The sin of oppressing the poor (v 1-3)

Today’s passage is the first half of the prophecy of judgment that begins with “Hear this word” (2). In verse 1 it says, “Hear this word.” The first sin spoken of here is the sin of oppressing and exploiting the poor. (1) The ringleaders are wealthy women. Amos calls them “you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria.” The cows of Bashan were well-fed cattle raised in Bashan (today’s Golan Heights). This is not a compliment, but a term of contempt. The wealthy women were indulging in comfortable ease amid their riches. (2) Those women urge their husbands to go and take something from the poor. It is in order to continue their luxurious way of life through wealth taken from the poor. (3) The holy God cannot overlook such evil deeds. In time, Assyria will come and take them and their husbands into captivity, dragging every last one of them away with hooks and fishhooks.

The sin of idol worship (v 4-5)

Next, the sin of idol worship is condemned. (1) The names Bethel and Gilgal (a town north of Bethel) are mentioned, but both were cities of idol worship. (2) It says, “Offer a thanksgiving offering also from that which is leavened, and proclaim voluntary offerings, make them known.” All of the above are offerings in accordance with the Law of Moses. The sin of the people of Israel lay in the fact that they were offering these offerings not to the Lord, but to idols. The people of Israel, while outwardly behaving as though they were devout, were in fact far from true faith. There were such people even in Jesus’ day. The Lord Jesus said, “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you, by saying: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. ‘And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matt. 15:7-9). Let us examine whether our hearts and our actions are in agreement. God sees our hearts.