Amo 5:21 | KingComments | STEP | It is as if, between this verse and the previous one, we hear the reproachful question from Amos’ contemporaries as to how he can make such terrible threats in their direction. Surely they are faithful sons of Israel who serve the LORD as meticulously as possible, aren’t they? They make sacrifices, have meetings, sing their songs. Amos unmasks their outward appearance. Israel is so blind to their sinful state that they continue to keep religious feasts and gatherings in the assumption that God will be very happy with them. They live in the false confidence of being God’s chosen people, with whom it cannot go wrong, certainly not if they satisfy Him. Many people have such an idea about God. They live for themselves, but sometimes they give God something in the form of a regular visit to church or meeting. After all, once a year at Christmas is also regular. Then He has nothing to grumble about. God speaks here of “your festivals” and “your solemn assemblies”. These are their festivals and solemn assemblies and not “the LORD’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations” which He calls “My appointed times” ( ). This is also how we read in the days of the Lord Jesus on earth about “the Passover” as “the feast of the Jews” ( ). The feasts celebrated by the people were conceived by Jeroboam, the first king of the ten tribes realm ( ). Afraid that his subjects would go to Jerusalem to serve God, he set up fake feasts to be held at the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. It all looks a bit like the feasts of the LORD prescribed by law, but in reality they are idol feasts. God hates all such religious fuss. To Him it is nothing more than a form service. He sees through their hypocrisy and abhors it (cf. ). His people, who come to Him with great words, behave toward Him as one “who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning”, but “it will be reckoned a curse to him” ( ). What the LORD desires is “truth in the innermost being” ( ). “No delight” is literally “not like the smell” has to do with what they believe to be a “fragrant smell”. God turns up His nose at it, He detests such feasts and assemblies.

‏ Amos 5:21

God Disgusts Fake

It is as if, between this verse and the previous one, we hear the reproachful question from Amos’ contemporaries as to how he can make such terrible threats in their direction. Surely they are faithful sons of Israel who serve the LORD as meticulously as possible, aren’t they? They make sacrifices, have meetings, sing their songs.

Amos unmasks their outward appearance. Israel is so blind to their sinful state that they continue to keep religious feasts and gatherings in the assumption that God will be very happy with them. They live in the false confidence of being God’s chosen people, with whom it cannot go wrong, certainly not if they satisfy Him.

Many people have such an idea about God. They live for themselves, but sometimes they give God something in the form of a regular visit to church or meeting. After all, once a year at Christmas is also regular. Then He has nothing to grumble about.

God speaks here of “your festivals” and “your solemn assemblies”. These are their festivals and solemn assemblies and not “the LORD’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations” which He calls “My appointed times” (Lev 23:2). This is also how we read in the days of the Lord Jesus on earth about “the Passover” as “the feast of the Jews” (Jn 6:4). The feasts celebrated by the people were conceived by Jeroboam, the first king of the ten tribes realm (1Kgs 12:33). Afraid that his subjects would go to Jerusalem to serve God, he set up fake feasts to be held at the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. It all looks a bit like the feasts of the LORD prescribed by law, but in reality they are idol feasts.

God hates all such religious fuss. To Him it is nothing more than a form service. He sees through their hypocrisy and abhors it (cf. Isa 1:11-15). His people, who come to Him with great words, behave toward Him as one “who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning”, but “it will be reckoned a curse to him” (Pro 27:14). What the LORD desires is “truth in the innermost being” (Psa 51:6).

“No delight” is literally “not like the smell” has to do with what they believe to be a “fragrant smell”. God turns up His nose at it, He detests such feasts and assemblies.