Are You Giving Your Heart or Just More Bulls?
Notes
Transcript
In the last several weeks, we have been going through a high overview and some specific themes with the minor prophets (Jonah, Hosea, Habakkuk ), and the writings of the minor prophets can feel confusing. These books use fancy words, comparisons, and pictures that might not make sense to us today. They talk a lot about God's judgement, which can be hard for us to accept. But the strange words and ideas about a future judgement actually have a reason. The prophets are telling again the story of Israel’s covenant failure with God and his coming judgement. But they also give hope for Israel's future after they've been exiled.
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
Why would you have the day of the Lord?
It is darkness, and not light,
19 as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 “Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.
The truest expression of worship to God is when God’s people are involved in the doing of justice, the loving of kindness and the demonstration of steadfast love to their neighbour.
The truest expression of worship to God is when God’s people are involved in the doing of justice, the loving of kindness and the demonstration of steadfast love to their neighbour.
Our Sunday worship service can be categorised as a “religious activity” and that can be good and acceptable to God, but what is not acceptable to God is we categorise this as the "real worship” to him and neglect/ ignore/feel contempt in loving our neighbour.
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, The New American Commentary
Amos 5:21 demonstrate clearly that Israel was not judged for lack of religion. They were celebrating religious holidays with “feasts” and “assemblies” (v. 21); they were bringing “burnt offerings,” “grain offerings,” and “choice fellowship offerings” (v. 22); and they were filling the air with “songs” of worship and with instrumental “music” (v. 23).
But the Lord’s rejection of this religious activity could not have been expressed more strongly: “I hate, I despise,” “I cannot stand,” “I will not accept,” “I will have no regard,” and “I will not listen.” God rejected every aspect of Israel’s worship.
We could also find the same rebuke of God in Ezekiel 34:1-6
1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; 6 they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
The Bible Project
Amos echos the same prophetic rebuke, he tells it like it is: God sees through the fake act, and He's not a fan of their worship show. God is angered because their worship is totally disconnected how they treat their neighbours, which makes their worship meaningless.
Israel was flooding God with rivers of religiosity when God wanted rivers of righteousness and justice.
According to God, a true relationship with Him should change a person and how they treat everyone around them. Amos’ call to true worship is to “let justice flow like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream” Amos 5:24.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
“mishpat”, or “justice,” refers to the quality of our actions being free from favoritism, self-interest, self-serving, bias, or deception; especially conforming to established standards or rules.
“tsedaqah”, or “righteousness,” refers to a standard of right, equitable relationship between people no matter their social differences.
In this context in Amos, justice would mean:
making things right for those who were cheated
being fair to those who are less fortunate
and treating those who are in need with kindness and respect.
And righteousness would mean:
having a merciful and generous attitude
and being honest in our actions
Just like how God's character is shown in the law of Moses.
Just like how God's character is shown in the law of Moses.
Imagine these values as water that flows through the life of God's people, just like a rushing river fills up a dry riverbed.
The time spent in the wilderness wasn't easy, but a close relationship between God and Israel characterized that period (Deut 2:7; Hos 11:1; Jer 2:2–3), sacrifices and offerings did not maintain that relationship.
Amos confronted a people who were eager and extravagant in their sacrifices and offerings, but those activities did not put them right with God.
God values sincere devotion and unwavering loyalty more than flashy displays and extravagance.
God values sincere devotion and unwavering loyalty more than flashy displays and extravagance.
The New Bible Commentary (5:1–27 Religion without Reformation)
Religion without morality attracts divine hatred
Bruno kicking his poo all over me
But there is hope! There’s always hope because of Jesus!
In the New Testament, Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1, “out of Egypt I called my son,” in one of his fulfilment formulas. It’s applied to Jesus’ return to Israel from his “sojourn” in Egypt after Herod’s death. It’s meant to evoke strong images of Jesus as God’s Son.
And here’s the good news: This Son is different from Israel...
He sincerely worships Yahweh and follows the Torah.
He truly loves his neighbour and cares for the needy, oppressed, and poor.
His worship leads to compassion and fairness.
The most amazing thing this Son does is give up his own life to save sinners like us who are in need.
The most amazing thing this Son does is give up his own life to save sinners like us who are in need.
Matthew 12:18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.” makes a reference to Jesus Christ being our righteousness.
Matthew’s gospel emphasizes that followers of Jesus should outwardly express this covenant righteousness. This involves key themes like:
doing God’s will (Matt 7:16–23; 12:48–50)
bearing good fruit (Matt 7:16–20; 12:33–37; 21:43)
and putting into practice Jesus’ teachings (Matt 7:24–27; 28:20).
Matthew also emphasizes the importance of justice at a significant moment. He summarizes Jesus' entire ministry in Galilee by referring to Isaiah 42:1–4 (found in Matt 12:18–21). The concept of justice, showing that Jesus' ministry revolves around promoting and practicing justice (Matt 12:18, 20). This means that
Jesus' mission involves bringing God's promised justice to both Israel and the rest of the nations (Matt 12:18).
Jesus' mission involves bringing God's promised justice to both Israel and the rest of the nations (Matt 12:18).
We, believers in the modern era, must remember that we aren't immune to the same mistakes and wrongdoings as the Israelites, despite knowing Jesus (oida).
