The National tribune., 1891-04-23
AMOS.
1. Data


heather nations for making any opposition 10
the lsraelItes. TIE third and fourth deal with
the lsTaclitCs, calling them TO account for their
ldOlatry, for their wandering oil from religious
duties, and for their failure 20 benefit BY the
punishmCnts which God inflicted on them
by reason Of their sins. The fifth sets forth
God appeals e. them 10 return 20 fidelity and
his refusal to accept At their hands. while they
were yet incorrigible, any sacrifices or religious
acts OF devotion and worship. The sixth tells
Of their dcsolations and the grouHdicssnes5 Of
imagining themselves secure. The seventh is
an account Of the judgments of God against the
lsraelites, and in special against Amaziah, the
priest OF Bethel. The eighth chapter and the
ninth, verses 10 outline various TCprOOf5,
warnings and threats Of God. Chapter O.: IL to
10 contains the promise Of brighter times in
the days Of the Messiah
The style Of the prophecy of Amos IA eloquent,
stirring, grand, bucOlic, fguratiye. The rhet-
ORIG - what might be expected from an author
cOnveTsant with rural and shepherd life. The
student will find it profitable to read the
prophecy at single sitting and be able 10 look
at 1t entire as a complete picture. Nearly all
commentators speak with admiration Of the
Impressive lofty, authoritative, pathetic style
Of Amos The reader will notice the grand
ideal the prophet had Of Deity. When dealing
with the sin Of luxury the pen is severe in
tenseiy indignant, tremendously rebukatiye.
recognized IN the New Testament. st. Stephen,
In Acts, 7 ~, 40, quotes Amos, 5: 25-27, and
-. Paul refers to Amos, OIL, Il, in Acts,
10 II II.
The Prophet Amos gained his knowledge by
the facts passing before his eyes as though real
and realized facts. We recall the similar case
Of St. John. REV, 1: 12.D
2. Time.
We date B. c. 7S7. Jeroboam II. was ruling
over the Kingdom Of Israel and Uzziah over
that OF Judah. 1:l.) lie was contemporary
with the Prophets Hosea and Isaiah. He wrote
two years before the earthquake. (1:1.
Compare Zech., II: 81 1t is thought the event
was cOincident with Uzziahs presumption in
taking the priests place or office, and was a
punishment for thus invading sacrleRously
the holy functions. Uzziah began to be King
when he was 10 years of age and continued in
Office % years-from Il. Z. 5OS-9 to 1867.
JerObOam was the fourth Of the dynasty Of
Jehu. lie ruled Il. c. s25-754.
3. Place
Amos was from Tekoa. Q:1) It was in the
tribe OF judah. IL was on a hill range run
ming from Hebron TO the Dead Sea-l2 miles
south OF jerusalem and six south Of Bethle-
hem. y ChrOn., IL: ., 6 20: POI The region
was noted for pasturage.
Bethel. 4:4) IL was in the central part Of
Palestine, in the Kingdom of Israel. The
name means the house Of God. (See Gen.,
2S:l9; 30: II, 49, Jeroboam l. placed at
Bethel one of the two calves be had manu-
featured for idOlatrOus worship.
L. Amos
We learn from Il and TIA, Is that Amos
was herdmau and q gatherer Of sycamore
fruit. BY heTdman is included the idea OF
shepherd life. God called him to become q
prophet and inspired him for the Office He
al in fIta .f,afi aTTC
nor was he the son Of one thus educated for the
oilce. Like many minister OF the Gospel he
set out in his work without regular school
ing. IL has often Happened that a man know
ing neither college nor theological seminary
has been very successful in the ministry. Such
a case IS exceptional. and should not be used as
an argument against thorough preparation in
the schools on the part of candidates for the
pastors Office.
5. The Facts
We notice the transgressious Of the Israel
ties. Instead Of wOrshiping at Jerusalem they
had services at Bethel and GilgaI. They con-
suited ease in worship, preferring leayened 10
unleaveued bread, because leayened bread is
more agreeable. They were hypocritic, going
through the forms Of religion and not observ-
ing It's spirit. They departed from God and de-
clined to return. They liked" (V. 81 to do
contrary 20 tho laws Of a true worship. They
would not DO benefited even by severe and re-
iterated punishments.
Notice the punishments. They suffered from
want Of bread aud want Of rain, from hunger
and thirst. They lost all the products Of their
soil, that not killed by dearth being destroyed
by mildew and worms Sickness followed
Wars took off their young men. Animals died
so numerOu5iy that the air was poisoned and
made offensive by sickenng, killing stencil
Even the forces Of nature were against them.
We may suppose from verse IL that lightning
struck some and we can infer houses, property,
etc, were destroyed by fire.
See how God waited. He would not bring a
final destruction without warning. Before
toe last stroke falls he gives chance for reform.
". 12)
6. Suggestions.
l. We may use figures of speech. Irony,
sarcasm, ridicule ETC., may fifty aid in bring
ing evil into contempt. (Ys. 4, 81
2. BE liberal in offerings for religious pur-
poses. IL often happens people are lavish in
sacifces in interest of a defective or untrue
religion, while deyotees Of the genuine system
Of theology are niggard. (Ys. 4, 81 One might
imagine effort was put forth to make up for
erroneous worship by zeal and sacrifice. We
should find il pleasure to abound in our
liberality toward supporting Christianity.
Bring your tithes. NAL, 3 I0.)
3. Worship God each day. Bring sacrifices
Of prayer aud praise to God every morning"
(V.4l
4. We must oppose evil-doing. The attitude
Of God as to sin is demOnstratiyely antagon-
istic We ought not keep still when any evil
prevails. Even silence which can be inter-
preted as Endorsement Of any wrong course is a /
positive sin. Laws, too. may be made 20 pun
ish evil. Community should set itself against
iniquity.
,. Prosperity is not most conducive to piety |
The reign of JeToboam H. was very successful
He added strength and territory and wealth 10
his Kingdom, and yet idOlatry got strong hold 1;
the people became hypOcritic and set in evil
ways. it was az that time God called On Amos
TO denOUnee their sins.
g. We notice how patient God is with evil
doors. He does not cut them off ut once. He
passes them through a course Of discipline |
giving them chances to reform. To correct |
them he tries first famine il that fail be tries
them by Withholding rain if they yet per-
sist in evil he smiteI with mildew, etc; if |
they yet will not reform he tries pestilence. |
But there is a point beyond which fOrbearance |
is a sin, and God, as being just reaches that
point. Eyil-d0ers should be warned. Nobody |
should presume on Gods patience. prov, 20: |
IL We deal with God. lie will deal with u.s. |
Remember his power. (Y. 49, We want such |
power for, not against, US.
Z. Mere forms of worship are useless. They
are abomiuable. Each such act is a transEres- |
sion. Mere regularity in attendance at services |
is as nothing in the absence of genuiness Of |
character aud sincerity Of devotion.
s. Repent. Let your repentance be sincere. |
If il be- you will reform. l2 Cor, :10) The |
purpose of divine chastisement is mostly our |
spiritual profit. Act from principle Become |