Title: Faith and Life/Faith and Life
Contents
Subject : Faith and Life
phrase verse: j
- Introduction -
One day, a fight broke out between traders on the floor of Namdaemun Market. Many spectators gathered around. It was a fight between a man and a woman in their 50s and 60s who both spoke unfamiliar dialects.
I don't know what started the fight, but it must have been a trivial interest. However, the loud voice that is heard is "Because the butler... did it"" The elder...
It was because they did it.” There was no doubt that the two of them were church leaders who went to a certain church.
your face gets hot In the church, these people are clearly kind, gentle, and respectful deacons and elders.
Today, through Prophet Amos, let's take a look at the lives of those who have the word of God in society.
1. A corrupt society
Amos was born in Tekoa, about 9 km south of Bethlehem, just before the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrian army around 760 B.C., and was working as a farmer. However, since the state of the country at that time was very corrupt and injustice prevailed, he thought that the only way to save the kingdom was to eradicate injustice and corruption. This is not an era in which God's justice can stand bravely from the standpoint of a farmer and a layperson only because of his love for the country.
As the whole society was structurally at a time when injustice, corruption and injustice were rampant, no one dared to speak the truth. But Amos proclaimed the justice of God at that time. Then he was expelled without reason.
So what was the situation at that time? Jeroboam II, as the wisest king after King David, achieved stability in all aspects including politics and economy at home and abroad, and achieved the highest prosperity in the life of the people. However, as life became more stable, people's lives gradually had a tendency toward complacency, hedonism, and golden almightyism. As a result, moral corruption, corruption of ethical life, tyranny of money and power, and the corruption of religion riding on such things. That was the situation at that time.
If I add more explanation, at that time, the price of a person was less than that of a commodity, and [the righteous] were bought and sold for gold (2:6), and the poor were less than [a pair of shoes] (2:9). It was a time when vicious merchants who deceived the market were playing the market (8:5).
Corruption and corruption like this was a common situation for all the people of that country, and it was even more serious in those in power. The powerful oppress the poor, but their houses [made of polished stones], luxurious houses (5:11), ivory beds, [eating lambs and calves, and choking vain songs to the lye], drinking from their bowls, and anointing their bodies with perfume. (6:4-6) They were extremely luxurious people. It was an era when [corrupt officials who embarrass the poor even after taking bribes, customs officers who collect taxes unfairly (5:11)] were dominant.
Amos was the prophet who tried to protect the public's interest in this era of no law or order, give spiritual indicators, encourage the disrespected poor, defend the oppressed public, and restore lost humanity.
2. Amos who lived according to his faith
As explained above, in the days of Amos, injustice, corruption, and injustice were so rampant, and when only those who flattered there were able to enjoy glory and gain honor and survive, in other words, it is impossible to speak the truth, so it is wise to keep silence. We must remember that Amosman was able to tell the truth in the midst of the public who thought it was work.
Then how can you have the courage to speak the truth without knowing it's scary? This is because Amos was a man of faith and a man of justice.
It is because they believe in Jehovah God well, listen to his words, and shout and live according to his instructions. He never thought for a moment that he was speaking his own words when he spoke. He merely regarded God as the one who communicated the truth. That is why he was able to speak the truth boldly. Then, eventually, he was deported from the country.
Realizing how difficult it is to speak the truth, that is, the word of God, we have to speak the truth, suffer physical and mental pain, and sometimes even die because of those words. This is our Christian life, not a prophet. You have to train yourself to live this life.