Questions about the New Moon and Sabbath Amos 8:5

After declaring that “howling” would replace “songs of the temple”, Amos told how “there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence”. He also told those who “that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail” to “hear” what he was about to write. In chapter eight and verse five of his prophesy, Amos began his speech with questions concerning “the new moon” and “the sabbath” where we read:

Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

The verse begins, “Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn?” Amos began with the word, “Saying” or “speaking, uttering, proclaiming, declaring or asking”, “When will the new moon” which refers to “the first day of the month or lunar month” “be gone” or “pass over, by, through”, “that we may sell” which means “deal or break into pieces” “corn” or “grain”? These crooked thieves who took advantage of the poor could not wait for the two “new moon” ceremonies to be over so they could take advantage again.

The verse goes on to say, “and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?” Amos continued, “and the sabbath” or “the seventh day of the week or day of atonement”, “that we may set forth” which means “be opened, let loose, thrown open and to free” “wheat” or “corn or grain”, “making the ephah” which refers to “a dry measure of quantity, equal to three seahs, ten homers which is the same as the liquid measure bath or about nine imperial gallons. Rabbinical writings give sizes of one-half this amount” “small” or “made or reduced significantly”, “and the shekel” which refers to “the chief unit of weight or measure” “great” or “promoted, made powerful and magnified”, “and falsifying” which means “to make crooked, falsify, pervert, subvert and bent” “the balances” which refers to “a pair of scales” “by deceit” which means “treachery, subtlety, feigned and with guile ”. In addition to the “new moon” ceremonies, they could not wait for the “sabbath” days to be over to use their unjust weights, measures and money to abuse their purchasers.

When we consider these words of Amos, we see how addicted to “thievery” these unjust people were. They didn't want to close one day of business for the sake of losing opportunity to take advantage of people. We observe much the same today. Seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day is not unusual for businesses even if they are being “fair” with their consumers never mind those who cheat others. Jesus Christ came to demonstrate “rest” and “peace” with God the Father and should anyone reading these words be of like kind to those to whom Amos shared, beware.

Next time Amos shares about “buying the poor and the needy”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.