The book of the prophet Amos is a popular scripture to pull from when it comes to calling for justice and liberation. Written on protest posters and included in speeches, Amos appears to call out the powerful and center the voice of the oppressed. For some, Amos’ words get overused; they may sound repetitive, and everyone seems to want to include him. However, I think it is vital to reflect more on his words, as they carry significant implications. In this particular passage, the greed and exploitation practiced by the people bring on God’s call for justice. God warns that the oppressive conditions brought on by the people will not bode well for them.

Something that Michael Carden, a queer biblical scholar, has pointed out is that Amos, unlike other prophets, is an ordinary person who has no connection to a prophetic genealogy (459). Carden says, “he is simply an animal herder or breeder who has been sent by YHWH to deliver YHWH’s prophetic messages” (459). Amos is following God’s calling, underscoring the role of the everyday person in calling out injustice and centering accountability. It does not have to come from those considered traditional leaders; in fact, as an ordinary person, Amos was aware of the living conditions of the most marginalized. During Amos’ time, the kingdom of David and Solomon had been divided with Israel in the north (where Amos was) and Judah in the south. The fracturing fueled oppressive systems that encouraged the wealthy and powerful to take advantage of the marginalized and vulnerable.

When Amos delivered God’s message, he took on the voice of these exploiting classes. He says:

Listen to this, you who live off of the needy and oppress the poor people of the land, you who say, “If only the New Moon were over so we could sell our grain,” and “When Sabbath is over we will sell our wheat charging higher prices for smaller portions, tilting the scales in our favor. That way, we can buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals – and even make a profit on the chaff of the wheat!”

These words describe some of the exploitative practices: hiking up food prices, weaponizing basic needs to make a profit, and living off the suffering of the vulnerable. The economic and governmental structures of the time were not intended to serve the people, but to serve the interests of the powerful. Amos illustrates a God who is cutting with their words. A God that does not turn away from the extractive tendencies of the Northern Kingdom. This is a God who knows what the people do.          

Amy Erickson, a feminist biblical scholar, states that the book of Amos is not directed at a general audience but toward the people who support the exploitative system (312). The poor did not benefit from the wealth of the powerful, and this emerged in the disparities in living conditions. Erickson says:

“Archaeological findings confirm what Amos decries; there is a deep divide between the living standards of the rich and the poor. The rich have winter and summer homes, while the poor live in hovels” (312).

The wealthy were clearly the ones bringing destabilization and pain to the world. They clearly knew what they were doing, and Amos called them out on their continuing unjust practices. He shares the words of God, who says, “I will never forget a single thing you have done.” In this direct statement, God says that justice will come, and it will directly mean the end of the structures that have benefited the powerful.

An additional observation Erickson makes is that what is to come to the people of the Northern Kingdom is “inevitable,” (316) the destruction caused by their practices cannot be repaired, time cannot be turned back, the abuse cannot be undone, and it is on the people to take responsibility for the harm they have caused. Justice will arrive, and it will not reflect well upon those who have abused and exploited. God does not forget; they always remember and always know what has happened to people pushed to the margins.

Contemplate the murals of I WITNESS SILWAN, an art project based in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem in Palestine. It is a Palestinian neighborhood resisting the ongoing encroachment and takeover of their homes by Israel. As their website says, “Murals depicting the eyes of local and international leaders, activists, workers, and more, are scattered across the hills of Silwan, East Jerusalem, and can be seen from miles away.” These murals center on Palestinian identity, art, and community, bringing attention to the injustice of settler colonialism.

Focusing on the art: think how it may resonate with the truth-telling of the journalists in Palestine and the words of Amos. How can art disrupt spaces? What does it mean for you to take seriously the entrustment of Anas al-Sharif and all who have been killed at the hands of imperial and settler colonial violence?