Saturday 31 May 2014

Background

In today's passage the tone changes but the message is still thesame and just as strident. However it takes more of the form of alament, rather than a rant.

It also has a palistrophic structure:

Introduction (verses 1-3)

Invitation (verses 4-6)

Complaint (verse 7)

Doxology (verses 8-9)

Complaint (verses 10-13)

Invitation (verses 14-15)

Conclusion (verses 16-17)

Running throughout the passage is the appeal in various forms to"Seek God and live" (vv. 4, 6, 14). The first time (verse 4) thereis a warning not to "seek Bethel" or "enter in Gilgal", placeswhere worship took place, but also linked with the idea thatreligious ritual had been abused or corrupted (see Amos4:4).

The second time (verse 6) sets out the consequences of a failureto follow that course of action - with dramatic language typical ofAmos.

The final and final occasion (verse 14) is more positive. Thereis both a recognition that following this course of action will bebeneficial ("the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you") andalso a suggestion of how the listener/reader might seek good -"hating evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate" (v.15).

To Ponder

• What do you do (or might you do) to "seek the Lord"?

• In your life and discipleship how might you (a) hate evil, (b)love good and (c) establish justice?