Daily Divinity Questions and Answers with Witness Dingani

QN How far did economic prosperity during the time of Amos affect vulnerable groups and Examining the view that prophets have brought social confusion in your society ? (25) (article number 110)

DAILY DIVINITY QUESTION| SEPTEMBER 2016

COMMENT OVERVIEW
• The above question might be new to some of us, but it is the question which is there. Amos was a prophet who prophesied in 8th Century, Professor Roy submitted that it was during the prosperous days of Israel. This has been supported by scholar J Mayes, who submitted that the archeologist found shops with two windows, as one was for buying and the other for selling. Constable stated that in Samaria and Shechem there was lot of activity. Various groups especially the vulnerable ones were affected. The vulnerable groups include
- the poor Amos 4:1
- the prophets Amos 2:12
- the Nazarites Amos 2:12
- the youths
- the righteous Amos 2:6-8.
The above fundamental points will be fully exhausted on the ongoing essay

• Amos prophesied during the prosperous days, as the writer indicated earlier. During this period injustice was prevailing everywhere. Scholar Keil identified four crimes by the Israelites, one of them unjust treatment of the innocent in judgment. This might have occurred perhaps after there was lucrative trade between the rich and poor, this is recorded in Amos 2:6. This has been supported by Constable who noted that the rich after found guilty would pervert the legal system to exploit the poor because of their social status. It is beyond no doubt that the poor suffered both psychological and physical because of the actions of the elite and this affected the righteous, hence indicating that the righteous were affected by the prosperous days.
- Amos 4:1 could be added as well.

• During the prosperous days, since injustice was prevailing Yahweh might have sent number of prophets to correct injustice which was prevailing, as a results Israelites responded by silencing prophets. The major reason why they responded by persecuting or silencing prophets, perhaps prophets were delivering the unfavorable messages. This is recorded in Amos 2:12 "….But you made the ….. and commanded the prophets, saying, 'You shall not prophesy.'. Therefore, this leads one to conclude that prophets were affected by the prosperous days, hence, showing that they were affected by the prosperous days as the vulnerable group.

• It has been submitted that during the prosperous days Israelites believed that the god who was responsible for economic success it was asherah and baal the gods of fertility. Temple prostitution took place as a way of appeasing the god of fertility. The most people who partook in the act it was the youths perhaps between the age of 16-35.They suffered psychological and physically. Psychological as they were taught to be corrupt and physically in the sense that they lost dignity. Men shared same maiden, this is recorded in Amos 2:7. Dr Constable noted that fathers and sons were having sexual intercourse with same maiden perhaps in temple, hence temple prostitution as servant girls who will be taken as concubines. Basing on the above discussion one will be left with no choice but to suggest that the prosperous days affected the youths as the writer indicated above.

HOWEVER PART
As much as it can be said that economic prosperity contributed much to the affection of vulnerable groups in Israel during the days of Amos, one will be short cited to ignore the view that the abuse of political and religious powers also contributed towards the affection of vulnerable groups. For instance, Amaziah the priest had religious powers in Israel, as a result he expelled Amos in prophesying Israel. This affected Amos in the sense that he was humiliated, thus he suffered psychological because of the act of Amaziah, this is recorded in Amos 7:13 "You seer flee away". Therefore, this indicates that the abuse of powers by leaders it affected the vulnerable groups as the writer fully highlighted.

ZIMBABWEAN CONTEXT
• Zimbabwean prophets have brought social confusion to a certain degree. In most of the churches [which the author can not mention ]they have brought social disorder or confusion. Some of the prophets they create enmity as they expose the wizards in public, , sometimes prophets who will be assuming , neighbors they tend to hate each other. In some cases members end up fighting. This was even published by local newspapers in 2013 by Bulawayo24.com, that villagers ended up fighting during the meeting, investigations indicated that local prophets were responsible for fueling enmity as they condemned of the villager of witching others. As such, this indicates that prophets have contributed to social confusion.

N.B SOME OF THE PROPHETS, BOMB OTHERS IN THE MOUNTAINS.

HOWEVER PART
• As much prophets are responsible for social disorder in the society, it will be loss of memory if one ignore the other contributing people towards social disorder.
- You known the examples

QUESTION DEMANDS
Check the demands of the question


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