Introduction
This morning we have two quite controversial passages to look at. By controversial, I mean that their interpretation is disputed, with different commentators proposing different understandings. So, I’m going to look at each passage separately and then try to see if there is common thread and what that might mean for us.
Amos’ Prophecies
I’ll start with Amos. Before we look at the passages itself, it’s a good idea to put some context around Amos, as I guess that most of us are not that familiar with him.
Amos’ prophecy comes from about 750 BC at a time when the kingdoms were split, with Judah in the south centred on Jerusalem, and Israel in the north centred on Samaria. This prophecy is aimed at the Northern kingdom.
Amos was a farmer from the southern kingdom, he lived in Tekoa, a wilderness town on the top of a hill about 10 miles south of Jerusalem.
Assyrians
The area had been ruled by the Assyrians, but their empire was coming to an end. The local power Damascus had recently been defeated by the Jews, so for a while there there had been peace. Jeroboam II led the northern kingdom and Uzziah the southern. Both were brilliant military leaders.
Peace & Prosperity
The period of peace and the recent military victories had given both kingdoms greater influence in the region and led to a golden age of prosperity. They were nearly back to the level they had experienced under King Solomon.
There were now more people who were well off and all those who were rich lived very comfortably for the times.
In one way, at least it was like our times, the rich were getting richer and the poor were exploited.
In verses 11 and 12, Amos states the problem as God sees it:
You trample on the poor and force them to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your offences and how great your sins.
Religion not Covenant
Aside from human greed there were other causes for this. They had forgotten their covenant with God. They were worshipping Baal. The religious ceremonies that they performed and the ones that Amos is concerned about are simply ceremonies. Belief in Baal does not require a moral code as belief in Yahweh does.
The Day of the Lord
Yet they still held to the belief that they were blessed by God, that they were the chosen people. That God would never abandon them. Perhaps, because things were going well they believed that the day of the Lord was approaching, that there would only be a short wait. The day of the Lord, whatever that really meant – we can’t be sure, but whatever they were expecting it would be a great blessing.
Darkness
Amos say that the Day of the Lord will not be a blessing, but a time of darkness and terror. Imagine escaping a lion and running into the path of a bear. Imagine returning to you home, your place of safety, only to relax, lean on the wall and get bitten by a snake. Both these images appear to end in death.
Hate
The religious feasts are hated because they are not really worshipping God, violating the first commandment:
Dt 5:7-9a “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God ...”
… and most of the others as well. So, the day of the Lord, will not be a day of blessing, but a day of judgement. Their guilt is clear, any expectation that God would overlook their sin because that are the chosen people is misplaced. So this day, for them, will be a dark day indeed.
What is Important to God
Verse 24 looks like a way out, but God does not say, “Turn away from Baal, purify your religion and worship Me only because I’m a jealous God.” It seems God has something more important in mind.
“let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream”
If there is a way out, it starts with justice, and justice must go on continuously and must not be interrupted like the flow of water when a stream dries up in the summer.
Justice
Jeremiah 22:3 tells us what justice means:
“This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”
Micah, about 30 years later has the same message:
Mic 6:7-8 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Parallels with our times
We can see some parallels with our times and those of Amos. Justice is limited and the poor are exploited. Our religion is all too often simply a ceremony or a festival, with little real worship taking place, because we are focussed on the activity to the exclusion of our God.
Matthew – 10 virgins
I’m now going to look at the parable of the 10 virgins from our reading in Matthew. Studying parables should always come with a health warning. Parables are told to deliver a single point, we should not try to draw too much from them for fear of losing that point.
The coming of the Son of Man
Jesus is talking to His disciples about the coming of the son of Man. In 24:42-44 we have the thief in the night, telling us that the coming of the Son of Man will be unexpected. Jesus says we must be ready. In 24:45-51 we have the wise and foolish servants, telling us that we must behave properly, as though He is already here, or when he comes unexpectedly we will be cut to pieces and, much worse, assigned a place with the hypocrites.
Then we have the parable of the kingdom of heaven being like 10 virgins going to meet the bridegroom.
1st century weddings
To understand what is happening we need to know how weddings worked in the 1st century. The bridegroom would come to the brides home and collect her. He would then take her back to his home and the celebrations would get underway – normally lasting 3 or more days. And we think weddings today are expensive! On odd occasions, when the bridegroom live a long way away, the celebrations would start at the brides house, and that seems to be the case here.
Identifying Characters
Not all commentators agree that Jesus is the Bridegroom, but they usually end up missing the point of the parable, so that is where I will start. The 10 virgins may be bridesmaids, but the parable would work just as well if they weren’t.
Interpreting the story
The point is that they have to meet the bridegroom and they aren’t sure exactly when He will arrive.
They take with them oil lamps, and five take extra oil. It would work just as well now, with torches and spare batteries, or even mobile phones and battery charging packs. Five of them are prepared for the long haul, and five of them are only prepared for the expected schedule.
Delay
It’s a long wait, it’s dark, and no doubt they have had busy days, so they all sleep. This is not a ‘last person touching the car wins it’ game.
Then finally, at midnight, the bridegroom arrives – much later than expected. The virgins wake up and trimmed their lamps, but for some, it’s bad news. There is not enough oil and they must get some more.
The wise virgins cannot share, or they would not have enough for themselves, so the foolish virgins must go and buy oil.
“Who is the 1st century sold oil at midnight?” I asked myself, before remembering that that would be pushing the parable too far.
By the time they get back, the doors are locked and the party is in full swing. There is no way in.
Meaning
When Jesus returns, He will not be late, his timing is perfect, but we cannot know when that will be, therefore as Jesus says we must keep watch – not stay awake!
Matthew Henry, in his commentary said:
“Those will see their need of grace hereafter, when it should save them, who will not see their need of grace now, when it should sanctify and rule them.”
The rejection of the five foolish virgins, is the rejection of those who looked ready and appear to be part of the kingdom, but in reality were not. There are ways that we are to prepare for the Kingdom, for the arrival of the bridegroom, for the Day of the Lord.
We’ve heard the requirement before:
And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Justice must flow like a river all the way to the coming of the son of Man, and must not dry up like a stream in summer. That way we build up treasure in heaven and will be ready when the day of the Lord comes, or the bridegroom arrives.
Amen.
