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.
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.
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.
Come to Beth–el, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
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 4 serves as a powerful indictment against the social injustice and religious hypocrisy prevalent in Israel. The prophet Amos, with unflinching boldness, confronts the comfortable and calls a nation to account for its spiritual waywardness. This chapter is not just a historical record; it's a timeless reminder of God's unwavering commitment to justice and his persistent call for genuine repentance.
The Cows of Bashan (Amos 4:1-3)
Amos begins with a striking image, addressing the wealthy women of Samaria as "cows of Bashan" (Amos 4:1). Bashan, a region east of the Sea of Galilee, was known for its fertile pastures and well-fed livestock. These women, living in luxury and ease, are likened to pampered cows, demanding pleasure and oppressing the poor and needy. Instead of embodying the virtues of the "wife of noble character" described in Proverbs 31, who fears the Lord, serves her family, and ministers to the poor (Proverbs 31:10-31), they exploit the vulnerable and make unreasonable demands on their husbands. Their indulgence and disregard for justice are a stark contrast to the character God desires in his people.
The consequences of their actions are severe. The Lord swears by His holiness (Amos 4:2), the ultimate guarantee, that these women will face humiliation and exile in foreign lands (Amos 4:2-3). Their comfortable lives will be shattered, and they will experience the very hardship they inflicted on others. This serves as a warning: those who ignore the plight of the marginalized will ultimately face God's judgment.
Sarcastic Summons to Idolatry (Amos 4:4-5)
With biting sarcasm, Amos challenges the Israelites to persist in their idolatrous practices: "Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more" (Amos 4:4). He mocks their religious rituals, telling them to bring their sacrifices every morning and their tithes every three years, for "this is what you Israelites love to do" (Amos 4:5). This is not an endorsement of their worship, but a scathing rebuke.
The altar at Bethel, established by King Jeroboam of Israel to prevent the people from traveling to Jerusalem and the temple in Judah (1 Kings 12:25-33), was a symbol of their rebellion against God's law. By sarcastically encouraging them to continue in their idolatry, Amos highlights the futility and ultimate destruction that awaits those who devote themselves to false gods. He is essentially saying, "Continue down this path, and see where it leads you."
Unheeded Warnings (Amos 4:6-11)
Amos recounts a series of disciplinary actions God had previously taken to turn Israel back to Himself. These included food shortages (Amos 4:6), drought (Amos 4:7-8), withered crops and blight (Amos 4:9), plagues (Amos 4:10), and destruction (Amos 4:11). Each of these calamities was a call to repentance, an opportunity for Israel to turn away from their sin and return to God.
However, the heartbreaking refrain echoes throughout this section: "Yet you have not returned to me" (Amos 4:6, 8, 9, 10, 11). Despite God's repeated warnings and acts of discipline, the Israelites remained stubbornly resistant to change. They failed to recognize God's hand in their suffering and refused to acknowledge their need for repentance.
Prepare to Meet Your God (Amos 4:12-13)
The chapter culminates in a solemn warning: "Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" (Amos 4:12). The gloves are coming off. This is not a friendly invitation, but a stark declaration of impending judgment. God is not making a social call; He is coming in wrath.
Amos reminds them of God's awesome power and sovereignty: "For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth—the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!" (Amos 4:13). God is the creator of all things, the one who controls the forces of nature, and the one who knows the secrets of the human heart. To stand before such a God unprepared is a terrifying prospect.
Amos 4 is a sobering reminder of the importance of heeding God's warnings and turning away from sin. It challenges us to examine our own lives, to ensure that we are not living in luxury and indifference while neglecting the needs of others. It calls us to genuine repentance and a sincere pursuit of God's will, before it is too late. Are we ready to meet our God?
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.
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.
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.
Come to Beth–el, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
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 4 serves as a powerful indictment against the social injustice and religious hypocrisy prevalent in Israel. The prophet Amos, with unflinching boldness, confronts the comfortable and calls a nation to account for its spiritual waywardness. This chapter is not just a historical record; it's a timeless reminder of God's unwavering commitment to justice and his persistent call for genuine repentance.
The Cows of Bashan (Amos 4:1-3)
Amos begins with a striking image, addressing the wealthy women of Samaria as "cows of Bashan" (Amos 4:1). Bashan, a region east of the Sea of Galilee, was known for its fertile pastures and well-fed livestock. These women, living in luxury and ease, are likened to pampered cows, demanding pleasure and oppressing the poor and needy. Instead of embodying the virtues of the "wife of noble character" described in Proverbs 31, who fears the Lord, serves her family, and ministers to the poor (Proverbs 31:10-31), they exploit the vulnerable and make unreasonable demands on their husbands. Their indulgence and disregard for justice are a stark contrast to the character God desires in his people.
The consequences of their actions are severe. The Lord swears by His holiness (Amos 4:2), the ultimate guarantee, that these women will face humiliation and exile in foreign lands (Amos 4:2-3). Their comfortable lives will be shattered, and they will experience the very hardship they inflicted on others. This serves as a warning: those who ignore the plight of the marginalized will ultimately face God's judgment.
Sarcastic Summons to Idolatry (Amos 4:4-5)
With biting sarcasm, Amos challenges the Israelites to persist in their idolatrous practices: "Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more" (Amos 4:4). He mocks their religious rituals, telling them to bring their sacrifices every morning and their tithes every three years, for "this is what you Israelites love to do" (Amos 4:5). This is not an endorsement of their worship, but a scathing rebuke.
The altar at Bethel, established by King Jeroboam of Israel to prevent the people from traveling to Jerusalem and the temple in Judah (1 Kings 12:25-33), was a symbol of their rebellion against God's law. By sarcastically encouraging them to continue in their idolatry, Amos highlights the futility and ultimate destruction that awaits those who devote themselves to false gods. He is essentially saying, "Continue down this path, and see where it leads you."
Unheeded Warnings (Amos 4:6-11)
Amos recounts a series of disciplinary actions God had previously taken to turn Israel back to Himself. These included food shortages (Amos 4:6), drought (Amos 4:7-8), withered crops and blight (Amos 4:9), plagues (Amos 4:10), and destruction (Amos 4:11). Each of these calamities was a call to repentance, an opportunity for Israel to turn away from their sin and return to God.
However, the heartbreaking refrain echoes throughout this section: "Yet you have not returned to me" (Amos 4:6, 8, 9, 10, 11). Despite God's repeated warnings and acts of discipline, the Israelites remained stubbornly resistant to change. They failed to recognize God's hand in their suffering and refused to acknowledge their need for repentance.
Prepare to Meet Your God (Amos 4:12-13)
The chapter culminates in a solemn warning: "Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" (Amos 4:12). The gloves are coming off. This is not a friendly invitation, but a stark declaration of impending judgment. God is not making a social call; He is coming in wrath.
Amos reminds them of God's awesome power and sovereignty: "For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth—the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!" (Amos 4:13). God is the creator of all things, the one who controls the forces of nature, and the one who knows the secrets of the human heart. To stand before such a God unprepared is a terrifying prospect.
Amos 4 is a sobering reminder of the importance of heeding God's warnings and turning away from sin. It challenges us to examine our own lives, to ensure that we are not living in luxury and indifference while neglecting the needs of others. It calls us to genuine repentance and a sincere pursuit of God's will, before it is too late. Are we ready to meet our God?