Amos 5:6

There their idols were, and their idolatrous priests; thither they brought their sacrifices, and there they offered up their prayers. But God tells them that when the fire of his judgments should kindle upon them all the gods they served at Bethel should not be able to quench it, should not turn away the judgment, nor be any relief to them under it.

Because all their confidences would fail them if they did not seek unto God, and make him their friend. (1.) Their profane contempt of God's judgments, and setting them at defiance, would not secure them,

God is "a consuming fire" (De 4:24; La 2:3). the house of Joseph--the kingdom of Israel, of which the tribe of Ephraim, Joseph's son, was the chief tribe (compare Eze 37:16). none to quench it in Beth-el--that is, none in Beth-el to quench it; none of the Beth-el idols on which Israel so depended, able to remove the divine judgments.

Seek ye the Lord and ye shall live - Literally, “seek the Lord and live;” being united to Him, the Fountain of life. He reimpresses on them the one simple need of the creature, “seek God,” the one true God as He revealed Himself, not as worldly people, or the politicians of Jeroboam’s court, or the calf-priests, fabled of Him. “Seek Him.” For in Him is all; without Him, nothing. Lest He break out like fire in Bethel - Formerly the Spirit of God came vehemently down upon Sansom Jdg 14:6, Jdg 14:19; Jdg 15:14 and Saul 1Sa 10:6; 1Sa 11:6 and David 1Sa 16:13, to fit them as instruments for God; as did the Evil spirit, when God departed from Saul 1Sa 18:10. So now, unless they repented, God Himself would suddenly show His powerful presence among them, but, as He had revealed Himself to be, “the, Lord thy God is a consuming Fire” Deu 4:24. “And devour” it, literally, “and it” (the fire) “shall devor, and” there be “none to quench” it “in” (better, “for”) Bethel.” Bethel, the center of their idol-hopes, so far from aiding them then, shall not be able to help itself, nor shall there be any to help it. The fire of God kindles around it, and there is none to quench it for her (as in Jer 4:4). Montanus: “The whole place treateth of mercy and justice. The whole ground of people’s punishment, calamities, condemnation is ascribed to their own fault and negligence, who neglect the deliverance often promised and offered them by God, and ‘love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil’ Joh 3:19. Whoever is not saved, the whole blame lies in their own will and negligence and malice. God, who ‘willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance’ 2Pe 3:9, Himself unsought, seeks, entreats, ceases not to monish, exhort, set before them their guilt, that they may cease to prepare such evil for themselves. […]