Ripe Fruit (qayis)

Pass by

So the vision here, and that is what the prophet Amos and other prophets do right? They get visions and they tell the respective people of there vision. The really interesting thing to know first of all, is that Amos lived in the southern kingdom (Judah) yet he was called to speak to the Northern Kingdom (Israel). It is also worth noting that a few short years after Amos speaks prophesy, the Assyrians force the ten tribes of Israel into exile. Just sayin!

So , (NRSV)

The Basket of Fruit

8 This is what the Lord God showed me—a basket of summer fruit. 2 He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me,

“The end has come upon my people Israel;

I will never again pass them by. The basket of ripe fruit brings a vision that I think we should all identify. I know when we go shopping we tend to buy bananas that are a little green, if we can. Why? Because we know that we will not eat them fast enough before they get too ripe. The vision here is a basket of fruit that is ripe sitting in the summer sun. How long might it take for this fruit to rotten? Summer fruit is soon rotten in the sun; the end is in sight in other words. The end is near.

Now when you see the words, never pass by again, what do you hear or see. What image does this bring to you? Passover? God (Yahweh) struck down the first born of the Egyptians and it was only because of the Israelites following the instructions handed down by Moses that they survived. Right?

(NRSV)

5 saying, “When will the new moon be over

so that we may sell grain;

and the sabbath,

so that we may offer wheat for sale?

We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,

and practice deceit with false balances, This is Amos prophesying about social injustice. The ephah was a measure of grain, and the shekel was a weight measurement. This was a way that people thought, which was unfair. But is there a difference today? I tell you that in this day and age people are always looking for ways to get ahead with unfair manors.

(NRSV)

6 buying the poor for silver

and the needy for a pair of sandals,

and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” The sweepings of the wheat is the chaff. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could profit from that which we would normally throw away? My father told me many times about how in the making of propane the waste product was liquid nitrogen and they used to dispose of it. Then they discovered that it was good for applying nitrogen to fields for nutrients. Now I don’t know how accurate this story is, but I have always thought how unfair that seems to be. Now they charge farms a lot of money for something they used to discard.

(NRSV)

7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:

Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Should we be concerned about our actions that seem simple and small? Do we not find ourselves justifying our actions as better than our neighbor perhaps? Notice that whenever Amos proclaims a prophesy he declares the Lord says or Yaweh says. I am sure that my words this morning hold little weight unless you believe that it is not I but the Lord who is speaking.

Then Amos goes into a whole line of thoughts about what will happen:

English Standard Version Chapter 8

“I will make the sun go down at noon

and darken the earth in broad daylight.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

I will turn your feasts into mourning

and all your songs into lamentation;

I will bring sackcloth on every waist

and baldness on every head;

I will make it like the mourning for an only son

and the end of it like a bitter day.

Amos says in verse 11, that the day is coming when we will thirst for the word of God. I believe that is here today. A thirst for the word of God. To know what is right. The law came and it did not have the power to save but it showed us when we had fallen. This is the word of God. We are a fallen people. Since the early days in the garden, we are a fallen people.

Can you admit that you are fallen? Say it with me, I AM FALLEN

But saved by grace.