The Kingdom of God. John Bright
did Adad-nirari’s armies, which subsequently ravaged Damascus, invade Israel. What is more, the successes of Adadnirari were not followed up. After his campaigns, and for a full fifty years thereafter, Assyria entered a further period of weakness during which she was scarcely able to maintain a foothold west of the Euphrates. It must have seemed to many an Israelite that Providence had intervened: that Assyria could only be God’s tool used to save Israel and punish her foes, for Israel was God’s “kingdom.”
2. In any case this was the signal for the resurgence of Israel. Jehoash (801-786) began it. He leaped upon faltering Aram and in three victories recovered all the land his father, Jehoahaz, had lost (II Kings 13:25). At the same time when Amaziah—king of Judah (800-783)—showed a disposition to renew the chronic quarrel between the two states, he first tried to dissuade him and then, when Amaziah would not listen, thoroughly trounced him (II Kings 14:8-14). But it was Jeroboam II whose long reign (786-746) brought Israel to the height of her glory. By aggressive action he extended Israel’s frontiers farther to the north than they had been since Solomon sat on the throne (II Kings 14:25). Meanwhile the equally long-lived and able Uzziah of Judah (783-742), who had succeeded to the throne in Jerusalem upon the assassination of his father, Amaziah (II Kings 14:19), was won as a full partner in this aggressive program. Uzziah’s conquests matched those of Jeroboam in the north and extended from the Philistine plain in the west to Ammon and the northern Hedjaz in the south and east (II Chr. 26:6-8). Except that it was a double state, it was very nearly the size of Solomon’s.
And prosperity unmatched since Solomon ensued. The trade routes which Solomon had controlled were again in Israelite hands. The Red Sea port of Elath (Ezion-geber?) was restored (II Kings 14:22), and presumably the overseas trade to the south again flourished. This probably means that the Phoenicians, still at the height of their prosperity, were again brought into the program. The economic resources of the country were developed (II Chr. 26:10).23 Israel could remember few periods to compare with the mid–eighth century B.C. The fact that it was the glory of the nation’s sunset did not diminish its splendor. The fine ivories and great palaces which archaeologists have found in Samaria are proof that Amos did not exaggerate the wealth which the land enjoyed.
3. But, again as in Solomon’s day, society is sick. Only now the sickness is unto death. The reader of Amos sees the schism of society on every line. There is wealth unheard of, which knows every luxury that money can buy, and there is bitter and hopeless poverty. There are greed and venality which have no conscience, but place property above men and above God. And religion is equally sick. The shrines are busy and rich and thronged with worshipers (Amos 4:4-5; 5:21-23). But religion is a mechanical quid pro quo, a nauseous attempt to purchase material favors of God with material gifts. It tolerates the grossest immorality (Amos 2:6-8; Hos. 4:4-14); it utters no rebuke—provided only that one support his church! It is totally at the service of the state, and will countenance no criticism of it (Amos 7:10-13).
This is clearly the mortal sickness of a nation. Yet in spite of it there flourished a complacent confidence in the future which is past believing. No doubt this sprang in good part from the pride of a victorious nation in its own strength (Amos 6:13)24 and from the favorable political situation beyond which shortsighted men could not see. But it must also be understood as a disease of theology. Israel’s faith had always taught her to expect great things of the future. History, it was believed, moved onward to the victory of God’s purpose, the establishment of his rule over his people in glory. There would come that eschatological day of triumph, the Day of Yahweh, when the victorious Kingdom of God would become reality. Nor did Israel doubt that she was the people of God, the kingdom chosen by him and defended by him. So she faced the future with confidence and even dared to yearn for that Day of Yahweh (Amos 5:18), for it would be the day of her triumph too.25
IV
To this prosperity and this sickness Amos spoke. The first of that succession of prophets whose utterances are preserved for us in the Bible, he is clearly something new in Israel. Yet he is equally clearly the voice of the ancient ways. Of his life we know almost nothing. A herdsman from the fringe of the Judean wilderness (1:1),26 he had occasion to travel into the northern kingdom. He did not at all like what he saw there, and at the great shrine of Bethel he gave vent to himself. No priest or professional prophet (7:14),27 his only authentication was the Word of Yahweh which had come to him and demanded to be spoken (3:8; 7:15). He was thus a man of the charisma like the judges of old. Only charisma now no longer summoned to leadership in the state, but to the severest criticism of it.
1. The message of Amos seems to the reader rather plain and altogether thrilling. It is the classic ethical protest. It is classic because every prophet after Amos was to take it up; it is classic because it was never said better—it could not be said better. With savage anger Amos lashes at those who have placed gain above rectitude:
Ah, these that turn justice to poison,
thrust righteousness down to the ground
They do hate him who rebukes crookedness in the court,28
abhor him who speaks with integrity!
Wherefore, because you trample on the weak
take from him “presents” of grain,
Houses of hewn stone you have built,
but you’ll not get to live in them;
Delightful vineyards you have planted,
but you’ll never drink their wine.
For I know that many are your crimes
and countless your sins,
Who harass honest men, take bribes,
and push aside the needy in the court.
(5:7, 10-12; cf. 2:6-16; 8:4-10)
But Amos knew that society’s sin is far more than overt crookedness and greed. It is also a luxury-loving ease that places its comfort above human beings and is unconcerned about the deep schism in the social order. How the prophet scores the gentle ladies of the kingdom, calling them fat “Bashan cows” of Samaria (4:1)! How he excoriates a pampered society amusing itself before the Deluge!
Ah these careless ones in Zion,
complacent ones in Samaria’s mount,
Elite of the very top nation,
to whom the house of Israel must resort,
Who put far off the evil day,
and make unjust assizes present fact,29
Who lounge on ivory divans,
are sprawled upon their couches,
And eat choice lambs from the flock,
together with stall-fattened calves;
Who improvise to the sound of the harp,
just like David, they compose all sorts of songs,30
Who drink wine by the bowl,
and anoint themselves with the finest of oils;
But over the rupture of Joseph they are not sick!
(6:1, 3-6)
Nor can a society so broken possibly heal itself by much religion. The busy religion of a people that has flouted all righteousness will avail nothing with God; nay more, it is a positive offense to him. Never has it been put better than Amos put it!
I do hate, I do despise your pilgrim feasts,
take no pleasure in your high holy days,
Though you offer to me (your) burnt offerings
and