Amos 5

A lamentation against Israel (vs. 1-3)—Chapter 5 begins with a “lamentation” (v. 1); the cause? “The virgin of Israel has fallen; she will rise no more. she lies forsaken on her land; there is no one to raise her up” (v. 2). Israel’s strength is slowly being sapped: “The city that goes out by a thousand shall have a hundred left” (v. 3). Keep in mind that Amos is prophesying during a very prosperous period of Israel’s history; destruction and captivity appeared to be the last thing that would happen. But within a generation or so, his words proved to be true.

An exhortation to repentance (vs. 4-20)—The Lord always provides a way of escape: “Seek Me and live” (v. 4); “seek the Lord and live” (v. 6); “hate evil, love good, establish justice in the gate” (v. 15). If they would do that, then “it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (v. 15). But only a remnant. They would have to turn away from their idols, of course, idols that “shall come to nothing” (v. 5). Once again, Amos reminds the people of whom they are dealing with and the surety of His pronouncements: “He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth; The LORD is His name” (v. 8)—and the vanity of relying on earthly strength: “He rains ruin upon the strong, so that fury comes upon the fortress.” But they didn’t want to hear the word of God (v. 10), nor help the poor (v. 11). “For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins” (v. 12)—note their “mighty” sins. These people were good at it; they weren’t “mighty” in spiritual things, they were “mighty” in doing evil. What a tragedy. But there would be wailing in the streets and highways (v. 16) and in the vineyards (v. 17); they would even need “skillful lamenters” to wail. Why? “For I will pass through you, says the Lord” (v. 17). The day of the Lord was coming (v. 18), a day of “darkness, and not light.” And there would be no escape: “It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him!” (v. 19). What a picture of futility that presents. A man is chased by a lion; he gets away from that ferocious beast only to run into a bear. He survives that catastrophe by running into his house. Catching his breath from his narrow deliverance, he leans against a wall and a snake bites him. There is no escape from the Lord.

Their rituals would not save them (vs. 21-27)—Men are often convinced of their own righteousness based upon the slightest of evidence. Israel apparently thought God could be appeased through the sacrificial system. But that kind of attitude angers Jehovah and makes Him sick: “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments” (vs. 21-23). Without purity of heart and life, God “hates” our worship, our songs are just “noise” to Him. They certainly were offering their sacrifices to Him, their “fattened peace offerings.” But the Lord would not accept them. It’s a bit amazing that Israel thought that they could serve more than one God—that Jehovah would be pleased with their sacrifices, but that they could also worship their idols (v. 26). But false gods lead to false standards of living; very few pagan gods demand that “justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (v. 25). Our worship must be holy, and our lifestyle must match. It did not happen in Israel, thus “I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts” (v. 27). Again, to prophesy such in the midst of economic wealth and military might must have looked very foolish; as we shall see, it also aggravated the religious leaders of the day (chapter 7). But, as always, the word of the Lord proved to be right.