Amos 4

The fat cows of Bashan (vs. 1-3)—“Bashan” was on the east side of the Jordan River and belonged to the half-tribe of Manasseh, who dwelt in that region. The word means “fruitful,” and that describes the area. So verse 1 has a pronouncement against “you cows of Bashan,” though that might be figurative since it is followed by “who are on the mountain of Samaria.” The riches of Bashan might represent the worldliness of Samaria. I can’t help but chuckle at Amos—calling people a bunch of fat cows, which is the idea behind the statement “cows of Bashan.” I wonder what would happen if I got into a pulpit and said that to the people I was preaching to. Probably the same thing that happened to Amos (see chapter 7). The condemnation was that they “oppress the poor…crush the needy…say to your husbands, ‘Bring wine, let us drink!’" (v. 1). And the Lord will take care of that kind of ungodliness: “He will take you away with fishhooks” (v. 2). Not a very pleasant thought.

The sarcastic prophet (vs. 4-5)—Well, of course, his message comes from God, and he is careful to point that out: “’Come to Bethel and transgress, at Gilgal multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days. Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, proclaim and announce the freewill offerings; for this you love, you children of Israel!’" says the Lord GOD” (vs. 4-5). Bethel and Gilgal represent the idolatrous worship of Israel, so these verses are intended sarcastically.

God did everything He could (vs. 6-13)—I’ve made the point before—I made it in the previous chapter—that God uses all means possible to bring us to repentance, and this section is one of the great passages anywhere in the Bible illustrating that fact. He withheld sufficient food from them—“Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord" (v. 6). He kept back the rain, sent it to one city, but not another, so that nobody really had enough water to drink—“Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord” (vs. 7-8). He destroyed their crops, “your vineyards, your fig trees, and your olive trees, the locust devoured them”—“Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord” (v. 9). He sent plagues like in Egypt, “your young men I killed with a sword”--“Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord” (v. 10). “I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah”—“Yet you have not returned to Me," says the Lord” (v. 11). What else could He do? Of course, He had blessed them for hundreds of years in “the land flowing with milk and honey.” They didn’t appreciate that or give Him glory for it, so now, He tries all manners of chastisement to induce them. “Yet you have not returned to Me, says the Lord.” Therefore, “prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” (v. 12). And that doesn’t mean that they are going to have time to do it. This is simply an assurance that punishment is coming. That word is even more to be believed because of from Whom it comes: “For behold, He who forms mountains, and creates the wind, who declares to man what his thought is, and makes the morning darkness, who treads the high places of the earth-- The LORD God of hosts is His name” (v. 13). This powerful, Almighty Being, Who fashioned the entire creation…the Lord God of hosts…when He speaks, His word is sure.

Israel’s doom is certain.

Amos, get lost.