Amos 5:21-24 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.… This is one of the commonest ideas all through the prophets, but it is the sole idea of Amos. I. THE PROPHET. Amos is probably the oldest prophet whose writings have come down to us. Once only the Divine inspiration descended on him, and constituted him the messenger of heaven. Amos was the prophet of a single occasion. II. His PROPHECY. Amos opened his message in a way that must at once have riveted the attention of the crowd. Be began with a series of brief oracles about the neighbouring nations. He denounces their sins, and announces the punishments that were about to fall on them for their sins. Notice the peculiarity of the sins which this prophet denounces. This is the speciality of Amos. They are not sins against God, but against man. The oppression of the poor is the subject of Amos. The prosperity of the country was only illusory. The righteousness which the righteous God requires is not something in the air. It is not an abstraction, it is conduct between man and mall, and there is no righteousness of any account that does not embrace that. (James Stalker, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.WEB: I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies. |
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