We don’t have to look further to see instances where we fall short in loving each other and caring for the needy, oppressed, and poor.
leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
We read earlier Ezekiel 34, this is mentions again in Matthew 23:23, where Jesus criticises scribes and Pharisees for neglecting the more important aspects of the Torah: justice, mercy, and faithfulness as echoed in Micah, Hosea and Amos.
But thank God, Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd!
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
Jesus Christ lived out God’s covenant for you and I, and this is His New Covenant.
Jesus Christ lived out God’s covenant for you and I, and this is His New Covenant.
When Jesus chose to laid down His life; forgiveness of sin, spiritual transformation, and fulfilment of God’s plan of redemption.
This is the hope Amos anticipate...
Jesus, the true Israel and faithful Son, gave his life for idolatrous covenant-breakers so we could be reconciled to God.
Jesus, the true Israel and faithful Son, gave his life for idolatrous covenant-breakers so we could be reconciled to God.
That’s really, really good news,
I wanna echo again the compelling points in the past couple of sermons by our pastors.
Will you remember God’s mercy through Jesus Christ?
Will you live by what God has promised in Jesus?
Will you worship God in the means of overcoming evil with good in the examples of Jesus?
Will you offer your heart and not just more bulls?
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The God of Israel, on the other hand, can say at one moment, “Seek me, that you may live” (Amos 5:4), and later say, “Seek good, not evil, that you may live” (Amos 5:14). True worship of the Creator God of Israel is synonymous with doing good and spreading generosity and justice.
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (No Sacrifices or Offerings in the Wilderness (5:25))
God’s will is for justice and righteousness to prevail in Israel’s social order as an outward sign of their religious devotion. Here justice would mean “reparation for the defrauded, fairness for the less fortunate, and dignity and compassion for the needy”; righteousness would entail “attitudes of mercy and generosity, and honest dealings that imitate the character of God” as revealed in the law of Moses. Finley makes an important point, however, that while these are always a part of God’s demands for an obedient lifestyle, they are not his only requirements. If Amos were evaluating worship activities today, he might point to other aspects of lifestyle that are signs of a lack of genuineness, thus making worship displeasing and unacceptable to God. Amos’s point was that “the way people behave in the marketplace or how they judge in the gate” are as much a part of worship as singing and sacrifice.239 Religious activity is no substitute for national or personal righteousness.
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (Idolatry (5:26))
Wilderness years were not trouble free, but a close relationship between God and Israel characterized the period (Deut 2:7; Hos 11:1; Jer 2:2–3). Sacrifices and offerings did not maintain that relationship. Amos confronted a people who were eager and extravagant in their sacrifices and offerings, but those activities did not put them right with God. With Hos 6:6 and Mic 6:8 this text stands as one of the great themes in prophetic literature with regard to the nature of sacrifices and true religion. God is not pleased by acts of pomp and grandeur but by wholehearted devotion and complete loyalty.
Amos makes a strong point: when we worship and seek justice, they go hand in hand. This means that when we honor God through temple rituals and prayers, we're also committing to follow God's rules that shape how we live as Jesus' followers. The prophets believed that worshipping the God of Israel meant honoring the One who freed enslaved people, led them to a better place, and provided everything they needed."
But thankfully, this Son isn’t like Israel. This Son faithfully worships Yahweh and keeps the law. This Son perfectly loves his neighbour as himself. He shows particular concern for the needy, oppressed, and poor of society. His worship of the Father always results in compassion and acts of justice. In fact, the greatest act of mercy displayed in God’s Son is the sacrifice of his own life on behalf of needy, poor sinners like you and me.
A right relationship with God is expressed in the doing of justice, the loving of kindness (Mic 6:6) and the demonstration of steadfast love (Hos 6:6). The truest expression of the worship of God is when God’s people are involved in letting “justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24).
Walter C. Kaiser Jr. et al., Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1996), 672.
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition (2.1.1. Righteousness in Matthew)
Matthew also communicates that covenant righteousness should typify Jesus’ followers by highlighting the motifs of doing God’s will (Mt 7:16–23; 12:48–50), bearing good fruit (Mt 7:16–20; 12:33–37; 21:43) and putting into practice Jesus’ teachings (Mt 7:24–27; 28:20)
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition 2.1.2. Justice in Matthew
Matthew highlights justice at another important juncture. To summarize Jesus’ entire Galilean ministry, Matthew draws on Isaiah 42:1–4 (Mt 12:18–21). Justice (krisis) is central to the citation, indicating that Jesus’ ministry involves the proclamation and enactment of justice (Mt 12:18, 20). Thus, Jesus’ own ministry of bringing God’s promised justice to the Israel and the nations (Mt 12:18) is consonant with Jesus’ expectation that his followers pursue and enact justice (Mt 6:10). This expectation is reemphasized at Matthew 23:23, where Jesus critiques scribes and Pharisees for ignoring the weightier matters of the Torah: justice (krisis), *mercy (eleos), faithfulness (pistis) (cf. Mic 6:8). The final teaching of Jesus in Matthew is set in the context of eschatological *judgment (Mt 25:31–46). The criterion of judgment in this parabolic scene is deeds done for “the least of these” (Mt 25:40, 45)—actions rightly understood as embodying justice and mercy (Via, 84).