He continues with condemnation of the sinful women, who he called cows (v1) of Bashan. Not a very complimentary term but being a farmer, I suppose they reminded him of the fat and healthy animals which were common to that area. They had oppressed the poor and become greedy and self-indulgent and God wasn’t pleased with their behaviour. They were guilty of exploitation, oppressing the poor, deception and cheating.
The Bible does not condemn riches, e.g. Abraham was a rich man as were Isaac, David and Solomon, but it does warn us of the dangers. Paul writing to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:6) speaks of traps and snares of riches. “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”. It is not money but the love of it. C. S. Lewis is reported to have said, ‘Prosperity is good campaigning weather for the devil.’
God swears by His holiness which is perhaps the greatest characteristic of Himself, and their punishment would be painful, with fishhooks (v2,3). The Assyrians are reputed to take captives and chain them together with fishhooks through their lips. How humiliating for these women. They would pass through the broken walls.
Living in the northern kingdom they didn’t want to travel to the southern kingdom to worship and offer sacrifices, so they had set up places in Bethel and Gilgal. God, however, tells them that they were transgressing even in their so-called worship. Amos tells them that God won’t be impressed even if they go over the top on their sacrifices even if they bring more tithes and offerings than He requires or sacrifice more than He requires. We must come to God on His terms, not ours, however much we try to placate Him. (v4,5)
This was religious hypocrisy. Our worship must be from the heart and must be Bible based. Often, we can be lulled into a false kind of worship. Many so-called worship times are simply times of singing. I’ve heard ‘worship leaders’ say, ‘we will now have a time of worship’, which means sing a few songs usually over and over again. My response is ‘what have we been doing up to now?’ worship should be our total lifestyle, whether in church or not. We must hold God in reverence, He is holy and we must be holy, seek God’s way first and solely, forgive one another and put others before ourselves.
In verses 6-11 God continues in his judgment upon Israel. He says that there will be famine – lack of bread and cleanness of teeth, which I assume means there will be no food to dirty them. Also drought and differences in climate from one city to another showing God is in control of the weather, so the crops withered where there was no rain but rain so much that they could not gather in the harvest. Looking for water from one city to another. Vines and trees blasted with mildew and devoured by locusts; plagues like those which came upon Egypt before they left; young men and horses killed leaving a stench of carcasses; and overthrow like Sodom and Gomorrah which was largely for immorality; some only escaping by the skin of their teeth. God had been patient with them and despite the punishments He promised them, the five times repeated phrase comes, “Yet, you have not returned to me”.
It was evident that the punishments were to turn them to The LORD but the cry came – “Yet, you have not returned to me”. This was the great tragedy. He wanted them to turn to Him but they didn’t. God was chastising them out of His great love for them but they didn’t take any notice and so the chastising became more severe, with the same result. It is sad that we do fall into sin and God has to chastise us but even more sad, that we do not listen and take notice and return to Him in repentance.
What an outcry today about climate change and how we need to save the planet. It is clear that Almighty God is in control even of the weather and global warming, if it exists at all, not humans. Yes, we should be very careful how we treat the planet and not misuse it, but God is in control not us. Nothing will happen without God’s permission, and He has everything planned and under control. It seems to me that when The LORD comes back humanity is still going to be here.
The LORD reminds them why He is doing this and pleads with them to ‘Prepare to meet your God’ (v12-13). He also reminds them of His great power – He forms mountains, creates wind, rules over all and knows what we are even thinking, He is Almighty and Sovereign.
There have been cartoon pictures of a man with a sandwich board containing the words, ‘ Prepare to meet thy God’. Some had the man walking over an open manhole giving the impression that he was about to fall in. Fun has been poked and we can smile but the situation but it is a very serious statement. One we must all take careful note of. Are you, am I, prepared to meet God. We will meet Him one day, maybe when we least expect. We will all face the Judge of all the earth. How vital it is to be ready. We used to sing a gospel song – ‘If you want to be up there, then down here you must prepare, and your name must be in the Book of Life.’ Jesus said, “ You must be born again” . Our names must be written in The Lamb’s Book of Life. Being born again is the only way to entering heaven and being able to stand before The LORD without fear of being condemned and hearing those dreaded words, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”
The Bible says, “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.”
