Amos 1:1-15
Judgment on Israel’s Sinful Neighbors
Amos 2:1-5
Judgment on Moab and Judah
Amos 3:1-10
Authority of the Prophet’s Message
Amos 3:11-15
Judgment on False Religion and Corruption
Amos 4:1-13
Israel Did Not Accept Correction
Amos 5:1-15
A Call to Repentance
Amos 5:16-27
The Day of the Lord
Israel Did Not Accept Correction
Amos 4:1–13
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
A poor German girl announced that she was going to give a piano concert. In order to attract people to come, she mentioned in the advertisements that she was the student of the famous Hungarian professor, Franz Liszt. But it was a falsehood. To her dismay, she learned the profess … More
Israel practiced formal religion. Amos criticizes the people of Israel for believing that their religious practices could compensate for their self-indulgent and sinful lifestyle (vv. 1-5). He begins this section by referring to the wealthy women of Samaria, calling them “cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria” (v. 1). These were insensitive wives of wealthy officials living in luxury to satisfy their self-indulgence at the expense of the poor and needy. When the Assyrian army finally invaded the city defenses would fall and the people would be driven into captivity through the breaches in the wall made by their enemies (vv. 2-3). With a note of sarcasm, it is suggested that the people of Samaria go to Bethel and Gilgal to sin (v. 4). Also with a note of irony the people of Israel are challenged to “Burn leavened bread as a thank offering and brag about your freewill offerings for this is what you love to do” (v. 5).
In this passage the Lord reminds the Israelites of the many methods He has used to prompt them to repent and turn from their sins (vv. 6-11). These include famine (v. 6), drought (vv. 7-8), insects and mildew (v. 9), plagues and war (v. 10), and some divine intervention (v, 11). No matter how God warned the people they still ignored Him. Because the Israelites didn’t get the message they would have to meet God face to face in judgment (v. 12). The most repeated phrase in Amos occurs five times in this chapter: “You have not returned to Me, says the Lord” (vv. 6,8,9,10 & 11). This God of judgment is the Creator, mighty and powerful (v. 13)!
Application
The book of Amos has several memorable phrases, but I should never forget God’s invitation to all who have wandered away from Him: Return to Me. If you haven’t returned, do it now.
Amos 4:1-13 (English Standard Version)
Warning: MagpieRSS: Failed to parse RSS file. (Space required at line 37, column 24) in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/magpie6-1/rss_fetch.inc on line 230
Warning: array_slice() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/rss/esvLookup.php on line 15
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »