The God Who isn’t Fooled

Action is character. We all know people who say one thing and do another. Maybe they even do the right things for a while. But eventually the truth comes out. What people end up doing eventually, what they do when things get hard, or what they do when no one is looking, this is what reveals who they really are. One of the hard parts of growing up is learning this truth, usually painfully, and learning to see through the masks.

Amos tells us that God sees through the pretense quite well. Let’s look at one of the most famous passages in the minor prophets.

In Amos 5, after listing more of their sins and warning them about the coming judgment, the LORD says,

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
   your assemblies are a stench to me.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
   I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
   I will have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
   I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
   righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (5:21-24)

Ancient Israel had a pretty full religious calendar. There were major festivals throughout the year and smaller events monthly, every new moon. At this time, Israel was still going through the motions. They observed all the feasts. They brought their sin offerings and thanks offerings and everything else. And God hated it. It was empty. They thought they could please, or more likely appease, God by following these rituals even though they also worshiped other gods. And they thought it was OK to pick and choose which rules they would follow. Keeping the holidays and offering the sacrifices did not excuse their mistreatment of the poor and the weak.

God had no problem seeing through their little charade. Keeping the fun parties and going through the motions of the temple worship didn’t hide their contempt for God’s law, their abuse of his people. God is far more interested in the latter than the former. As he says elsewhere, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Hos 6:6).

God is not fooled by empty religiosity. He doesn’t care about our songs. He isn’t impressed that we give pocket change to the church. He isn’t honored when we show up to worship. He cares how we treat people. He’s impressed when we give more than we can spare (cf, Luke 21:1-4). He is honored when we show his love to the world around us.

The good news is this works both ways. He can see when we’re just superficially religious. He can also see when we’re really trying but just screw-ups.

As a father has compassion on his children,
   so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
   he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13-14)

For those who really want to honor the Lord but just can’t seem to get it right, God has great patience.

So let’s examine our hearts. Are we truly trying to honor God, or are we trying to skate by on the bare minimum? Are our festivals about food and fun or faith in our Savior? And are we loving those he told us to love? God is not fooled, but he’s pleased by even stumbling steps in his direction.


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