AMOS' FUNERAL SONG
(Amos 5:1 ff)
This is one of the many prophesies that Amos came up with
to show that Israel was ahead.
In this funeral song, Amos asked the people of Israel to
listen to what he was singing over them.
Amos referred to Israel as a virgin who had fallen and
never to rise again. She had been abandoned on the ground and there was no one
to help her up.
Amos declared that the Sovereign God had spoken to him
and thus it would be the way He wanted it.
Amos went on to foretell the defeat of Israel's army.
Accordingly, out of a thousand soldiers that a city would send to the front
line, only a hundred would come back. Yet another city would send a hundred soldiers
but only ten would return.
Amos told the Israelites that the Lord was calling upon
them to turn back to him for that was the only means for their survival.
Amos warned the Israelites to avoid going to Beersheba to
worship justifying it that it would brought to ruins.
Besides, he also warned the Israelites never to try to
find the Lord at Bethel. He showed the people everything in there would come to
nothing.
In the same way, Amos warned the Israelites against going
to Gilgal. The people there were doomed to exile.
Amos noted that the people's failure to turn to the Lord
would make Him to sweep down like fire on them. The fire would burn the people
of Bethel and nobody would be able to put it out.
Amos said that the people of Israel were doomed for
having twisted the justice and treated people out of their rights.
Amos was mourning for the people of Israel because of the
following:
Amos had seen that the people of Israel would be
destroyed
Amos had seen that Israel was doomed for the Lord was
going to take them into exile. Amos had realized that the places of worship of
Bethel and Gilgal were in danger of being destroyed.
Amos had seen that God was about to sweep down like fire
so much that nobody would put out the fire on Israel.
Amos had seen that God was about to bring destruction on
the mighty and their stronghold.
The people of Israel hated anyone challenging injustice
and could speak truth in the court of law.
Amos had seen that the people had twisted justice and
cheated the poor out of their rights. Amos had seen that Israelites were
oppressing the poor and robbing their property.
The rich were living in stone houses and drinking wine
from their beautiful vineyard yet they had denied the poor.
The rich persecuted and took bribes from the poor and
preventing the poor from getting justice.
The Israelites were keeping quiet over the evils they
were committing.
There was religious hypocrisy among Israelites for they were
taking their sacrifices for formality.
Israel had gone ahead to worship images of other gods
alongside Yahweh.
Amos had seen that there would be wailing and cries of
sorrow in the city streets of Israel.
Besides, Amos had seen that the Lord was determined to
punish His people despite the love He had for them.
Amos observed that the Israelites had taken Yahweh for
granted and in doing so they had compromised their faith.
According to Amos, Israel was burning with pride because
of her chosen status.
Amos had realized that the religious festivals of the
Israelites had lost meanings and had now become useless.
Note: Include all those sins Israel had committed.
Revision Questions
"Listen people of Israel to this funeral song/sing
over you" (Amos 5: 1 ff) a) Why was Amos mourning over the people of
Israel?