“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps, I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream…Amos 5:21-24

In the above reference from verses 21 to 24 we see that the people were calling for the day of the Lord, thinking it would bring end to their troubles. But God says that He would bring justice, and justice would bring the punishment people deserved for their sins. Let us notice the word at the beginning of verse 24. God is looking for a living faith. The living faith here is to express it in acts of righteousness and justice. Here God is looking for a people who are not just hearers of the Word but doers of the Word. The name Gilgal (which is mentioned in this chapter) means roll, and the word roll is here in verse 24. If we look up Joshua 5:9, the reproach of Egypt, the bondage and the captivity, the Lord rolled away. The rolling which they had forgotten is the rolling on of righteousness, justice and good works. They rolled into Gilgal in their droves for the feasts, but when they got home there was no rolling out of their faith in justice and righteousness. A living faith in God will express itself in good deeds.

Breaking through Amos’ warning is God’s reminder to His people that they should ‘hate evil and love good’ and ‘the Lord will be with you’ (Amos 5:14–15). Instead of false worship and corrupt actions, justice and righteousness (5:24) should flow in their community as it does from their true God. We should yearn for this in our communities.

Hate evil and love good

In Amos’s day, Israel was marked by religiosity, systematized injustice, exploitation, and idolatry. It’s easy to see parallels between this ancient society and our own. Modern society is struggling with many of the same problems and a host of others. So, how does God see our worship today? Is it possible that God sees our religious practices as a “stench” too?

Unfortunately, the answer might be yes. These verses reveal how upset God becomes when injustice is unchallenged by his people. We may practice our religion with daily quiet times and Sunday morning services, but if we allow injustice to flourish in our society, or if we participate in systemic oppression, then even our best tries at religion may not be accepted by God.

In Scripture, God consistently longs for social action to flow from changed hearts. Jesus taught that all the law and the prophets “hang on” two great commandments: “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36-40). He also condemned religiosity (Luke 11:37-52). And in numerous parables—like the good Samaritan—he helps us imagine the Kingdom of God, where what is wrong is made right. God cares deeply about changed hearts fighting for justice.

If we go to church, sing songs, read the Bible, pray, and say the right things but don’t break the chains of oppression, then we’re missing out on knowing and reflecting God. The Apostle Paul compared that kind of faith to a resounding gong or clanging cymbal in 1 Corinthians 13. The prophet Amos called it a stench. Injustice is nasty and fake.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” – John Holmes