Seek Me and Live, Seek Good and Live

I’ve tried to capture the major movements of Amos 5 in four sections. First, the organ intro represents the people of Israel offering worship to YHWH in a show of faithfulness while the shepherd of Tekoa makes his approach. With a loud knock on the door the prophet interrupts and begins to deliver his accusatory word from the Lord, following the outline of the text. The message isn’t all rebuke: YHWH adds his plea for repentance (“Seek me and live!”) in an altogether different and kinder tone. The song builds and finishes with the climactic imperative: “Let justice roll down, down, down, down…like a river.” And all this in what I think of as a “saucy rock” style.

This text isn’t altogether foreign to those of us familiar with some of the current religious context in the United States. The Northern Kingdom of Israel is enjoying a period of unquestionable prosperity while maintaining a robust religious institution, but they’re neglecting the administration of justice in the courts. So, Amos, the outsider from Judah, assures these folks that God isn’t interested in their worship without justice. Let those who have ears hear.