“Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire …. They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy at the gate. Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
(Amos 5:6a, 10-15 ESV)
I feel for Amos. There he was, an ordinary man that God somehow called to be a prophet—and he was horrified by what he saw going on around him. Oh, there was a lot of religious talk in those days, in Israel. Plenty of people were claiming that God was with them, on their side—but that wasn’t what their behavior said.
These were people who went after the poor and needy like vultures; they overtaxed them and refused them justice “in the gate”—that is, in the court system. They took bribes to pervert justice, and hated honest men who told the truth. Anyone opposing them was in danger, and knew it; as Amos says, “Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.”
But Amos couldn’t take his own advice—after all, God had called him to be a prophet! It was his job to say to these people, “You are wrong.” They were in danger of being wiped out by their enemies as a result of the evil they did. And so he said to them, “Seek good, and not evil, that you may live … it may be that the Lord … will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
We can’t deny that the same sorts of evil are going on in our world, too. People exploit and betray one another, pervert justice, and attack those who tell the truth. And the temptation for us is to keep quiet also, and avoid attention. But who wants to be the next victim?
But that’s not an option for Christians who follow Jesus. Though He is God Himself, He came into this world to offer Himself up as the true Victim whose suffering, death, and resurrection would break the power of evil and death over us. Now everyone who trusts in Him will live as He did—helping the poor and needy, not exploiting them; telling the truth, not breaking it; and speaking up for those in danger of death. We can do that, not through our own wisdom and courage, but because Jesus’ Holy Spirit lives in us.
We Pray: Lord, I am afraid. Help me to trust You, and to live the way You want me to, even in a dangerous world. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on October 8, 2024
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights
Reflection Questions:
1. Do you think our world is better or worse than in Amos’ day?
2. When have you seen someone stand up for what is right?
3. How does Jesus give us courage to do right and help others?