Using Power: Amos 6:4-7
Those of us who are entrusted with power have an obligation to care about those who are underneath our supervision. Anyone can use power to their own advantage. That is human nature. True leaders take power they have been granted and apply that power to the benefit of the people around them.
Amos continues to speak against the perspective of the elite. Archeologically speaking, digs in Samaria dated to the time of Amos or earlier have uncovered more than twelve thousand ivory fragments. These fragments could be statues, inlays for furniture, sconces, figurines, utensils, or other similar uses. There was little limit as to what the Hebrew people were willing to use ivory for. Furthermore, because it had to be imported from sub-Saharan Africa, ivory was a significant indicator of wealth among the Hebrew people.
Amos also mentions the diet of the people. The elite are eating choice lambs and calves. They aren’t even waiting to allow the animal to grow to its full size so it could feed more people! They take the choice meat selfishly, letting the poor people fight over the less select older animals that might not taste as good or be as tender. They also drink their wine in bowls instead of cups, unwilling to share and make sure everyone had enough. The elite show their self-centeredness even in their meals!
Amos next turns to the music, mentioning David as he does. If we are not careful, we might hear this verse in an accusation against David, which it is not intended to be. Instead, Amos is trying to use David to show the difference between a righteous elite person and an unrighteous one. David made up new psalms and musical compositions for the purpose of pointing people to God. David’s songs are about God and our relationship with Him. Amos accuses the people of making up songs and creating new instruments for themselves. They sing songs about how great they are and what a great life they live.
Once more, Amos indicates the problem isn’t with the wealth, prosperity, and social position of the people. Every community will have elite and commoners. That is how people organize themselves. The problem isn’t that a society has elites and commoners; the problem is that the elites don’t care about the commoners. The elites don’t care about how the people are being ruined.
God expects those who are in power to care about those who are not. After all, God is the most powerful being, and He cares for us. God does not use His power to make us make Him better; God uses His power to make us better. God expects the same of us. Those of us who are entrusted with power have an obligation to care about those who are underneath our supervision.
