ו י ש ב THE PROPHET OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

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Karin Preston
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ו י ש ב VAYESHEV - HE CONTINUED LIVING TORAH B RESHEET (GEN) 37:1 40:23 HAFTARAH AMOS 2:6 3:8 B resheet (Gen) 37 28 So when the Midyanim (Midianite), merchants, passed

THE PROPHET OF SOCIAL JUSTICE NOTE THAT AMOS, A SHEPHERD AND FIG GROWER (AMOS 7:14), WAS BORN IN TEKOA NEAR JERUSALEM.

1 ו י ש ב VAYESHEV - HE CONTINUED LIVING TORAH B RESHEET (GEN) 37:1 40:23 HAFTARAH AMOS 2:6 3:8 B resheet (Gen) So when the Midyanim (Midianite), merchants, passed by, they drew and lifted Yosef up out of the cistern and sold him for half a pound of silver shekels to the Yishma'elim (Ishmaelites), who took Yosef on to Egypt. THE PROPHET OF SOCIAL JUSTICE NOTE THAT AMOS, A SHEPHERD AND FIG GROWER (AMOS 7:14), WAS BORN IN TEKOA NEAR JERUSALEM. THIS WEEKS HAFTARAH AND TORAH SECTION DEAL WITH A RIGHTEOUS PERSON BEING SOLD INTO SLAVERY FOR SILVER. Ill fares the land, to hast'ning ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay... (British poet) Oliver Goldsmith

2 AMOS 2 6 Here is what ADONAI says: For Isra el s three crimes, no, four I will not reverse it because they sell the upright ד יק) (;צ for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes, For Isra el s three crimes, no, four. Note the stylistic way of saying that there was one-too-many crimes. government) - tsad-deek Meaning: 1) just, lawful, righteous 1a) just, righteous (in ;צ ד יק 1b) just, right (in one's cause) 1c) just, righteous (in conduct and character) 1d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by G-d) 1e) right, correct, lawful Romans 5 1 So, since we have come to be considered righteous by G-d because of our trust (faith),. 7 grinding the heads of the poor in the dust and pushing the lowly out of the way; father and son sleep with the same girl, profaning My holy name; Ref: Vayikra (Lev) 18:17; Mishlei (Pro) 50:1; 1 Corinthians 5:1; Romans 2: lying down beside any altar on clothes taken in pledge; drinking wine in the house of their G-d bought with fines they imposed. B resheet (Gen) So it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long sleeved robe he was wearing, 24 and took him and threw him into the cistern (the cistern was empty; without any water in it). 25 Then they sat down to eat their meal; Sh mot (Exo) 22: If you take your neighbor's coat as collateral, you are to restore it to him by sundown, 26 because it is his only garment- he needs it to wrap his body; what else does he have in which to sleep? Moreover, if he cries out to me, I will listen; because I am compassionate. Mattityahu (Matt) 27: After they had nailed him to the stake, they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat down to keep watch over him there. What are the similarities between Amos v.8 and the Scripture portions mentioned above? 2

3 9 I destroyed the Emori (Amorites) before them; though tall as cedars and strong as oaks, I destroyed their fruit above and their root below. What does this confirm to the Israelites? Ref: B midbar (Num) 13: More than that, I brought you up from Egypt, led you forty years in the desert, so that you could have the Emori s (Amorites) land. Why remind the people of being brought up from Egypt? 11 I raised up some of your sons to be prophets, other young men of yours to be n zirim. People of Isra el! Isn t that true? asks ADONAI. 12 But you gave the n zirim wine to drink and ordered the prophets, Don t prophesy! Don t prophesy! Why wouldn t the people want to hear prophecy? Ref: Amos 7: Enough! I will make all this crush you, just as a cart overloaded with grain crushes what s under it. What is the imagery being used here? Note that Israel/Judah were very prosperous at this time. How does a person get crushed by their actions? 2 Corinthians 4 8 We have all kinds of troubles, but we are not crushed; we are perplexed, yet not in despair; 9 persecuted, yet not abandoned; knocked down, yet not destroyed. Compare 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 to Amos v.13. What is the difference between the two situations? 14 Even the swift won t be able to flee; the strong won t be able to use their strength, the warriors won t save themselves. 15 Archers won t be able to stand, the fastest runners won t save themselves, those on horses won t save themselves. 16 On that day even the bravest warriors will throw off their weapons and flee, says ADONAI. How does G-d cause this to happen? Ref: Tehillim (Psa) 33:16 While G-d leaves sinners to take such a course as their own evil heart s desire, He overrules or controls their sin for the accomplishment of His own will. Illustrate cases of Joseph, and the crucifixion of our blessed L-RD. Biblical Illustrator Amos. 3

