Union Biblical Seminary
BB016- Prophetic Response to the Struggles of the People of God
Course Facilitator- Rev. Dr. S. Rathna Kumar
Presenters- (Group 3) Denish, Tsiatshuvi, Abraham, Kitboklang
Response Paper- (Group 5) Akumwapang, Lyndon, Sandeep, Robin
Elucidate the teachings of Amos and Isaiah of Jerusalem in the light of their life
situation and point out the challenges they present to us today.
Introduction
1. The Context of 8th century in the Time of Amos and Isaiah
1.1. Political setting
1.2. Social setting
1.3. Religious setting
2. Prophetic Ministry and Teachings
2.1. The message of Amos
2.1.1. Social Justice
2.2. The Message of Isaiah
2.2.1. Comfort and hope to the exiles
3. The Challenges
3.1. With the poor
3.2. Idol worship
3.3. Misuse of authority
4. The Group’s Evaluation
5. Conclusion
Bibliography
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Introduction
This paper is an attempt to study the teachings of the 8th century prophets and in that regard,
the paper will be limited to examining the teachings of Amos and Isaiah of the 8th century.
An attempt is made to bring out the context and specific challenges faced during the
prophetic ministry of Amos and Isaiah and will study how they present to us today.
1. The Context of 8th Century in the Time of Amos and Isaiah
During this period Syria and Egypt had become weak and Assyria was becoming politically
strong. Here we will study about situation of Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom in
that political context of near east.
1.1 Political setting
Northern kingdom
a. Jeroboam: It was Jeroboam who brought great prosperity after a long time of
Solomon. He was very energetic leader. He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-
hamath as far as the sea of Arabah (2 Kings 14:25).
b. Successors of Jeroboam: After the death of Jeroboam › there was instability in
leadership. During the reign of Menahem Tiglath-pileser of Assyria invaded Israel.
This was the first time the Assyrians had set foot upon the native soil of Israel.
Menahem bought off Tiglath-pileser by paying homage to him. Pekah became after
him. He stood against Assyria and formed alliance with Damascus but they defeated
by Assyria. After him Hosea became king and he submitted Assyria by paying
tribute.1
c. Fall of Samaria: Hosea denied the Assyrian power and stood against it. He formed
alliance with Egypt but they defeated by Assyria and it was fall of Samaria. They
carried away into Mesopotamia and some Armaeans and colonists of Babylonia were
transplanted to Samaria (2 Kings 17).
Southern kingdom
a. Uzziah: Uzziah was Jeroboam’s contemporary in Judea. This was also a “golden
age” for Judah in its material prosperity. Uzziah greatly enriched Judah through trade
1
https://hdl.handle.net/2144/5838 Accessed on 20/1/19, 8:30 pm.
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with the east. He developed agriculture, fortified Jerusalem and made other internal
improvements. He conquered the neighbouring states and re-gained Elam, which
gave him the command of the trade route to the Red Sea. He did for Judah what
Jeroboam had done for Israel.2
b. Ahaz: when Israel and Damascus formed alliance Ahaz refused to join them and he
asked aid from Assyria.
c. Hezekiah: HE was one of the best king of Judah. He was interested in reforms. Judah
still paid tribute to Assyria.
1.2 Social Setting
Because of Jeroboam and Ahaz there was prosperity in both kingdoms. This
prosperity of those who wielded power led to the exploitation of the weak and poor. Amos
speaks of those “who oppress the poor and crush the needy” (Amos 4:1). There was acute
poverty even in the midst of plenty and grave injustice in social relationships. 3
1.3 Religious Setting4
In popularizing the worship of Baal, and rejecting the worship of Yahweh
In converting the worship of Yahweh into meaningless ritualism
In the priest and prophets of the establishment only siding with the ruling class,
without raising a voice of protest against their injustice and misrule.
2. Prophetic Ministry and Teachings
2.1 The Message of Amos
An important note in Amos’ message is punishment to the oppressors, immoralities, idol
worshippers and injustice. He takes a bold stand against those who exploit others and have no
concern for the poor. The prophet warned the nations that God will judge their behaviour and
warned, if they continued to disobey the requirements of their covenant with the lord, they
would be judged and would experience the covenant curse.5 But punishment was not the last
word of the prophet. He affirms salvation beyond judgement. And urges them to seek the
2
https://hdl.handle.net/2144/5838 Accessed on 20/1/19, 8:30 pm.
