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Amos 5:4-6

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

4. For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: 5. But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. 6. Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour [it], and [there be] none to quench [it] in Bethel.

Amos 5:4-6 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Amos 5:4

Theological / Devotional

Seek ye me. Verses 4-6 are both a vindication of the destruction coming to Israel and a last offer of escape. God in His boundless mercy will freely forgive the past if they will but turn to Him. Nothing pleases God more than the sinner’s return to Him, and all His dealings with us have as their object this result (see Eze. 18:23, 31, 32; Luke 15:3-7). Until, therefore, the judgment actually falls upon the sinner, the threat of it is used as a deterrent to the transgressor’s course.

This verse states the keynote of Amos’ third message (see on v. 1). If Israel will only “seek” God, the otherwise inevitable result will not follow.

Ye shall live. A promise to those who seek God with the whole heart (see Jer. 29:13, 14).

By SdaBc