Amos 2:6-16: a reflection

6The LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals; 7They trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the earth and deny justice to the oppressed. A man and his father use the same maiden, to profane my holy name. 8They lay themselves down beside every altar on clothes taken in pledge. In the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined. 9Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath. 10Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. 11I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Isn’t this true, you children of Israel?” says the LORD. 12“But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, ‘Don’t prophesy!’ 13Behold, I will crush you in your place, as a cart crushes that is full of grain. 14Flight will perish from the swift. The strong won’t strengthen his force. The mighty won’t deliver himself. 15He who handles the bow won’t stand. He who is swift of foot won’t escape. He who rides the horse won’t deliver himself. 16He who is courageous among the mighty will flee away naked on that day,” says the LORD.

As God pronounces judgment on Israel, he recalls the good he had done for them, including a gift they had spurned: I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, Don't prophesy! God had raised up prophets to speak his word to his people, to guide and correct them; but they had tried to silence them, telling them not to prophesy. The voices God sent to guide and correct them were unwelcome, and the people sought to shut them up rather than heed them.

Notice what the people did with the voices God raised up: they tried to silence them. God had given them prophets, voices to speak his word, to guide, to correct, to call them back; but the people did not want to hear it. Command the prophets, Don't prophesy, they said, seeking to silence the very voices God had sent for their good. The correction was unwelcome, and rather than heed it, they tried to shut it out. To silence the voices God raises up to guide and correct us is to refuse the very help he sends; the people spurned God's gift by trying to quiet those he had given to speak his word.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can try to silence the voices God raises up to guide and correct us. God can raise up voices to speak his truth to us, to guide us, to correct us, whether through his word, through faithful people, through those who tell us what we need to hear; and we can try to silence them, refusing the correction, wanting only what is comfortable, as Israel told the prophets not to prophesy. But to silence the voices God sends is to refuse his help. Do not try to silence the voices God raises up to guide and correct you, wanting only what is comfortable; heed them, for they may be the very help God sends. Welcome and heed the voices God raises up to guide and correct you, rather than trying to silence them as Israel commanded the prophets not to prophesy; for to silence the correction God sends is to refuse the help he gives, and the unwelcome voice may be the very one we most need to hear.

Lord, as you pronounce judgment on Israel, you recall the good you had done for them, including a gift they had spurned: I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, don't prophesy! You had raised up prophets to speak your word to your people, to guide and correct them; but they had tried to silence them. The voices you sent to guide and correct them were unwelcome, and the people sought to shut them up rather than heed them. Show me what the people did with the voices you raised up: they tried to silence them. You had given them prophets, voices to speak your word, to guide, to correct, to call them back; but the people did not want to hear it. They sought to silence the very voices you had sent for their good. To silence the voices you raise up to guide and correct us is to refuse the very help you send. Take that to my heart, for I too can try to silence the voices you raise up to guide and correct me. You can raise up voices to speak your truth to me, through your word, through faithful people, through those who tell me what I need to hear; and I can try to silence them, refusing the correction, wanting only what is comfortable, as Israel told the prophets not to prophesy. Keep me from trying to silence the voices you raise up to guide and correct me, wanting only what is comfortable; help me heed them, Lord, for they may be the very help you send, and the unwelcome voice may be the one I most need to hear.