Joy and Justice - Tuesday Devotional
Amos 6:1a, 4-7 (CEB)
Doom to those resting comfortably in Zion
who lie on beds of ivory,
stretch out on their couches,
eat lambs from the flock,
and bull calves from the stall;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
and, like David, compose tunes on musical instruments;
who drink bowls of wine,
put the best of oils on themselves,
but who aren’t grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
Therefore, they will now be the first to be taken away,
and the feast of those who lounged at the table will pass away.
Doom to those resting comfortably in Zion
who lie on beds of ivory,
stretch out on their couches,
eat lambs from the flock,
and bull calves from the stall;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
and, like David, compose tunes on musical instruments;
who drink bowls of wine,
put the best of oils on themselves,
but who aren’t grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
Therefore, they will now be the first to be taken away,
and the feast of those who lounged at the table will pass away.
A shepherd from a small village, Amos was called by God to preach to the leaders of Israel. At the time, Israel was at the peak of its political might and prosperity, but was riddled with social injustices. Outraged by hypocritical worship, oppression of the poor, and immorality, Amos denounced Israel uncompromisingly, bringing him into conflict with the authorities of the day. Scholars believe this Old Testament book was written during the events it chronicles, between 800 and 750 BC.
Amos paints a striking picture of the wealthy in Israel, reclining on ivory couches, feasting on tender lambs, sipping wine from oversized bowls, and anointing themselves with the finest oils. Their lives are marked by indulgence, music, and comfort. Yet amid the opulence, one piercing phrase breaks through: they are “not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.” In other words, they are blind to the collapse of their wider community, unmoved by the suffering of their kin.
This tension is striking. On the one hand, Amos does not condemn the music itself, or the joy of food and fragrance. These can be gifts of the Creator. What he condemns is the disconnect - that these leaders enjoy abundance while ignoring the unraveling of the people’s shared life. Their wealth and leisure become insulated walls, shielding them from grief that should have been theirs to bear.
Jesus often speaks of feasts and banquets as images of God’s kingdom - places of joy and welcome - while Amos reminds us that feasting can also expose injustice. The difference lies in whether the table reflects shared flourishing or self-enclosed excess. One becomes a sign of the kingdom’s abundance, the other a warning of its absence.
Amos’s prophetic word asks us to hold joy and grief together - to savor the gifts of life without losing sight of neighbors whose lives are fraying. Divine love does not shrink away from sorrow but enters it, transforming it into compassion and solidarity. Our calling is to become communities where feasting and mourning are shared, where joy is deepened by justice.
This tension is striking. On the one hand, Amos does not condemn the music itself, or the joy of food and fragrance. These can be gifts of the Creator. What he condemns is the disconnect - that these leaders enjoy abundance while ignoring the unraveling of the people’s shared life. Their wealth and leisure become insulated walls, shielding them from grief that should have been theirs to bear.
Jesus often speaks of feasts and banquets as images of God’s kingdom - places of joy and welcome - while Amos reminds us that feasting can also expose injustice. The difference lies in whether the table reflects shared flourishing or self-enclosed excess. One becomes a sign of the kingdom’s abundance, the other a warning of its absence.
Amos’s prophetic word asks us to hold joy and grief together - to savor the gifts of life without losing sight of neighbors whose lives are fraying. Divine love does not shrink away from sorrow but enters it, transforming it into compassion and solidarity. Our calling is to become communities where feasting and mourning are shared, where joy is deepened by justice.
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