God Promises Justice

Amos 2:6-8 This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. 7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon 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…12 But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
 
WE move from God’s seven promises to redeem Israel from Egypt to seven reasons God promised judgment on Israel. In the prophet Amos’ time, “Israel” had become 10 tribes that separated from Judah and Benjamin. Corrupt kings led Israel to reject God’s laws; and thus, they rejected God. The phrase: for three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath] is a way to write that God promises to judge Israel for seven sins.
   The sins included selling people into slavery to pay their debts. Courts conspired with creditors to take land from the poor. This was a gross violation of God’s law that one must not deny justice to the poor (Exodus 23:6). In addition there was the gross sexual misconduct of fathers and sons.
   The fourth sin is at the root of all Israel’s sins. They worship false idols. Fifth, they lie on garments taken in pledge. A poor man’s cloak was not to be kept overnight in pledge for payments. (Exodus 22:26) Widows’ garments could never be taken. (Deuteronomy 24:17) Then crimes six and seven are against God’s especially anointed men. Israel caused Nazarites to break their vow to God to not drink wine. And the pagan-worshiping Jews commanded the prophets to stop prophesying. You could summarize the seven sins to say Israel was determined to silence God’s voice. 
   Listen! Do you hear God’s warning to us and his church today? The apostle Paul wrote of the ways we silence God’s voice: Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. Then he wrote, I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
           Here’s the truth. One can’t live apart from God, violating at will his essential commands if he desires the LORD’s eternal promise of heaven. That’s why Paul then exhorts us to the Spirit-powered life. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. As Christians, we are commanded to care for others with generosity, justice and mercy. Our hearts must be tuned to God’s commands, so we are in harmony with his character. This is God’s divine purpose for your life. Reject self pleasure. Live into God’s pleasure.