The Prophet Amos: A Witness to Justice and God’s Universal Love

by The Rev. Eric Randolph, Pastor

I mentioned in Sunday’s sermon how I love when Amos steps into the lectionary cycle. Amos gives us reason to pause and listen because among the prophets of the Old Testament, he stands out with a clear and challenging witness. Although spoken nearly 3,000 years ago, he still calls us to examine our lives, our worship, and our communities through the lens of God’s justice and love.

A Prophet Called to Speak

Amos was not from a priestly family, nor was he a professional prophet. He was a shepherd and a farmer from Tekoa, a small village in Judah. God, because of Amos’ background, calls him to leave the familiar and speak to his people during a time of prosperity and peace in Israel. Yet, beneath the surface, his homeland was marked with deep divisions. The wealthy enjoyed comfort, while the poor suffered. The courts favored the powerful, and religious life had become routine and disconnected from daily living and God’s intentions.

Amos recognized himself as an outsider. He knew he didn’t belong to the religious or political elite. Still, he spoke with courage and honesty like the prophets before him. What he spoke about was the gap between what people claimed to believe and how they treated one another, and how worship without justice was empty worship.

Justice at the Heart of Faith 

Amos' communication style was straightforward and concise. He names what he sees, calling out the injustice: “They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and push the afflicted out of the way” (2.6-7). His pointed messaging reveals that God does care deeply about how we treat the vulnerable and that justice is not an optional component of faith; it is central.

One of the most well-known verses in Amos is “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (5.24). These words were echoed during the civil rights movement and centuries before as reminders that God desires justice and right relationships, not just religious ritual and piety. Amos’ prophetic call is not for abstract ideals, but for concrete action—fairness in the courts, honesty in business, and care for the poor.

Law and Gospel

In our Lutheran theology, “Law and Gospel” is spoken about frequently. The Law, like a mirror, shows us our sins and our need for God’s mercy. The Gospel, on the other hand, is the liberating good news of God's grace in Jesus Christ. Amos speaks to the Law in ways meant to clarify it to those who are listening. He exposes the ways we fall short—how we are blind to injustice and how we separate worship from our daily lives.

But Amos does not skip over hope. Even as he warns of judgment, he calls the listener to seek righteousness and not evil, to “establish justice in the gate” (5:15). The goal is not punishment for its own sake, but restoration of the intended relationship between humanity and God and our relationship with our neighbors.

Rolf Jacobson of Luther Seminary writes, “The call to justice in Amos is not a call to self-justification, but a summons to live out the implications of God’s covenant love in concrete acts of mercy and fairness.” The pursuit of justice is not to earn us God’s favor; instead, justice is a central element of our faith that reflects the liberation we have received through the knowledge that God has already shown us mercy.

Worship and Justice

Amos is especially critical of worship that is disconnected from justice. He says, “I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies [...] Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps” (5:21, 23). These are strong words. They remind us that God is not impressed by outward displays of religion if our hearts are closed to our neighbors.

Our Lutheran worship often includes prayers and hymns inspired by Amos. For example, the prayer, “Show us how to let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Create justice and righteousness in us, that all may rejoice in your blessings,” is a direct response to Amos’ message . Our liturgy calls us to connect what we do in church with how we live in the world.

God's Love for All People

Amos first tells his people and the nations around them that justice is disconnected from worship. He announces that God has set a standard of justice that applies to all people, not just one nation. This serves as a reminder that God's love and concern transcend human borders and backgrounds. It is a reminder that God’s love is meant to break down the walls that we build to separate and exclude.

The message of restoration comes near the end of Amos. Restoration is a promise not just for Israel, but for all nations who will share in God’s blessing (9:12). This prophetic vision of Amos spoke to the early church in bold and loud ways by emphasizing that God’s love and salvation are for all people.

God doesn’t overlook injustice; God sees it. The covenant relationship we have with God emphasizes justice because we are God’s representatives—God’s beloved children—called to hate evil, love good, and maintain justice (5:15). That’s our calling—to reflect God’s love and justice in all our relationships and, when we witness injustice, to speak up about it.

The Church’s Prophetic Role

Amos, then, is a model for our witness as individuals and that of the church in society. Never more so have we been called to speak truth, to advocate for the marginalized, and to challenge the systems that are harming our neighbors. This is not about politics but about faithfulness to God’s call.

Just as the church’s prophetic voice is needed, so too are we called to examine our own lives and the communities in which we live. We must examine ourselves in the mirror of the Law to identify our shortcomings, and then rely on the Gospel for its inspiration to pursue justice for everyone by imitating Christ.

The Metro D.C. Synod Responds

As we reflect on the message of Amos and our call to justice and compassion, I also want to express my support and gratitude for the leadership of the Metropolitan Washington D.C. Synod council and Bishop Hirsch. Their recent decision to join a lawsuit that seeks to protect our congregations as sacred spaces is an important act of witness. Bishop Hirsch’s words remind us, “One of the fundamental tenets of our faith is the practice of regular worship. The commandments tell us that we are to remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. We hold this as sacred and central to what it means to be Christian.”

The Synod’s action comes in response to recent government rulings that allow officials to enter houses of worship to check paperwork, a practice that has caused fear and kept many—especially those from immigrant communities—away from worship. As Bishop Hirsch has said, “We must protect the freedom for all people to come to God’s house without fear.” By joining with ten other ELCA synods in this lawsuit, our Synod is standing up for the freedom to worship without government interference. This is a faithful response to the needs and voices of our communities, especially those who feel most vulnerable. It is also a concrete way of living out the justice and love to which God calls us, ensuring that all people can come to worship and find welcome, safety, and peace.