Amos means “burdenbearer.” He uses animals as metaphors of events that would come to pass in the “Day of the Lord.” The “day of the Lord” is the day of YHVH’s judgment upon mankind at the Great Tribulation. For instance Amos 5:18-19.
Amos 5:18
Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.
Amos 5:19
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
Many of Amos’s contemporaries believed the “day of the Lord” would be a wonderful occasion and Amos is correcting this wrong view. He is saying woe unto you who desire the day of the Lord for it will be a time of judgment and not a happy occasion. It is prophetic for today. The phrase is “if a man did flee from a ion and a bear met him, meaning there will be NO escape. It may be a description for this generation for the Lion may represent Great Britain and the Bear Russia. Great Britain became the possessor of Palestine and declared they would grant a Jewish homeland in the Balfour declaration but reneged on their promise and Jews literally had to fight the British to gain possession of their homeland. Therefore we have Judah’s (Israel’s) conflict with Britain. The next event will be when, as prophesized in Jeremiah Israel will have to fight Russian who will invade Israel. Then in verse 19 we have the “serpent” bit him (Israel) Judah. This probably represents the rebuilding of the Temple for Israel will defeat Russia. It represents the anti-christ who will declare himself G-d, who goes into the Temple and declared that al should worship him. We see a description of that in Amos 9: 11-12.
Amos 9:11
In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
Amos 9:12
That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this.
Amos is the prophet who specifically predicts that the Tabernacle of David will be restored in Jerusalem.
Now to your verses.
In verses 21 through 24 YHVH is saying He hates religious activity, which does not include heart reality or involvement. In other words religious formalism or activity without heart activity is repugnant to YHVH. Religious mechanical observance without a person’s personal involvement is nothing more than empty form, legalistic and such observance angers YHVH rather than appeases Him.
Note, he refers to YOUR feast days not His. Not to smell in your solemn assemblies means not to hear your prayers because you offer amiss. Offerings and sacrifices will not be accepted because they are mechanical without understanding the nature or reason for them. They are not reputed here. Neither are His festivals, which He ordained. To do so would repudiate Yahshua who was our sacrifice for past sin. He is asking, where are your good works, your justice, your compassion, and your repentance? Without these any obligations or offerings will be useless. This goes back to the seven-fold definition of a true worshipper in Revelation. One who trusts in Yahshua and obeys the commands of YHVH because of that trust and love. YHVH in verse 24 is calling for justice (judgment). Justice being fully covered in Torah between humankind and between YHVH and humankind. Righteousness can be translated as salvation or as right doing whose result is salvation. Verse 25 speaks of past sacrifices and offerings and v. 26 then speaks of sacrifices offered to Moloch (this was child sacrifice) and of idols worshipped instead of the True Elohim. This is parallelism giving an example of when the heart of Israel was truer with the idol-worshipping group then and now. The star of your god being the symbol of that false idol. Lucifer is that star, the greatest angel whose star fell from heaven. He is the star of false religion. He is referred to elsewhere as the great moring star. The light bearer, etc.. Angels are referred to as stars. This is not a reference to the Magen David.
Shalom,
Rabbi Davis