Amos 6:1a, 4-7

“Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria… Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches…” vss. 1a, 4a

Amos had come to Israel from its southern neighbor Judah and he had words of judgement for the royal hierarchy and other notables. We wonder how he knew that death and destruction lay ahead for those who felt so secure in their luxurious palaces. It certainly wasn’t apparent. Israel was riding high. There had been decades of peace and prosperity. The money from trade and taxes was rolling in. But Amos saw darkness on the horizon. Maybe that’s how it always is when the poor are trampled on and even religious folks worry more about turning a profit than helping the needy. Amos didn’t need a crystal ball to divine Israel’s future, he had a word from the Lord, and that word is constant through the ages. Nations whose wealth is built on the backs of the poor will always come to a wretched end. Of course no one paid any attention to Amos. The priests of Israel told him to go back where he came from and to keep his mouth shut. There’s no record that a single person in Israel repented or made any effort to change. But Amos’s words were collected and remembered…and we have them today. We pray that they will make a difference in our opulent times.

Thought for the Day: What might Amos say to our presidential candidates?