Judgment Is Surely Coming

God's Prophets Demand Justice
Amos Rails against Injustice

Judgment on Israel and Judah

Amos 4:1-6  The Message

You Never Got Hungry for God

4 “Listen to this, you cows of Bashan
    grazing on the slopes of Samaria.
You women! Mean to the poor,
    cruel to the down-and-out!
Indolent and pampered, you demand of your husbands,
    ‘Bring us a tall, cool drink!’

^2-3 “This is serious—I, God, have sworn by my holiness!
    Be well warned: Judgment Day is coming!
They’re going to rope you up and haul you off,
    keep the stragglers in line with cattle prods.
They’ll drag you through the ruined city walls,
    forcing you out single file,
And kick you to kingdom come.”
    God’s Decree.

^4-5 “Come along to Bethel and sin!
    And then to Gilgal and sin some more!
Bring your sacrifices for morning worship.
    Every third day bring your tithe.
Burn pure sacrifices—thank offerings.
    Speak up—announce freewill offerings!
That’s the sort of religious show
    you Israelites just love.”
        God’s Decree.

⁶ “You know, don’t you, that I’m the One
    who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards,
Who left you hungry and standing in bread lines?
    But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me.”
        God’s Decree.

For Reflection 

One way to interpret God's judgments is to understand that the troubles confronting the Israillites living in Samaria, is to say that the trouble is a result of their own choice to behave Godlessly.  However, the prophet Amos tells us otherwise.  God intervened and caused the trouble.  God intervenes.

Pray

Pray for those whose abandonment of God will mire them in the muck of Godlessness.  Pray that they will accept God's invitation for reconciliation.  Pray that you will never abandon God.