To a barefoot man, the owner of an old pair of boots appears rich.”
–Elmer Kelton (Badger Boy)
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”
–Revelation 3:17(NKJV)
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“How many times have I told you?” Have you ever had that said to you, or perhaps it came from your lips in warning to your children? That sums up chapter 4 of Amos. God over and over has chastised and warned Israel for the purpose of causing the people to return to Him in repentance and renewed obedience. “Yet you have not returned to Me.”
1 — Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring wine, let us drink!”
2 — The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days shall come upon you when He will take you away with fishhooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
3 — You will go out through broken walls, each one straight ahead of her, and you will be cast into Harmon,” says the LORD. (NKJV)
Imagine this scenario. Amos has been invited to be a guest on a news talk show, say, “The View.” He walks in very manlike, sits down, and scrutinizes the hosts. Then the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him. He points his calloused hand at them, then extends his finger pointing and begins, “You splendid, lazy cows…” (literal) My, oh my, think of the commotion. Remember, Amos was a herdsman, he knew cattle. Lloyd Ogilvie says this, “The wave of indignation that must have been like thunder and lightning rumbling and flashing through the self-satisfied ambience of Amos’ audience.” To call a group of sophisticated, high manner women fat cows certainly would get their attention and their wrath.
These women oppress the poor and needy not only in reality but with their haughtiness as well. These women pressure their husbands for more and more, arrogantly commanding them to “Bring wine, let us drink.” They seem to be a law unto themselves, haughty, disgraceful, not fulfilling their proper role as a woman of Israel, much less a proper wife, yet in God’s eyes, they are a disgrace. If Amos was preaching today he wouldn’t be a popular man.
They are ignorant, boastful, not understanding what happens to fattened cattle. Amos knows, fattened cattle are taken to the slaughterhouse. “Their sins were fattening themselves up for the coming slaughter.” (Warren Wiersbe) Amos prophesies that they would be led away by fishhooks. A common practice of the Assyrians was to attach a fishhook either to the eyelid or the lip, then attach that line to a rope. It would only take a little tug to lead the people out of the city at the nearest opening in the walls and be taken throughout the world as captives. Not only the women, but their children would be taken as well. Some scholars say that these were not actually fishhooks but hooks used to drag out dead bodies. Either way it would be debasing and devastating to these high-tone women. As Albert Garner states, “Sins overtake the swiftest person and nation.”
Then Amos turns to the religious apostasy. Those that worshiped with zeal, but forgot who they were to be worshipping.
4 — “Come to Bethel and transgress, at Gilgal multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.
5 — 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. (NKJV)
The true knowledge of God had escaped them. Amos is saying what good are your ceremonies that are not accompanied by repentance and a search after God’s will? Faith (faithfulness) had been replaced by hype and false worship. “The atmosphere is a combination of the excitement of a convention, the hoopla of a carnival, and the raucous jostling of an overcrowded picnic.” (Ogilvie) Gone, lost, forgotten is the fear of the Lord. They have forgotten His commandments and moral requirements. They offered unclean sacrifices. Wiersbe points out that, “if the heart isn’t right with God, the sacrifices mean nothing.”
They bragged about their offering, in fact, offering more than the law required. They loved the ceremonies but forgot the fear of the Lord. Ogilvie states, “We humans have an immense ability to tolerate contradictions between our faith and our actions.” Faith was gone, left only was the zeal. They worshiped Baal with zeal and fervor, forgetting the God that had saved them. They loved the act of worship rather than having their heart changed. Wiersbe says, “they had everything that money could buy, but they didn’t have the things money can’t buy, the things of the Lord that make life worthwhile. They made their sacrifices, they fulfilled their rituals and they said, “I feel good.” Better it be said when they finished, “Do I know God better?”
—————————-
“How many times have I told you?” Have you ever had that said to you, or perhaps it came from your lips in warning to your children? That sums up chapter 4 of Amos. God over and over has chastised and warned Israel for the purpose of causing the people to return to Him in repentance and renewed obedience. “Yet you have not returned to Me.”
1 — Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring wine, let us drink!”
2 — The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days shall come upon you when He will take you away with fishhooks, and your posterity with fishhooks.
3 — You will go out through broken walls, each one straight ahead of her, and you will be cast into Harmon,” says the LORD. (NKJV)
Imagine this scenario. Amos has been invited to be a guest on a news talk show, say, “The View.” He walks in very manlike, sits down, and scrutinizes the hosts. Then the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him. He points his calloused hand at them, then extends his finger pointing and begins, “You splendid, lazy cows…” (literal) My, oh my, think of the commotion. Remember, Amos was a herdsman, he knew cattle. Lloyd Ogilvie says this, “The wave of indignation that must have been like thunder and lightning rumbling and flashing through the self-satisfied ambience of Amos’ audience.” To call a group of sophisticated, high manner women fat cows certainly would get their attention and their wrath.
These women oppress the poor and needy not only in reality but with their haughtiness as well. These women pressure their husbands for more and more, arrogantly commanding them to “Bring wine, let us drink.” They seem to be a law unto themselves, haughty, disgraceful, not fulfilling their proper role as a woman of Israel, much less a proper wife, yet in God’s eyes, they are a disgrace. If Amos was preaching today he wouldn’t be a popular man.
They are ignorant, boastful, not understanding what happens to fattened cattle. Amos knows, fattened cattle are taken to the slaughterhouse. “Their sins were fattening themselves up for the coming slaughter.” (Warren Wiersbe) Amos prophesies that they would be led away by fishhooks. A common practice of the Assyrians was to attach a fishhook either to the eyelid or the lip, then attach that line to a rope. It would only take a little tug to lead the people out of the city at the nearest opening in the walls and be taken throughout the world as captives. Not only the women, but their children would be taken as well. Some scholars say that these were not actually fishhooks but hooks used to drag out dead bodies. Either way it would be debasing and devastating to these high-tone women. As Albert Garner states, “Sins overtake the swiftest person and nation.”
Then Amos turns to the religious apostasy. Those that worshiped with zeal, but forgot who they were to be worshipping.
4 — “Come to Bethel and transgress, at Gilgal multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.
5 — 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. (NKJV)
The true knowledge of God had escaped them. Amos is saying what good are your ceremonies that are not accompanied by repentance and a search after God’s will? Faith (faithfulness) had been replaced by hype and false worship. “The atmosphere is a combination of the excitement of a convention, the hoopla of a carnival, and the raucous jostling of an overcrowded picnic.” (Ogilvie) Gone, lost, forgotten is the fear of the Lord. They have forgotten His commandments and moral requirements. They offered unclean sacrifices. Wiersbe points out that, “if the heart isn’t right with God, the sacrifices mean nothing.”
They bragged about their offering, in fact, offering more than the law required. They loved the ceremonies but forgot the fear of the Lord. Ogilvie states, “We humans have an immense ability to tolerate contradictions between our faith and our actions.” Faith was gone, left only was the zeal. They worshiped Baal with zeal and fervor, forgetting the God that had saved them. They loved the act of worship rather than having their heart changed. Wiersbe says, “they had everything that money could buy, but they didn’t have the things money can’t buy, the things of the Lord that make life worthwhile. They made their sacrifices, they fulfilled their rituals and they said, “I feel good.” Better it be said when they finished, “Do I know God better?”