Walking In Spirit

A discussion on Amos 2

The Israelites, being the covenant people of God, were not only guilty of tarnishing the image of men who were made in the image of God but, they were guilty of tarnishing the very image of the Creator Himself. They broke the covenant agreement between themselves and Yehweh; even to the point of selling out the righteous people and trading them for sandals that they would use to walk in the ways of their idols/gods. The weak in this land were oppressed further; and the virtues of the humble were no longer cherished but instead their ways were perverted, even to the point of enticing their most holy of people set aside by the religious vows of the Nazirites.

The very act of propagation was distorted in the land. God had given them this act to “Multiply and fill the Earth”. As part of the covenant people of God, they were promised to become as numerous as the stars of the sky. Instead they created idols/gods and used the act of sex to worship created things, on foreign altars, that are placed in a land that Yahweh had given to them.

To be in this covenant relationship, the Israelites were to be yoked with God, walking alongside him and carrying their portion of the load. Instead, they are found walking along another path and no longer pulling their share of the load and progress is stunted. If they had only known that the yoke was easy and the burden was light, especially, when bringing in the sheaves with God.

Prophets had obviously come along at various times. They were silenced as the people surrounded themselves with teachers that taught perverted things to those with itching ears.

Yahweh will respond to breaking this covenant in ways that had already been laid out. In Leviticus 26, Yahweh lays out the blessings and curses that will come upon the people based on their obedience to the covenant. Numerous times throughout the OT we see the Israelites being disobedient and then subsequently chastised for it. In the early parts of this book, we see God laying out the charge to a disobedient and rebellious people which are told they will receive the very curses Yahweh promised them for failing to “Walk together” with him. All the courageous will flee naked in that day even when no “man” chases him. It’s the story of all men. Walk with God, or flee from him trembling.