Most people assume that religion is a good thing. They may personally prefer one religion over another, but they imagine that God is basically pleased by all religious practices. Careful readers of the Bible know that this is not so. As Amos 5 makes clear, God not only isn’t pleased by all religion, He despises any expression of worship that is not genuine, thankful, and true to His Word. The chapter begins with a funeral dirge. In his commentary on Amos, Alec Motyer notes how the dirge speaks of death where there should have been life. “Bethel” means “house of God.” It’s the place where God appeared to Jacob, giving him a new name and a new life. Yet now Israel has “fallen, no more to rise.” The dirge speaks of abandonment where there should have been companionship. “Beersheba” was a place where the presence of God brought encouragement to the patriarchs, but here “the virgin Israel” dies all alone, “forsaken... with none to raise her up.” Finally, the dirge speaks of dispossession where there should have been inheritance. “Gilgal” is the place where Joshua celebrated God’s triumph when the enemy had been driven out of the Promised Land. But now Israel is “forsaken on her land” (v 1-5). Israel’s faith is dead, and the prophet performs an autopsy. What does he find? Injustice in the courts, hatred of truth, disregard for the poor, and oppression of the vulnerable. Religion was popular among the people, but their religion peacefully co-existed with all sorts of evil. So destruction from the LORD is coming. The One who created the constellations and rules over all nature knows about every transgression. “How great are your sins,” God says. Remarkably, there is still one remedy: “Seek the LORD and live” (v 6-13). All religions claim to seek after God, but religion can actually become a way to hide from Him. We may practice evil all week, then go to church on Sunday to appear righteous, as if God is fooled. Amos tells his people to avoid Bethel, Beersheba, or Gilgal, for these “holy places” will be reduced to nothing when judgment comes. It is nothing less than hypocrisy to claim we are seeking after God if we are not seeking after what is good, and avoiding evil (v 14-17). In their religious fervor, these people longed for “the day of the LORD,” without realizing this day would not bring the vindication they expected. For them, it would be darkness and gloom. God says He hates their religious gatherings, He rejects their offerings, and He is tired of the noise of their songs! Why? Because of what is missing: justice and righteousness (v 18-27). For further meditation: