Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 2 · Section 5
VERSE 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.
TRue Repentance consists of two parts, 1 There is terminus á quo, from what wee must turn: 2 Terminus ad quem, to whom wee must turn. In the foregoing verse, the Prophet sets down positively and affirmatively whom wee must seek, and to whom wee must turn, and that is to the Lord. Hee comes now to shew us negatively, what wee must not do, and what wee must not seek, and that is Idols. Seek the Lord, but seek not Idols. God puts a But and Block in their way to keep them from them. But seek not Bethel. God can do all things; but Idols can do nothing; great reason then wee should forsake them, and cleave onelyonly to God, who would have us first Table-men to worship him according to his own will revealed in his word; and then second Table-men, in righteousness towards our neighbour, vers. 15.
In the words wee have 1 A Dehortation from Idolatry, to this end they must
Three places infected with Idolatry.
shun Bethel,
shun Gilgal, and
shun Beersheba.
1 That Bethel and Gilgal were such, I have shewed before at large on Amos 4.4. Bethel was the place where Ieroboam set up a golden Calf.
Gilgal was a City full of Idols, Hos. 4.15. and 12.11.
Beersheba was a City in Canaan where Abraham had formerly dwelt, Gen. 21.31, 32, 33. here God appeared to Isaac, Gen. 26.24 and here Iacob sacrificed, Gen. 46.1. This made these superstitious people think that there was more holiness in this place than in others, and therefore hither they came, when God had ordained them to go to Ierusalem.
This City was afterwards allotted to the Tribe of Iudah, Iosh. 15.28, and 1 King. 19.8. yet it was inhabited by the Tribe of Simeon, See more on Amos 8. ult.Josh. 19.2. It was scituate on the utmost South-border of the Land of Canaan, as Dan was on the North. It was a City given to Idolatry, as Bethel and Gilgal were, and therefore the Lord giveth a strict injunction here, that they should not go to any of them.
But seek not Bethel, &c.
q. d. If you will bee my people, you must cast away your Idols, you must not go to worship the golden Calf at Bethel, nor to the High-places and Idolatrous Altars at Gilgal and Beersheba, for these places shall perish with the Idols that are in them.
Pass not to Beersheba.
The Kingdome of Israel was divided from the Kingdome of Iudah, yet so mad were this people on Idols, that they will post over the Country of Iudah after them, when they had too many at home already.
2 To strengthen the Dehortation, here is a reason added, drawn from the danger which would follow if they followed Idols, both they and their Idols should perish. For Gilgal shall surely go into Captivity; that is, the Inhabitants of Gilgal (Met. subj.) going they shall go, i. e. they shall suddenly and certainly go into Captivity by the hand of the Assyrian. Gilgal, Galo, jigleh, migratio, migrando, migrabitur, vel volvendo volvetur. See more in my Schools-Guard, on the figure Paranomasia.There is an elegant Paranomasy in the words. Gilgal signifies rowling, Gilgal shall rowl to ruine; or rowling hee shall speedily rowl into Captivity. They trusted in this place for safety, but both they and it should perish.
And Bethel shall come to nought.
Bethel signifies the house of God, but by reason of its Idolatry, tis called Beth-aven, Hos. 4.15. a house of vanity and iniquity, Hos. 5.8. and 10.5.
Aven signifies an Idol,Aven, mendasium vanitas, inanita…. vanity, inanity, and nought, and therefore the ruine of Bethel is set forth by this Title. Bethel shall be Aven, or bee brought to nought; that is▪ it shall bee totally ruined, and nothing shall remain of it, but the prints of Gods indignation against it.
So that it is great folly for any to run to such Idolatrous places for shelter, which can neither defend themselves from ruine, nor their Idols from spoyl, Hos. 10.5, 6.
OBSERVATIONS.
1 Idolatrous places must bee shunned. As they might not go to Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba, so wee may not go to Spain, Italy, France, &c. with the least hankering after their Idols, if you do Satan will quickly make a prey of you; for sin, especially the sin of Idolatry, is like Bird-lime, if a man go once to touch it, hee will bee so intangled in it, that hee cannot easily be shut of it.In my Com. on 2 Tim. 3.5. p. 138. &c. Hence it is that the Lord so oft commands us to shun wicked society for fear of infection, as I have shewed at large elsewhere.
Against such, see B. Halls Quo vadis? p. 639, folio.How great then is the sin of those, that do spontaneously travel into Idolatrous Countries needlesly? such oft-times return infected both in body and soul. Ieroboam that travelled into Egypt, brought home the Idolatry of Egypt with him, with which hee infected all Israel.