4 AMOS Listen ( מ ע ו (ש to this word which ADONAI has spoken against you, people of Isra el, against the entire family that I brought up from the land of Egypt: Listen ( מע ו (ש to this word which ADONAI has spoken. What does this opening statement mean to you? Messianic Jews (Heb) 3 7 Therefore, as the Ruach HaKodesh says, "Today, if you hear G-d's voice, 8(a) don't harden your hearts,. 2 Of all the families on earth, only you have I intimately known עת י).(י ד This is why I will punish you for all your crimes. only you have I intimately known. Is this an example of grace? Ref: Yochanan (John) 15:16 This is why. What are our present day responsibilities in that we have intimacy with G-d? Ref: Ephesians 4:30; 1 Kefa (Pet) 4:17 Luke But if that servant says to himself, My master is taking his time coming, and starts bullying the men and women servants, and eating and drinking, getting drunk, 46 then his master will come on a day when the servant isn t expecting him, at a time he doesn t know in advance; his master will cut him in two and put him with the disloyal. 47 Now the servant who knew what his master wanted but didn t prepare or act according to his will, will be whipped with many lashes; 48 however, the one who did what deserves a beating, but didn t know, will receive few lashes. From him who has been given much, much will be demanded from someone to whom people entrust much, they ask still more. 3 Do two people travel together without having so agreed? 3 ה י לכ ו שנ י ם י חד ו ב לת י א ם נ וע ד ו agreed time, - To meet/come together at an appointed נ וע ד ו Note that Amos is stating that G-d is in agreement with him regarding this warning. So, how do we walk together with G-d?

5 4 Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his lair if it has caught nothing? 5 Does a bird get caught in a trap on the ground if it hasn t been baited? Does a trap spring up from the ground when it has taken nothing? Amos was a shepherd as mentioned in chapter 7. Why does Amos use the above scenarios? 6 When the shofar is blown in the city, don t the people tremble? Can disaster befall a city without ADONAI s having done it? Can disaster befall a city without ADONAI s having done it? Is this the situation even today? 7 ADONAI, G-d, does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. Why does G-d reveal His plan to the prophets? 8 The lion has roared. Who will not fear? ADONAI, G-d, has spoken. Who will not prophesy? What is Amos saying to the people in this verse? G-D EVEN USES SHEPHERDS AND FARMERS FOR HIS KINGDOM! Amos 7 14 'Amos gave this answer to Amatzyah: "I am not trained as a prophet, and I'm not one of the guild prophets- I own sheep and grow figs. Acts 4 13 When they saw how bold Kefa and Yochanan were, even though they were untrained 'am-ha'aretz, they were amazed; also they recognized them as having been with Yeshua. Yochanan (John) 7 49 True, these 'am-ha'aretz (people of the land) do, but they know nothing about the Torah, they are under a curse!" KJV 49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. No doubt when D. L. Moody began to preach, some people said, "What can this uneducated shoe salesman say to us?" And when Billy Sunday began to hold evangelistic campaigns, it's likely that the sophisticated religious crowd asked, "What can this former baseball player teach us?" But G-d used Moody and Sunday, not in spite of their humble background, but because of it; for He delights to bypass the "wise and prudent" and share His power with "babes". Ref: Luke 10:21 The Bible Exposition Commentary The Prophets. 5

Jehovah Yahweh I Am LORD. Exodus 3:13-15

Jehovah Yahweh I Am LORD. Exodus 3:13-15 Jehovah Yahweh I Am LORD Exodus 3:13-15 Moses said to God, Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? Then what shall