The Problem with the Elite: Amos 2:6-16
Systems that focus wealth up the chain and create dependencies upon those with power are inherently contrary to God’s design. God is a God who sets people free. God empowers us to change, improve our being, and then live into our calling. He wants us to become like Him.
God has Amos speak to the northern kingdom of Israel. It is a bit startling to see how much longer this section is compared to the other sections. We know historically the northern kingdom abandoned God’s ways faster and more blatantly than the southern kingdom of Judah.
Their religious practices were sacrilegious. The kings of Israel built altars to foreign gods. King Jeroboam erected two golden calves, one at the northern-most point in his kingdom and one in the southernmost point. King Ahab erected an altar to Ba’al and a worshipping pole to Asherah in Samaria, a temple to Ba’al at Mt. Carmel, and archaeologists have discovered over a dozen temples to various Canaanite gods at Mount Hermon dating to roughly the same period. There were assuredly other smaller sites created by local populations.
Their culture was a poverty trap. Their culture was set up so the wealthy and powerful grew wealthier and more powerful. The poor and the needy had no chance to improve even if they wanted to! Prices on goods, interest on loaned money, taxes, and fees were increased to force the poor and the needy to indebt themselves to others to survive. This system created debt among the populace which in turn created dependency upon the system. God hates when we create a system that forces people to become dependent to survive.
The people of Israel were immoral. Fathers and sons had sex with the same women. The wealthy had no trouble taking the outer garments of the poor as a pledge against a debt and then using the garments as pillows and mattresses while laying at the feet of altars of false gods – all while the poor went cold because they had to trade away their clothing! The wealthy hoarded their wealth; instead of trying to improve their community, they poured their wealth into parties filled with sex, drugs, and alcohol.
It is hypocritical to claim obedience to God while hoarding wealth and creating systems that force people to become dependent upon the wealthy and empowered. God does not hoard His power. God called the Hebrew people to Him out of love. He brought the Hebrew people out of oppression because of love. God gave them religious leaders out of love. God’s ways demonstrate an outpouring of Himself to us, not a contrived system to get us to give our wealth and power to Him. God blesses us, not the other way around.
God is powerful. He uses His vast wealth to reach into the lives of the needy. He lifts us up. Systems that focus wealth up the chain and create dependencies upon those with power are inherently contrary to God’s design.
