Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-04-30
ISRAEL OFTEN REPRovED.
International Sunday School Lesson
for Nav 8, 1891.

International Sunday School Lesson
for May 8, 1891.
Especially Arranged from 6. g. QUARTERLY
LESSON TExr-Amos Cab
GOLDEN TExr.-He that being often reproved
haTdeneth his neck, shall suddenly be de-
stroyed, and that without remedy,-ProF. %: l.
CENTRAL TRUTH-God does all that wisdom
and love can desire TO keep men from sin ana
ruin.
AMOS was a farmer prophet; his home in
Judea, but his prophecies were spoken to
Israel
DATE.-Amos prophecied between B. c. $40
and 7S3, In the reigns Of Jeroboam IL In Israel
and Uzziah, in Judah.
PLACE IN BIBLE HISToRY-2 Kings IA;
Chron. 20.
CONTEMPORARY PRoPHETs.-Amos followed
judah and Joel, and was contemporary with
them and with Hosea, who prophecied both be-
fore and after him.
TIE STATE OF THE CoUNTRY.-D Both
Israel and Judah were at the height Of outward
prosperity. They had made great conQuests
(2 Kings 1895; Chron. 26); and the two king
doms were almost as large as in the days OF
Solomon There was great wealth and luxury.
C2) They were very wicked For details see
Amos and Hosea. (3) They were in danger Of
destruction CHILD. ~ Their only hope was
in repentance.
HELPS OVER HARD PLACEs.-4. Bethel
Gilgsl:'' centers Of the idolatrous worship.
"And transgress:n this is irony, as we see from
5:4, 5. Compare Matt. % 80; Kings IS:27.D b
means: Go on trusting your false gods and
worship them more zealously and see If they
can save you, since you are determined to do
So" "Your tithes:" tenths for taxes. AFTER
three ye ars:" better as in the Rev. Ver.: every
three days, though they were due but once q
year. Go TO excess in your worship Of idols.
5. with leaven:" with even more than re-
quired Nev. 7:13, 14.) Publish the free offer
ings:" give so freely that you are proud Of your
gifts and proclaim them This liketh," OF
pleaseth you. 9. "Cleanness Of teeth" for
want OF food z. "Withholden the rain" etc:
iust before harvest, so as to destroy It. Rain
upon one city; not upon another" the distinc-
tion showing that God controlled the rain. O.
Palmer worm:'' kind Of locust. 10. "Pesti-
lence after the manner Of Egypt" where it
was common, while rare in Palestine Taken
away your horses:" (See Kings 1879 ITO
come unto your nostrils:" the dead were close
oy bringing new pestilence. IL Thus will I
do:" not naming the evil, but leaving it an un-
haown danger. Prepare to meet thy Gods"
In judgment; prepare by repentance, by return
ing to Him and obeying Him. 13. For To-" etc. !:
showing how God was able to save or to pun
ish.
LESSON COMMENTS.
Get clear idea of the situation at the
time. 1t was time of much apparent
outward prosperity, but Of real inward
rottenness. Selfshness was to be seen
on every hand, and the rich cared moth
ing for the poor. At the same time
there was much outward observation Of
religious rites and ceremonies, which,
however, only aggravated the evil.
Hypocrisy was everywhere to be seen,
and things went from bad to worse.
Against all this the Lord sent the
prophet from the southern kingdom to
the northern to protest, and, if possible,
to call the people back to their al
legiance to Jehovah. In every con-
ceivable way he warns them of the
trouble that they were preparing for
themselves, and threatens them with
the righteous anger of their God
This was not the first time that God
had warned Israel, for already by the
lips of Elijah, of Elisha, and of Jonah,
they had been told of the misery that
awaits those who turn away from the
law of the Lord. The history of their
own nation in the past was also plain
warning that the way of transgressors
is hard. Sorrow and disaster had often
followed their sins and experience was
not lacking to show how things would
turn out, if they persisted in their evil
way.
Why had God SO often warned the
people of their danger? Was it because
he hated them? Certainlynot. 1t was
because they were in such danger, and
because He loved them, that.His words
were so plain. His warnings were q
proof of His tender mercy, and not of
His spite and hateful disposition. Yet,
in spite of this, Israel was angry with
the men who brought the merciful
warning, and in every way possible
tried to do them harm. They Knocked
at the message and did despite to the
messenger. This is the story of Israel
from the beginning to the end of her
history. And that is one reason, and
the chief one, why such fearful calami-
ties have fallen upon Gods ancient peo-
pie. Angry with God, instead of angry
with themselves, they pushed on in
their wicked way, till the end overcame
them, and since then they have been
wailing with bitter cry. God meant
His warnings for their veal, but they
turned out for their woe, because they
would not receive and profit by them.
Did the warnings that Israel receive
make her fate a worse one when it
really came? Undoubtedly When a
warning is not so taken that it
helps us, then it only increases our re-
sponsibility. If We will not use it for
our veal, then we use it for our woe.
If the kind warnings of God are
scorned, then the disaster, when it
comes land it will come as surely as the
sun will set to-day, will be only the
more bitter, because it is the more de-
served.
Like Israel, we shall all have to meet
our God sooner or later. Prepared or
unprepared, that day is sure to come to
US at last. How well, then, if we would
only take the warning and prepare to
meet Him" in such a way that that
meeting should not have any terrors for
US. How may we do this? The way is
easy. Repent at once, and ask for par
don and new heart, and then whether
death comes to-day or not for twenty
years, we shall be ready. Are youpre-
pared to meet your God, should he come
for you tonight, by the angel of death9
Rev. A. Z. Schauff1er, D. d.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
l. God chooses his great men from all