Amos Economics

Abstract

A major ethical focus of Amos is the issue of economic injustice. The book depicts a situation in Israel of political stability and material prosperity. The wealth of the nation, however, was accumulated in the hands of a few, while the majority of the population lived in desperate poverty. The wealthy not only consumed excessive amounts but also oppressed the poor by exacting from them what little they had. The economic abuse of the underprivileged originated in debt slavery, harsh taxation, extortion in the marketplace, and injustices in the courts. As a result of these abusive practices, the elite lived in luxurious leisure, with no concern for the suffering of the poor. Amos condemned the economic injustices of the land with some of the harshest rhetoric in the Old Testament canon, threatening the utter devastation of the nation. The book of Amos is remarkably relevant for our culture, especially in the current economic malaise. Today the ranks of the poor are growing dramatically, while the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening. In such a climate, the church has a solemn responsibility to guard against wanton consumerism, alleviate the suffering of the poor, and combat abusive economic structures.