What other scriptures emphasize God's concern for the oppressed and needy? Setting Amos 8:6 in View “buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the grain.” Amos pictures merchants who squeeze every last penny from the powerless. Throughout Scripture the Lord reacts sharply against that kind of exploitation. Foundations in the Law • Exodus 22:22-24 — “You must not mistreat any widow or orphan… I will surely hear their cry.” • Leviticus 19:9-10 — Harvesters must leave grain “for the poor and the foreigner.” Provision is baked into Israel’s economy. • Deuteronomy 10:17-18 — God “executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner.” • Deuteronomy 15:11 — “There will never cease to be poor in the land; therefore I command you to open your hand.” The Psalms: Prayer and Praise for the Protector • Psalm 9:9 — “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed.” • Psalm 10:17-18 — He “defends the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere mortals may strike terror no more.” • Psalm 72:12-14 — Messiah “will deliver the needy who cry out… precious is their blood in his sight.” • Psalm 82:3-4 — “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless… rescue the oppressed.” Wisdom Warnings • Proverbs 14:31 — “Whoever oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors Him.” • Proverbs 29:7 — “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” Prophets Echo Amos • Isaiah 1:17 — “Learn to do right; seek justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” • Isaiah 58:6-7 — True fasting: “to loosen the chains of wickedness… share your bread with the hungry.” • Jeremiah 22:3 — “Administer justice… do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, fatherless, or widow.” • Micah 6:8 — “What does the LORD require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” • Zechariah 7:9-10 — “Show loving devotion… do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.” Jesus’ Ministry • Luke 4:18 — Jesus’ inaugural sermon: “He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor… set the oppressed free.” • Luke 6:20-21 — “Blessed are you who are poor… who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” • Matthew 25:35-40 — Serving “the least of these” is serving the King Himself. The Early Church and Epistles • Acts 4:34-35 — “There was no needy person among them,” because believers shared freely. • Galatians 2:10 — Paul was urged to “remember the poor—the very thing I was eager to do.” • James 1:27 — “Pure and undefiled religion… to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” • James 2:15-17 — Faith without meeting a brother’s physical need “is dead.” • James 5:1-5 — Wages withheld from laborers “cry out,” and the Lord “has heard the cries.” • 1 John 3:17 — Withholding help when we have the world’s goods proves that God’s love is absent. Tying It Together Amos 8:6 is not an isolated outburst; it harmonizes with a steady biblical drumbeat. From Sinai to the Early Church, God identifies with the oppressed, demands just treatment, and judges any who exploit the vulnerable. To stand with Him is to open our hands, our resources, and our hearts to those who cannot repay. |
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