18 Ho, ye who are desiring the day of Jehovah, Why 'is' this to you—the day of Jehovah? It is darkness, and not light, 19 As 'when' one fleeth from the face of the lion, And the bear hath met him, And he hath come in to the house, And hath leant his hand on the wall, And the serpent hath bitten him. 20 Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light, Even thick darkness that hath no brightness?
21 I have hated—I have loathed your festivals, And I am not refreshed by your restraints. 22 For though ye cause burnt-offerings and your presents to ascend to Me, I am not pleased, And the peace-offering of your fatlings I behold not. 23 Turn aside from Me the noise of thy songs, Yea, the praise of thy psaltery I hear not. 24 And roll on as waters doth judgment, And righteousness as a perennial stream. 25 Sacrifices and offering did ye bring nigh to Me, In a wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 And ye bare Succoth your king, and Chiun your images, The star of your god, that ye made for yourselves. 27 And I removed you beyond Damascus, Said Jehovah, God of Hosts 'is' His name.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Amos 5:18-27
Commentary on Amos 5:18-27
(Read Amos 5:18-27)
Woe unto those that desire the day of the Lord's judgments, that wish for times of war and confusion; as some who long for changes, hoping to rise upon the ruins of their country! but this should be so great a desolation, that nobody could gain by it. The day of the Lord will be a dark, dismal, gloomy day to all impenitent sinners. When God makes a day dark, all the world cannot make it light. Those who are not reformed by the judgments of God, will be pursued by them; if they escape one, another stands ready to seize them. A pretence of piety is double iniquity, and so it will be found. The people of Israel copied the crimes of their forefathers. The law of worshipping the Lord our God, is, Him only we must serve. Professors thrive so little, because they have little or no communion with God in their duties. They were led captive by Satan into idolatry, therefore God caused them to go into captivity among idolaters.