Amos 4:4

Ironically the Lord told these sinful Israelites to go to Bethel but to transgress, not to worship. Such a call parodied the summons of Israel’s priests to come to the sanctuary to worship (cf. Psalms 95:6; Psalms 96:8-9; Psalms 100:2-4). Bethel was the most popular religious site in the Northern Kingdom, but the Lord looked at what the people did there as transgressing His law rather than worshipping Him. Gilgal, another worship center, was evidently the Gilgal where the Israelites had entered the Promised Land and had erected memorial stones (Joshua 4:20-24). Other references to it indicate that it was a place that pilgrims visited and where they sacrificed in Amos’ day (cf. Amos 5:5; Hosea 4:15; Hosea 9:15; Hosea 12:11). At Gilgal (from Heb. galal, to roll) God had rolled away the reproach of Egypt from His people (cf. Joshua 5:9), but now they were bringing reproach on themselves again by their idolatry at Gilgal.

God hyperbolically and ironically urged the people to bring their sacrifices every morning and their tithes every three days (rather than every three years as the Law required, cf. Deuteronomy 14:28-29). Even if they sacrificed every morning and tithed every three days they would only be rebelling against God. The people were careful to worship regularly, but it was a ritual contrary to God’s will.

"It’s as though a pastor today said to his congregation, ’Sure, go ahead and attend church, but by attending, you’re only sinning more. . . . Your heart isn’t serious about knowing God or doing His will. Since it’s all just playacting.’" [Note: Wiersbe, p. 353.]