“Come to Bethel and transgress, at Gilgal multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.” Amos 4:4

Amos is one of the sheep breeders of Tekoa, a place about six miles southeast of Bethlehem and 10 miles southeast from Jerusalem. Tekoa was the dividing line between the cultivated land in the west and the barren wilderness in the east. Amos’ name means “burden bearer” and he was called from the southern kingdom of Judah to preach to the northern kingdom of Israel, in particular, Bethel, one of the place that Jeroboam set up a golden calf for worship. Amos did not claim to be a prophet (7:14) but when God called him to be His messenger, Amos went.

Amos is regarded as a “county preacher in the big city” but he is also credited with being one of the greatest prophets. He is thought to be one of the first writing prophets, so that would put his work between 760 – 75- B.C. Some have said that the scathing rebuke of the nations at the beginning of the book triggered a barrage of prophetic activity which shaped and interpreted the life of Israel and Judah for four hundred years.

It seems odd that the prophet would be calling on the people to sin in their worship. However, the prophet sarcastically calls upon the people to continue in the false worship that they loved. He calls upon them to come to Bethel, the corrupted place of worship set up by Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12:26-33. He tells them to go to Gilgal, the place that became a home of idolatrous worship in Hosea 4:15. The sad point about these places is that they both used to be places of religious importance for God’s people:

            1. Bethel – Going back to the patriarchs, this was a place or worship to God – Genesis 12:8;         28:10-22; 35:1-15

            2. Gilgal – This is the site where Joshua and the Israelites commemorated the parting of   the Jordan River as they entered the Promised Land – Joshua 4:19-5:7. 

How sad it is to see places (congregations) that were once places that held up the standard of the truth of God’s word move into a direction of false worship and idolatry. Even sadder is to see people love that type of worship as did Israel in those places yet God will reject their worship for three reasons. This is not what God commanded them to do. 

The temple was a God-ordained place, Bethel and Gilgal was not, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord” (Colossians 3:17). 

They were leaving the wrong kind of sacrifices. The elements of their sacrifices included pagan portions that were used for other gods, “God is Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). 

They were worshipping with the wrong motives. They wanted to be seen of men, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. (Matthew 6:1-4).

We need to heed the words of the country prophet from another passage, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3). The deserted places of Israel were desolate, and if you saw two people talking in these places they meet for an appointment. We have an appointment with God and we better be in agreement with Him!

By: Justin Odom