key verse: 6b
DESPITE THIS
After an apostrophe about the women of Samaria, Amos makes an indictment against the non-conformist worship. Then, he emphasizes the tenacious impenitence of Israel and he defies Israel for a last face to face with God.
1. The sins of the people and the religious leaders (1-5)
First, the wealthy women. They encourage the people to commit carnal sin. The holy Eternal God swears that he will punish the country, deporting the women and their children. The most serious sin is that they give a deviated woship to God, because of their formalism it's only a compromise. They observe rites but which are deprived of moral sense which can please God. They venerated God each day, the rigorous people offered the tithe every three days and the legal tithe at least every three years. But in the sight of God, what is the point of this excess zeal if they join it a life of sin ? This reproach is comparable to that of Jesus towards the Jews (Mt 23:23). They loved the outer shapes, but they were not engaged (5).
2. Despite this... because of this... (6-13)
God made all things, in particular he sent lot of suffering to convert his people. But all his hits were unsuccessful. The first wound is famine, the second wound is the lack of rain, then the thirst. The fourth and fifth wounds are the desease of wheat and the burning of coal. The sixth is plague. The seventh is the war and the strangled young people. The last is earthquake. But all this suffering was useless in making the heart of the people come back. Because of their persevering hardness (12, 13), they must prepare for facing God one day. God is the Creator which changes the aurora to darkness. He can operate the most unexpected, he can suddently send a calamity instead of the expected prosperity. No obstacle can prevent God from going according to his way or execute his plans. God is a formidable judge who will hold accoutable of all the violated laws and despised mercies. Who can stand up to God ?
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