Chapter four we have heard over and over again. Do we get it? Two charges are leveled against the people. First, they are trampling and mistreating the poor and abusing the oppressed. THEY ARE OPPRESSORS. God hates this. Second, they are not returning (turning) to the Lord. They are turning away and running away from him. These two conditions lead to the judgment declared in chapters 5 and 6.
Chapter 5 verses 21-24 are quite clear. These are very “religious” people, meaning they are people who are doing all the religous activities that religious people are supposed to do. But God says that he despises and hates their religious feasts and “cannot stand” their assemblies. Whoa! This is serious! They are conducting the religious feast proscribed in the law and assembling for worship and God says, “I hate it!” He goes further. Though they bring him “choice” offerings he will not accept them and has no regard for them. They are singing and playing musical instruments, presumably in worship, and he says that he will not listen adn tells them to get away!
So what does God want? Here it goes again! Justice! That is what God desires. God is a God of justice and expects his people to act justly also. Amos speaks for God and says, don’t roll out all your religious activity! Let justice roll like a river. Just as animal and plant life thrive with ample water, so human life thrives when justice is all around. Israel’s treatment of the poor and oppressed was gross injustice. So God rejected their religous ritual. First things first! Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God, says the prophet Micah (this is the verse our students did the video for). This is true religion.
Over and over again the prophets say it. The heart of God is tender toward the poor and oppressed and he desire his people to be involved in bringing justice to these folks. Justice is making sure people have what rightly belongs to them and oppression is when people use power to take away from less powerful what is rightly theirs. God hates oppression and loves justice. We must order our lives accordingly.