Amos 4 - Disasters are a sign from God

"Cows of Bashan" is a reference to upper class women in Samaria, perhaps Amos was the Alf Garnett of his day!

These women had become pampered and spoilt things, seeing the poor as people to be oppressed so that their own wants could be satisfied. They saw their husbands as there to meet their "needs". But an end would come to their lifestyle. They would be "led away with hooks", this is a reference to the way that Assyrians dragged off their prisoners.

Bethel and Gilgal were centres of worship in Israel, and had great historical importance (Gen 35, Joshua 4:20-24). God is mocking their false worship. For they had the pretence of being religious and dedicated, but their actions, their oppression of the poor, showed that it was all a sham.

God had used various natural difficulties and disasters to try and discipline the people: famine, drought, blight and plague. It is unpopular today to say that natural disasters are a judgement from God, but these verses should cause us to think again about this. Now it is right that we are wrong if we gloat over others who suffer misfortune, it is wrong if we look down on them with a morally superior attitude, and it is absolutely right for us to seek to help people who suffer tragedy. However, at the same time we should take these as a warning to look at the way we are living, to see what areas we need to repent of, and where we need to change our ways. Note also that these things happened to the Israelites, and it was the Israelites who should should have considered their ways.

If we all lived in obedience to God then there would be no disasters at all. Indeed, it says in Romans 8 that all creation is waiting to be set free. So the Bible is clear that disasters are a sign from God, the recent earthquakes are a sign from God. Our response should be twofold: first to look at our own lives asking what we need to put right; and secondly to see how we can help those who are suffering without any hint of judgementalism on our part.