We read a message:
4 Hear this, you who trample the needy, to put an end to the humble of the land, 5 saying,
“When will the new moon be over,
So that we may sell grain;
And the Sabbath, so that we may open the wheat market,
To make the ephah smaller and the shekel bigger,
And to cheat with dishonest scales,
6
So as to buy the helpless for money,
And the needy for a pair of sandals,
And that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?”
It is addressed to those who oppress the needy. They are religious: they respect the Sabbath saying: "when will it be over, so that we may open the wheat market?". That is, their hearts are not in obeying the Lord. It is very likely that they feel secure in their religiosity, however:
7-8
God swears against the arrogance of Jacob:
“I’m keeping track of their every last sin.”
God’s oath will shake earth’s foundations,
dissolve the whole world into tears.
God’s oath will sweep in like a river that rises,
flooding houses and lands,
And then recedes,
leaving behind a sea of mud.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Amos 8: love instead of sacrifices.
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