Amos 5:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

During their forty-year sojourn in the wilderness, they made offerings voluntarily, without coercion, awaiting entry into the land their ancestors had been promised. Hence the Lord declared that for forty years, He would provide the food of the sacrifices to the house of Israel; they were saved without the need for sacrifices. As another prophet proclaimed, "Thou hast not bought me incense for silver, neither hast thou brought me the sheep of thy burnt-offering; thou hast been made poor in Lebanon” (Isaiah 43:23-24). Yet, despite having no reason to leave, they wandered aimlessly, dishonoring the true and living God, yielding to the worship of Moloch and the star of Rephan.

Understanding this requires careful consideration. When Moses ascended the mountain to receive the law, the Israelites approached Aaron, requesting, "Create for us gods to go before us; for as for this Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him” (Exodus 32:1). Subsequently, they fashioned a calf in the wilderness, which became a widely recognized idol, leading many to create their own idols, having veered from their genuine reverence for God and reverting to the idolatry learned in Egypt, particularly in worshipping celestial bodies. Some might wonder how this is evident. It is not challenging to demonstrate for those willing to see; the Holy Scriptures provide this testimony. When Moses learned of their sins, he grew angry with Aaron and implored God, saying, "Oh Lord, this people has sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold” (Exodus 32:31). Although the calf was created, Moses was aware that they had fashioned additional idols for themselves. The revered Stephen, when falsely accused of blasphemy against God and Moses, defended himself by showing that they, having shamefully mistreated and scorned Christ, mirrored the obstinacy of their forebears. He recounted the incident of the calf in the wilderness, stating, "This is he who was in the church in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living oracles to give to us, whom our fathers would not obey” (Acts 7:38-39). He highlighted the images they had crafted for worship, warning that they would be taken beyond Babylon (Acts 7:43).

Note how Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit, testified about their creation of the calf and their worship of the heavenly host. He referred to the prophet’s statement (Acts 7:44). Thus, it is evident that alongside the calf, they also took up the tabernacle of Moloch: after erecting this shrine, they placed an idol within it, calling it Moloch or Molchom, which signifies their king. According to translations by Aquila and Theodotion, this figure was an embodiment of the morning star. Therefore, recognize the tabernacle of Moloch, representing your king. Which king, you ask? It is the star you cherish. The name Rephan can mean darkness or blindness. They adored the morning star, which heralds the start of day, yet for its worshippers, it became associated with darkness and obscurity—not because the star itself blinded them but because their worship led them into spiritual blindness. Since they chose to follow the folly of the Moabites and the neighboring nations, they were destined to be carried away further than Damascus and even to Babylon itself; Stephen interpreted this based on the Hebrew text, which could refer to Babylon, as the lands of Babylon were adjacent to those of Syria.

This passage reveals that the sacrifices and offerings made by the Israelites in the wilderness were not intended for God but for their king Moloch, whose tabernacles they bore, signifying their devotion to the likeness of their idols. The nature of these idols is revealed in the phrase “the star of your god,” which is referred to in Hebrew as ‘cochab,’ meaning ‘Lucifer,’ whom the Saracens continue to venerate. Consequently, the Lord directed them beyond Damascus, which is into Assyria and Chaldea, demonstrating His power as the Lord God of Hosts.

It prompts the question: how could they offer sacrifices and gifts in the wilderness, not to God, but to their king called Lucifer? It seems that whatever actions they took were not for God but for their idols. Even when they later made offerings to the Lord, these were out of fear of retribution and due to the demise of those who had succumbed to idol worship. Yet the Lord does not concentrate on the nature of the offerings but on the heart posture of the givers. They longed for Egypt's food as soon as they had the chance, treasuring the garlic, onions, cucumbers, and meat while disregarding the manna bestowed from heaven. This notion is supported in the account of the apostolic history by Stephen, the first martyr of the Gospel: “And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the work of their hands. And God turned away from them and gave them up to worship the hosts of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: Did you offer Me slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? And you took up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Remphan, the images which you made for yourselves, and I will banish you beyond Babylon.” It should not be assumed that the first martyr erred in stating “beyond Babylon” instead of referring to the prophet's wording “beyond Damascus.” His words capture a deeper meaning since they were led beyond Damascus to Babylon and even further beyond.

In the place where Luke mentions ‘Moloch’ and the Hebrew text states ‘Melchechem,’ variations appear in translations by Aquila and the LXX calling it ‘Moloch,’ while others like Simmachus and Theodotion refer to it as ‘your king.’ Likewise, where the LXX uses ‘Rephanus,’ other translations render it using the Hebrew term for ‘darkness.’ Additionally, terms vary where ‘sochot’ appears; Aquila translates it as ‘tents,’ while others refer to it as a ‘tabernacle’ or ‘vision.’ Importantly, it must be noted that apostles and those in the apostolic age, when drawing from the Old Testament, focus on the essence rather than the specific wording to express their thoughts. These admonitions directed at the Jewish people can also apply to those who, under the guise of Christ, worship idols and create perverse doctrines, carrying with them the tabernacle of their king—the devil—and the representations of their idols. They do not serve merely one idol but, depending on their doctrines, venerate various gods, along with the star of their deity. This one, an angel of Satan, transforms himself into an angel of light, falls from heaven like lightning, and manifests as the Antichrist, mimicking Christ.

It is poignantly added that these are idols made according to their own designs, not received from God. Consequently, the Lord removed them beyond Damascus, that they might not partake in the blood of the Lord but would journey to Babylon and heed the words of the prophet regarding “the golden cup of Babylon, which has made all the nations drink.” For as often stated, Damascus symbolizes ‘the drinker of blood,’ prompting us through repentance to partake in the blood of the Lord.

We must answer no, as the inclination toward idolatry that accompanied them from Egypt persisted in their hearts throughout their time of wandering, as confirmed by the prophet Ezekiel. The Lord notes that despite His warnings, the Israelites did not abandon the idols of Egypt while still in that land, and even after their exodus, their hearts remained attached to those idols, resulting in their condemnation to perish without entering the promised land. The same call was made to the children of those who were lost; yet, the Lord declares that even they 'turned their eyes to the idols of their fathers,’ leading Him to 'allow them to be defiled with offerings to idols.' This occurred prior to their settling in Palestine, and continued thereafter (Ezek. 20:8, 15, 24, 26, 28). It is also known that during their wilderness journey, the Israelites worshipped the golden calf and served the abhorrent Baal-Peor (Num. 23:28; Num. 25:1-). St. Stephen mentions that after the incident with the golden calf, God withdrew from the Israelites, allowing them to worship the heavenly bodies (Acts 7:42). In the subsequent verse of the chapter from Amos being discussed, it is said that at that time, the Israelites served Moloch, honored Remphan, and worshipped idols. When considering the persistent resentment and complaints from the stubborn people in the wilderness, their expressed longing for Egypt (Num. 14:3), their varied vices and superstitions, the ignorance of the Israelites who could not grasp the essence of true worship, their ungratefulness to God, and similar issues, we can confidently assert that the Israelites, as a whole, did not offer true sacrifices to God during their journey; they remained tainted by pagan influences and their vices. In truth, even the legitimate sacrifices of the Old Testament cannot be classified as true sacrifices to God that are fully satisfying and pleasing to Him (Heb. 10:1-18). There exists only one eternal sacrifice in the entire history of the world—the sacrifice made by the Savior on the cross. Anything lacking in it, outside of it, or differing in essence, power, and spirit cannot be deemed a sacrifice to God. Yet, how far removed were the Israelites in the wilderness from comprehending such a sacrifice!