Matthew Henry Commentary Amos 5
Matthew Henry Commentary
Amos 5
Matthew Henry Commentary
Amos 5
"Hear ye this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel. The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is cast down upon her land; there is none to raise her up. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel. For thus saith Jehovah unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live; but seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought. Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el." — Amos 5:1-6 (ASV)
The convincing, awakening word must be heard and heeded, as well as words of comfort and peace; for whether we listen or disregard it, the word of God shall take effect. The Lord still proclaims mercy to people, but they often expect deliverance from self-invented forms that make their condemnation sure. While they refuse to come to Christ and to seek mercy in him and through him, that they may live, the fire of Divine wrath breaks forth upon them. People may make an idol of the world, but will find it cannot protect.
"Ye who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth, [seek him] that maketh the Pleiades and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth (Jehovah is his name); that bringeth sudden destruction upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress. They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Forasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions from him of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink the wine thereof. For I know how manifold are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins-ye that afflict the just, that take a bribe, and that turn aside the needy in the gate [from their right]. Therefore he that is prudent shall keep silence in such a time; for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all the broad ways; and they shall say in all the streets, Alas! Alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentation to wailing. And in all vineyards shall be wailing; for I will pass through the midst of thee, saith Jehovah." — Amos 5:7-17 (ASV)
The same almighty power can, for repenting sinners, easily turn affliction and sorrow into prosperity and joy, and as easily turn the prosperity of daring sinners into utter darkness.
Evil times will not tolerate straightforward speech; that is, evil men will not. And these men were evil men indeed, when wise and good men thought it futile even to speak to them.
Those who will seek and love what is good may help to save the land from ruin.
It is fitting for us to plead God's spiritual promises, to beseech him to create in us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us.
The Lord is always ready to be gracious to the souls that seek him; and then piety and every duty will be attended to. But as for sinful Israel, God's judgments had often passed by them; now they will pass through them.
"Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah! Wherefore would ye have the day of Jehovah? It is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Yea, though ye offer me your burnt-offerings and meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Did ye bring unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? Yea, ye have borne the tabernacle of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith Jehovah, whose name is the God of hosts." — Amos 5:18-27 (ASV)
Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord's judgments, who wish for times of war and confusion—like some who long for changes, hoping to rise on the ruins of their country! But this will be such a great desolation that nobody could gain by it. The day of the Lord will be a dark, dismal, gloomy day to all impenitent sinners.
When God makes a day dark, all the world cannot make it light. Those who are not reformed by the judgments of God will be pursued by them; if they escape one, another stands ready to seize them. A pretense of piety is double iniquity, and so it will be found.
The people of Israel copied the crimes of their forefathers. The law of worshipping the Lord our God is: Him only we must serve. Professing believers thrive so little because they have little or no communion with God in their duties. They were led captive by Satan into idolatry; therefore, God caused them to go into captivity among idolaters.
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