M. M. Thomas, Amos and Jeremiah: Prophetic protest against the ruling class. The persecuted prophet,
(Tiruvalla: Christava Sahitya Samithy, 2012), 20.
4
M. M. Thomas, Amos and Jeremiah, 20.
5
Brian Wintle et al., eds., South Asian Bible Commentary (Udaipur: Open Door Publication, 2015), 1137.
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Lord and live (5:6). If they return to god and established justice God will show mercy (5:4,
15). “I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob” (9:8). Amos ends his prophecy looking
forward to a time of restoration. “I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and they shall
rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them” (9:14). The hope of Israel’s divine mission will be
saved through judgement, or beyond, is part of Amos message.6
2.1.1 Social Justice
Amos condemned Israel for their inability to do right” (3:10). The prophet reminded the
people of Israel the aspects of covenant relationships with Yahweh which include loving God
with a whole heart and obeying his statutes. Amos brought an ethical implications of
covenant relationships for an individual and the relationship with the society. He stands with
people who are socially disadvantage (poor, needy, and afflicted; cf. 2:6-7; 4:1; 5:11-12: 8:4,
6) and he denounce against the oppressors (i.e., dishonest merchant, corrupt rulers,
opportunistic lawyers and judges and priests; cf. 4:1; 6:1, 4; 7:8-9). He is the voice of the
oppressed, the marginalised and one who denounces the injustice act of the ruling class,
Amos is known for his reputation as Gods spokesman (cf. 5:7, 15, 24; 6:12).
2.2 The Message of Isaiah
The major events which mark the entire period of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry and teachings
were those occasioned by military and political threat postured to Israel and Judah by the
Assyrians. It is understood that Isaiah must have acted as advisor to two kings of Judah: Ahaz
and Hezekiah (Isaiah 7:3-17, 37:2-7) and his prophetic message contains much of political
advice.
2.2.1 Comfort and Hope to the Exiles
It was the sufferings and disappointments of the present which made the people in exile
reluctant to believe in the readiness of Yahweh to help. This part of the prophetic teaching is
extracted from the Deutero-Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55). Despite the anonymity of authorship, there
can be hardly any doubt that this is a reference to the Babylonian exile for there has been
mentions of the name of Cyrus the Persian king (44:28, 45:1).7 The prophet emphasized that
6
M. M. Thomas, Amos and Jeremiah 26-27.
7
Kondasingu Jesurathnam Intorduction of the Old Testament (New Delhi: Christian World Imprints, 2018),
169.
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it is Yahweh who had inflicted them: it was not the Babylonian kings, who were only
Yahweh’s instruments, and certainly not their seemingly all-powerful god’s. Deutero-Isaiah
makes his point clear in 42:18-25 by saying that a nation so stupid that they were unable to
see what was happening to them was a result of their sin. But to tell the exiles that they
deserved what they have got was to risk leaving them in despair, and also to leave them still
with the feeling that Yahweh was unfair to them, since the generation recorded in the exilic
writings (Jer. 31:29; Ezek. 18:2-4; Lam. 5:7) that they were being punished for their parent’s
sins. The sufferings of the exile had never been intended by Yahweh to last forever. He had
always intended that they should have a limit and that limit had been served and the exiles
would therefore soon be allowed to return home if they wished.8
This is also the point of the passage about the supposed divorce between Yahweh and his
people (50:1). Hosea (2:2), Jeremiah (3:8), and Ezekiel (16) had all used the metaphor of
divorce to stress that Yahweh had broken the relationship between Him and them. Deutero-
Isiah however seems to have denied in Isaiah 50:1 that there had even been a real divorce:
since there is no divorce certificate, and this had only been a temporary separation. In the
attempt to answer the question of repentance, Deutero-Isaiah stresses the grace of Yahweh
which prevail over all other considerations.
3. The Challenges
Both the book of Isaiah and Amos talk about the disobedience of the people of Israel and
Judah living in their immorality, injustice and idol worship which has led to a moral
degradation within the society. This cause the prophets to come and raise their voices on
behalf of God who still loves His people. The following are the Social challenges which
Amos and Isaiah were dealing during their times.
3.1. With the Poor
Amos 2:7 “they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the
afflicted out of the way” describes on how the people of Judah have failed to obey God’s
commands like taking care of the poor and not oppressing the vulnerable. As seen in Amos
4:4-5 shows that the priests and the prophets in those days sided with the ruling class leaving
them to conduct religious practices along with oppressing the poor and the marginalized. 9
8
Kondasingu Jesurathnam Intorduction of the Old Testament, 187.
