Spirituality vs Riches! Truth vs Falsehood! Amos 1-4

 Amos 2:4-6 (ESV)

Judgment on Judah

Thus says the LORD:

“For three transgressions of Judah,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,

because they have rejected the law of the LORD,

and have not kept his statutes,

but their lies have led them astray,

those after which their fathers walked.

So I will send a fire upon Judah,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.”

Judgment on Israel

Thus says the LORD:

“For three transgressions of Israel,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,

because they sell the righteous for silver,

and the needy for a pair of sandals—

God requires from us, obedience!    Amos is a prophet who is warning the nation of Judah and Israel that because of their disobedience and desire from living righteous before Him, will suffer punishment by being taken captive by their foes.   Note the two complaints that God has against them:

1.  Rather than keep His statues and follow His truth, they followed the lies of their forefathers.   Their false narratives caused them to do abhorrent things that are outlined in the rest of the Amos’ prophecy.   Following lies over truth has been and will be something man does for generations (read 2 Peter).  This is against God’s known truth.   God will discipline this. 

2. They were willing to sell their righteousness for nothing more than a pair of sandals.   This is a metaphor for the fact that they desired earthly goods and welfare over walking in obedience toward God.   They were willing for a mere pair of footwear neglect the weightier mattes of God by showing mercy and kindness.   Capitalism conquered righteousness.   

Today’s Christian can fall into the same trap as these two areas Amos speaks about.   We tend to want to follow the latest teachings of the world and we want to purchase all the toys we can in place of following in obedience the truth God gives us and putting righteous behavior and living before our possessions.   Nothing has changed much in our day.   Instead of sandals it is our technology.   Instead of divine truth it is our social media narratives.   We need a new Amos today.