Amos 4:4-5

Come to Bethel and Gilgal and sin -- Amos 4:4-5: When God invited the people to come to Bethel and Gilgal He did not invite them to come there for worship. Bethel was one of the places where the calves were placed and worshipped. Gilgal was also a place where high places and altars were erected, and idols worshipped. The problem was that God had called upon Israel again and again to get out of sin. They had continually refused. Now God told them to just go on sinning or to continue on in their idolatrous worship. They transgressed the law of God and proved by the worship of idols that they had no respect for Jehovah.

Their continual rebellion now brought them to this point in history. It was too late for change and their hypocritical sacrifices and tithes meant nothing. In fact God told them to offer leaven with their sacrifice. In Leviticus 2:11 we learn that the use of such leaven was forbidden. Their lives were corrupt; their worship was corrupt and so what they offered would make no difference. The children of Israel were mixing idolatry with true worship. This led God to reject the entire process. They will now receive the deserved condemnation.