9
M.M Thomas, Amos and Jeremiah: Prophetic Protest against the Ruling Class, (Tiruvalla: CSS books, 2012),
21.
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The image that Amos in 2:7 display the inhumane treatment and the powerlessness because
of poverty.10
3.2. Idol Worship
The change in the religious institutions of Israel and the rise in the worship of Baal rejecting
the worship of Yahweh. After the division of the Kingdom and the death of Solomon,
Jeroboam set up golden Calves at Bethel and Dan for the people instead of going to
Jerusalem and offer their sacrifices (1kings 12:26-23). It was the King who introduced Baal
worship in disguise11. The worship of the golden calves rise to high places, and even to the
restoration of the services of Baal. Amos 2:8; 4:4; 5:5; 8:14.12
Isaiah 44:9-23 denounces the idol worshippers and the image makers, and that they are
foolish. The image makers wanted to create something which will help them but they have
fail. Those who worship and make these idols know themselves that their gods are helpless.
In verse 18, Isaiah proclaimed that the Image makers and those who worshipped idols will be
ashamed when they shall stand before the living God.13
3.3. Misuse of Authority
Isaiah 1:17 “learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead
for the widow” suggest that everyone who are in authority should follow the principles of
justice from the laws of God and put them into practices. However, Amos 4:1 spoke mainly
of the oppressors who crush the needy not following the laws of God as instructed. The ruling
class alongside with the royalty and traders, acquires immense wealth, and eventually this
prosperity by the ruling class had left the weak and the poor exploited. 14
Amos exposes the leaders of Israel who are using religion to abuse their power. In Amos 2:8
shows the violation of the religious leaders of the law of Moses Exodus 22:26-27, “If you
take your neighbour’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; for it may
be your neighbour’s only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And
if your neighbour cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.” The outer garments
here are in the form of a pledge given to secure the loan. By law as seen in Exodus the outer
garments must be returned back to the owner by nightfall, but the creditors used them as mats
10
Wintle, Brian, Amos. South Asia Bible Commentary, (Rajasthan: Open Door Publications, 2015), 1141.
11
M.M Thomas, Amos and Jeremiah, 20-21.`
12
Alfred Edersheim, Bible History: Old Testament, (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 872.
13
R.E. Harlow, The prophet Isaiah, (Canada: Everyday Publications, 1988), 195-196.
14
M. M. Thomas, Amos and Jeremiah, 20.
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besides the altar.15 Also in the same passage Amos 2:8 “In the temple of their God they drink
wine which they have taken from those who own them money” which possibly indicates the
wine collected or bought from the poor people for not repaying their debt. Amos provides a
picture of social injustices of religion and wealth to oppress the poor.16
4. The group’s evaluation
Upon evaluating the paper, the group collectively feels that the Indian church with this
prophetic religious consciousness should take lessons and be prepared to raise its voice,
standing along with the marginalized communities, against the injustice, oppression and
corruption of those who wield power in the social, economic, and political arenas. The India
church should also render strong support to changes aimed at justice in socio-political
institutions and legal systems. There may be differences of opinion within the church about
the structural goal for social changes which is why we say today’s social, economic and
political processes are complex.
5. Conclusion
In drawing conclusion to the paper, the group agrees with the words of M. M. Thomas when
he said “structures are for humans and not humans for structures.” Amos and Isiah are great
books because it contrasts imperfect leaders with perfect leaders and uncovers corruptions but
also gives hope and a model for the church leaders and every individual Christian today.
15
Wintle, Brian, Amos. South Asia Bible Commentary, 1141.
16
M.M Thomas, Amos and Jeremiah, 47.
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Bibliography
Edersheim Alfred, Bible History: Old Testament. Massachusetts: Hendrickson
Publishers, 1995.
Harlow R. E, The prophet Isaiah. Canada: Everyday Publications, 1988.
Jesurathnam Kondasingu, Introduction of the Old Testament. New Delhi: Christian
World Imprints, 2018.
Thomas M. M, Amos and Jeremiah: Prophetic protest against the ruling class. The
persecuted prophet, Tiruvalla: Christava Sahitya Samithy, 2012.
Wintle Brian et al., eds., South Asian Bible Commentary. Udaipur: Open Door
Publication, 2015.
Webliography
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