48: Amos — Plumb Line

In this episode of The BEMA Podcast, Marty Solomon and Brent Billings begin a journey through the prophets, starting with Amos. They plan to dedicate one podcast to each prophet, focusing on the pre-Assyrian prophets, including Hosea, Micah, and First Isaiah. Marty expresses his love for the prophets and emphasizes the importance of reading their texts directly, rather than relying on interpretations that may not fully capture their beauty and subversive storytelling. They discuss the dominant theme of justice in Amos, contrasting it with the common portrayal of the prophets as primarily concerned with idolatry. They explore Amos's condemnations of Israel's neighbors and then Israel itself for social injustice, economic exploitation, and disregard for the needy. The hosts highlight the image of the plumb line as a representation of God's standard for Israel and the basket of ripe fruit as a symbol of impending judgment. They discuss the concept of justice as restoration rather than retribution, contrasting it with the American justice system.