2 Obs. True converts must for sake Idols. They must say with repenting Ephraim, What have I to do any more with Idols? Hos. 14.8. Many would fain serve the Lord and their Idols too, but that will not be, if you will bee mine, you must renounce your Idols, saith God, You must forget your kindred, and your fathers house, Psal. 45.10. that is, wee must abandon all those corruptions which wee are strongly inclined unto by nature; and those Idolatrous, and superstitious practises, which wee were brought up in; wee must renounce them all, and give up our selves intirely to Christ our spiritual Husband, then, and not till then will hee take pleasure in us, and desire our beauty. Such as desire to have communion with God, must first put away their Idols, Gen. 35.1, 2. Iosh. 24.22, 23. Iudg. 10.16. 1 Sam. 7.3. Psal. 16.4, 5. True converts turn from those vanities to the living God, Act. 14.15▪ and have a special command given them to keep themselves pure from Idols, 1 Joh. 5.21. They know that the Lord is a jealous God, and cannot endure corrivals, not to have his worship mixt with the inventions and fancies of men. As I have shewed at large before on Amos 4.4.Multi sunt hodie mediatores, qui dum vident non posse improbari nostram doctrinam, vellent a …quid medium fingere, i. e. vellent reconciliare Papatum cum doctrinâ Evangelii, & Propheta oftendit talem mixtutam non posse ferri à Deo. Calvin in locum. God cannot abide halting and halving between two opinions, 1 King. 18.21. if we will Worship God, we must abhor Idols, for we cannot serve both, Iosh. 24.14, 15. No man can serve two such contrary Masters, that have contrary commands, wayes, and ends. There can be no communion between Christ and Belial, 2 Corinth. 6.15. and therefore they that will goe to *Against going to Mass, see Willets Sy…ops. Controveis. 13. p. 698. D. Geo. Abbots Thesis, Quaes. …. p. 139. Perkins Cas. Consc. p. 89. B. Halls Cas. Consc. Dee. 3. cas. 13. p. 183. Edit. ult.Mass with their bodies, pretending that they keep their hearts for God, are meer dissemblers. They partake with Idola…ets in their sin, harden them in their Idolatry, and sin against the Prophets counsel here, that forbids men to goe after Idols.
3 Obs. Superstition is a toylsome thing.
It makes men that they cannot rest, but they must run up and down, now to Bethel, anon to Gilgal, and then traverse the Country, and goe a Perigrination to Beersheba; so mad are men upon Idols, that they are not content with those at home, but they must be gadding abroad after more. Thus the Papists at this day,See more on Amos 8. ult. Obs. 5. & Mr. Greenh…l on Ezek. 20.27, Obs. 4 p. 87, 88. though they have Idols more than a good many at home, yet must goe a Perigrination after more; and here see the perverse nature of man, how directly opposite it is to God, he bids us goe one way, and we goe quite another. He bids us goe to Ierusalem, and they goe one to Dan, another to Bethel, another to Gilgal, and a fourth to Beersheba. So true is that, Homo est inversus decalogus, Man is a perverse, cross-grained-peece to all Gods holy commands.
4 Obs. Idolatry brings desolation and ruine upon Cities and Kingdoms.
Gilgal shall goe into Captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought, and the Virgin of Israel shall fall. When Bethel Gods House, shall become Beth-aven, a house of Idols and Vanity, then follows Beth-any, an house of misery and affliction. They that follow such lying vanities forsake their owne mercies. Idols themselves are most vain, Vanity, and things of nought▪ and nothing doe they bring but nought with them. Hence the Scripture calls them, Elilim, things of nought, Levit. 19.4. 1 Chron. 16.26. Psal. 96.5.
2 Gnatsabim, Sorrows, because they bring men to sorrow, captivity, and misery, 1 Sam. 31.9. Psal. 16.4. & 115.4.
3 Gillulim, filthy dung and excrements, because they are loathsome to God, Levit. 26.30. Deut. 29.17. Ezek. 6.4, 5, 6.
4 Shi…utsim, detestable, loathsome abominitions, Ezek. 7.20. & 11.21. & 20.8. Ier. 32.34.
5 Segnirim, Devils; such as worship Idols, are said not to Worship God, but Devils. They forsake the Lord and his Worship, to worship Devils, Levit. 17.7. Deut. 32.17. 2 Chron. 11.15. 1 Cor. 10.20, 21. Rev. 9.20.
Great reason then that we should abominate Idols, which bring such sorrow and misery upon places, incensing the Lord to set fire upon them, as it follows in the next verse.