Amos, 6
14. You rejoice in emptiness. You say, “Have we not, by our own strength, taken horns for ourselves?”
14. You rejoice in emptiness. You say, “Have we not, by our own strength, taken horns for ourselves?”
Amos chapter 6 addresses Israel's complacency and arrogance in its prosperity, ignoring the social justice and the will of God. Instead of trusting God and following their commandments, they trust their own wealth and power. Here are five verses related to the themes of the chapter:
Proverbs 1:32 - "For the apostasy of the simple will kill them, and the prosperity of the fools will destroy them." This verse talks about how prosperity can lead people to deviate from God and his ways, which is exactly what happened to Israel in Amos 6.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 - "He who loves money will never have enough; whoever loves riches will never be satisfied with his income. This is also vanity." This verse emphasizes as the incessant search for riches and prosperity can be vain and unsatisfactory.
Isaiah 5:8 - "Woe to those who add home the house and add field to the field until there is no more place for anyone and are the only inhabitants of the earth!" This verse condemns greed and the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, something that is also criticized in Amos 6.
Jeremiah 22:17 - "But your eyes and your heart are only for your greed, for your violence, for spilling innocent blood, and to practice oppression and extortion." This verse accuses those who put their own richness and power above justice and compassion for others, again relating to the criticism of Amos 6.
1 Timothy 6:17 - "Send to the rich of this world that they are not haughty, nor put hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God, which gives us all things to enjoy them." This verse encourages the rich not to be proud of their wealth and not to trust her as their security or source of happiness, something that the Israelites in Amos 6 did not understand.
“Esforce-se, mesmo se for um pouco, mas sempre…” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
