Saturday, November 14, 2015

Amos Analysis 4:4

 Walk through Amos, verse by verse, with the great Bible Commentaries of Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714) & Adam Clarke (1760 - 1832)
4:4

Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years: KJV
 
{Come ye to Bethel, and do ye wickedly; to Gilgal, and multiply your trespassing; and offer ye early your sacrifices, in three days your tithes (and offer ye your sacrifices early in the morning, and your tithes every three days).} Wycliffe's Bible
 
Here we see,
1. How intent they were upon the service of their idols, and how willing they were to be at cost upon them; they brought their sacrifices, and their tithes, and their free-will offerings, hoping that therein they should be accepted of God, but it was all an abomination to him. The profuseness of idolaters in the service of their false gods may shame our strait-handedness in the service of the true and living God.
2. How they mimicked God’s institutions. They had their daily sacrifice at the altar of Bethel, as God had at his altar; they had their thank-offerings as God had, only they allowed leaven in them, which God had forbidden, because their priests did not like to have the bread to heavy and tasteless as it would be if it had not leaven in it, for something to ferment it. Holy bread would not serve them, unless it were pleasant bread.
3. How well pleased they were with these services themselves: