Amos - Chapter 4

Amos 4.1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. Amos 4.2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. Amos 4.3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD. Amos 4.4 Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years: Amos 4.5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. Amos 4.6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Amos 4.7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. Amos 4.8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Amos 4.9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Amos 4.10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Amos 4.11 I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. Amos 4.12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. Amos 4.13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

Amos : Chapter 4

Confronting Israel's Hypocrisy

Amos chapter 4 presents us with a striking exposure of Israel's hypocrisy. Through this incisive text, God calls his people to repentance by criticizing not only the wealthy women of Samaria, but also the false religious zeal that reigns in the nation. This chapter evokes a series of calamities sent by God, warnings that the people choose to ignore.

An Urgent Call to Repentance

Amos 4 concludes with an urgent call to repentance and a reminder of divine sovereignty. Let's reflect together on five biblical passages that shed light on the themes of repentance and judgment present in this provocative chapter.

Biblical Themes of Repentance

Zechariah 1:3

"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: Return to me,' declares the Lord of hosts, 'and I will turn to you,' declares the Lord of hosts." This call to repentance echoes the repeated refrain of Amos 4:6-11: "Yet you have not turned to me. »

Leviticus 26:23-24

"If, despite these things, you do not accept my discipline but remain hostile toward me, I myself will be hostile toward you and will punish you seven times more for your sins." This passage from the Mosaic Law relates to Amos' warnings in Amos 4:6-11, where God sent calamities to call Israel to repentance.

Jeremiah 5:3

"Lord, do not your eyes seek faithfulness? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you devastated them, but they refused to be corrected. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent." This verse reflects the stubbornness of Israel described in Amos 4, where the people refuse to return to God despite punishment.

Isaiah 29:13

"The Lord said, 'These people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Their worship consists only of rules taught by men.'" This passage refers to Amos's critique of Israel's religious hypocrisy in Amos 4:4-5.

Hebrews 10:31

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" This New Testament verse captures the sense of impending judgment that Amos communicates in Amos 4:12-13.

Conclusion

Through these passages, we are invited to reflect on our own relationship with God and to recognize the importance of sincere repentance. May these words resonate in our hearts and inspire us to turn to the Lord with humility and faith.