Seek God, Seek Justice

Introduction: What does God think of Injustice?

Two years ago I preached a 4 part series on Amos which is all about injustice. One thing we learned is that....

31-Idolatry Leads to Injustice.

Amos Profile

• Shepherd and Fig Tree Farmer - Shepherd of Shepherds - Middle Class, not poor.

• From Judah vs. Israel

• Different Centers of Religion

• Perhaps Economically He was impacted by the policies of Israel.

• Pastures Dried Up?

Biblical Justice - Defined by the mostly Deuteronomy - God’s sense of Justice.

• Best we can know is

• Jeroboam II was very successful militarily and increased Israel’s territory = Jonah prophesied this would happen.

• This brought great prosperity

• However, that prosperity + Idol worship led to disalignment to God’s will = injustice.

• Amos is called to hold up the mirror.

According to Amos Israel was engaging in these practices.

• Crushing the Powerless - The unnecessary foreclosure on small loans by money lenders - Technically legal, but deprives legally innocent/guiltless debtors of the possibility of clearing their debts. Extra Court Costs – leads to slavery

• Clothing in pledge - The Wealthy could legally (according to Leviticus) collect the (Shirt off their back), but return their cloak it at night to stay warm – Here they are showing it off in worship.

• A fine for breaking the law might be paid in wine and if so it would go to the state. Here the judge is keeping it himself and bringing it to worship.

The New International Version Chapter 23

6 “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. 8 “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent. 9 “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

• Sexual Abuse - Referring to abusing most likely a female servant in their household. - This is strictly forbidden in Leviticus

• Leviticus 19:20–22

• Leviticus strictly Leviticus 18

· Mocking those who are a sign of the relationship of God – Prophets and Nazerites.

Interestingly, Amos depicts Israel’s main problem as being Idolatry. The god’s they worshipped instead of the one true God, someway made those with power to be lustful for power, for Greed, and for lustful for others, rather than to Love God, and Love others.

Our Society is not immune to idolatry. This is the heart of the issue, Injustice is a symptom of idolatry.

32 - Description of “Just Mercy.” - Just Mercy Video.

“Just Mercy” is based on the powerful and thought-provoking true story of young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. One of his first cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings, as well as overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds—and the system—stacked against them.

33 - Idolatry of Greed - has led to the use of cheap labor whether that has been Slavery, Share Cropping abuses, “Sweat Shops,” denying black people GI benefits after WWII, and Redlining, and Ponsey Schemes.

Redlining - Bankers marked areas of the city that were considered at risk for loans, thereby making it difficult for anyone living in that area to be eligible for a loan to buy a house or business. Those areas were generally settled by Black people who had little collateral as they had more difficulty doing so having nothing after slavery.

Sharecropping - Landowners provided sharecroppers with land, seeds, tools, clothing, and food. Charges for the supplies were deducted from the sharecroppers' portion of the harvest, leaving them with substantial debt to landowners in bad years. Sharecroppers would become caught in continual debt, especially during weak harvests…

Idolatry of sex and greed together - Sex Trafficking, Abortion,

Racism - Idolatry of Skin Color

Power - Pay to Play Schemes and manipulation of the Political Process

What I know from reading the prophets including Amos is every nation will be held accountable for their injustices.

34 - Injustice Leads to Judgement.

This Passage is a lament - Amos is lamenting what will come of Israel. They currently don’t understand, because the economy is doing great for the haves, but it was built upon idolatry and injustice.

God is trying to show through Amos to Israel that Accountability is coming for their Injustice.

LoriJo Scheppers - Judgement is laying things Bare.

More and More I see people on Social Media wondering if this is the end times, is this a time for judgement.

No one knows the day or the hour, but I do believe our world is being judged for injustice. I have two images of the Day of the Lord in my mind....

One - Is God drawing nearer. The closer God’s presence comes to our world, the more the world’s idols fight it and go crazy. In this image, Our World’s idols, and our idols are exposed until it is obvious we need God.

Second - God withdrawing his protection. Here is where we as a church need to take things seriously. Israel was still doing the rituals of the O.T. Worship. They were doing it because they thought if they throw God a bone they covered all of their protective basis. But worship is one facet of a covenant relationship with God. God wanted them to care about what he cared about (ie. justice) other people. They really did not have a relationship with God, it was a transaction with God. - In this sense God is exposing their Idols as unable to save them.

Judgement in the end is really our undoing of ourselves.

Here is the Good News.

36 - To Seek God is to Seek Justice.

Amos is seeking God, and he is pleading that Israel seek God, and that we seek God.

It begins with Lament - Recognizing and being honest about our shortcomings of Injustice.

It focuses on seeking a real relationship with God.

Many in our world today think that changing the system will bring about Justice. All they want to do is change one system for another. In fact this may be the very problem, is we make “The System” our savior and we think it will bring about Justice.

True Justice only comes when we devoid our idols of their power, and give it back to God. - You see, Israel was working the System, in fact the system God set up, but they did not have a heart for God. They worked God as a lesser God.

We as Christians by seeking God before Greed would be the people who are generous towards those who do not have, because we find our fulfillment in Ipads, and TV’s and material possessions and security, but in Jesus Christ who died for us.

Amos is clear in vs. 6 that a relationship with God is the key. And in Vs. 14 & 15 is having a relationship with God is following his lead into what is Just and Unjust, even if it is not expedient, profitable, or comfortable for us to do so.

Jesus will transform our lives from being a people who...

Instead of Greed are Generous towards others.

Instead of seeking our own interest are honest and working towards what is fair for others.

Instead of exploiting others for our profit, work toward lifting people and empowering them as Image bearers of God.

Instead of seeing people as objects to lust after, rather people to be honored and respected.

Our hearts will be moved from pride to humility always wanting to grow and become more like Christ.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 62-64, 86, 91 Belgic Confession: Articles 24, 28-29 Canons of Dort: Head V, Article 12 Belhar Confession: Article 4