster their strength, and the warrior will not save his life.15 The archer will not stand his ground, the fleet-footed soldier will not get away, and the horseman will not save his life.16 Even the bravest warriors will flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.
INSIGHT
1. What injustice do you see others enduring that resonates with your own experience?
2. How might God use you to help them?
Amos was a prophet from Judah sent by God to warn Israel of her sins and impending judgment (Amos 7:12). In chapters 1-2, the prophet proclaims God’s judgment on seven neighboring nations (Judah included) and upon Israel itself to show His sovereignty and impartiality. God would punish Damascus (capital of Aram), Gaza (Philistia), Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab for their cruelty toward His people (1:3-2:3). Judah would be judged for her idolatry (2:4-5). Israel was condemned for her covenantal unfaithfulness: lack of social economic justice (v. 6), perversion of the law and sexual immorality (v. 7), and oppression of the poor and idolatry (v. 8).
PRAYER
God of justice, thank You for not turning a blind eye to the pain and suffering in our world. In Jesus name I pray and believe. Amen.
Read: Amos 2:6-16 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 126-128; 1 Corinthians 10:19-33
