Amos 2:1-5: a reflection

1The LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime; 2but I will send a fire on Moab, and it will devour the palaces of Kerioth; and Moab will die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet; 3and I will cut off the judge from among them, and will kill all its princes with him,” says the LORD. 4The LORD says: “For three transgressions of Judah, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have rejected the LORD’s law, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked; 5but I will send a fire on Judah, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem.”

As Amos pronounces judgment on nation after nation, he comes to Judah, and names the charge against God's own people: They have rejected the LORD's law, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked. Judah's sin was rejecting God's truth and being led astray by lies, falsehoods they had inherited from their fathers and walked in themselves. They had followed inherited falsehoods rather than God's law, and these lies had led them astray.

Notice the charge: they rejected God's law and were led astray by inherited lies. They had rejected the truth God gave, his law and statutes; and they had been led astray by lies, falsehoods passed down from their fathers, in which they now walked. The lies they inherited and followed led them away from God. It was not only their own invention, but falsehoods handed down, that deceived them; they walked in the lies their fathers had walked in, and these led them astray from God's truth.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can be led astray by inherited falsehoods, following lies handed down rather than holding to God's truth. We can inherit falsehoods, false beliefs and ways passed down to us, and walk in them without questioning, led astray by lies we received from those before us; and these can draw us from God's truth, as they drew Judah. Do not simply follow the falsehoods you may have inherited, walking in lies handed down without holding them up to God's truth; the lies Judah inherited led them astray. Examine what you have inherited against God's truth, holding to his law and statutes rather than being led astray by falsehoods passed down; for inherited lies can lead us astray as surely as our own, and we are to hold to God's truth rather than the falsehoods our fathers may have walked in, as Judah was led astray by the lies it inherited and rejected the law of the LORD.

Lord, as Amos pronounces judgment on nation after nation, he comes to Judah, and names the charge against your own people: they have rejected the LORD's law, and have not kept his statutes, and their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked. Judah's sin was rejecting your truth and being led astray by lies, falsehoods they had inherited from their fathers and walked in themselves. Show me the charge: they rejected your law and were led astray by inherited lies. They had rejected the truth you gave; and they had been led astray by falsehoods passed down from their fathers, in which they now walked. It was not only their own invention, but falsehoods handed down, that deceived them; they walked in the lies their fathers had walked in. Take that to my heart, for I too can be led astray by inherited falsehoods, following lies handed down rather than holding to your truth. I can inherit falsehoods, false beliefs and ways passed down to me, and walk in them without questioning, led astray by lies I received from those before me; and these can draw me from your truth. Keep me from simply following the falsehoods I may have inherited, walking in lies handed down without holding them up to your truth. Help me examine what I have inherited against your truth, Lord, holding to your law rather than being led astray by falsehoods passed down.