The Yale expositor., 1913-06-19

Amos was the third OF the minor
prophets and prophesied concerning
Israel In the days of Uzsiah, king of
judah, about 790 B. G. His name
means burden" and his prophecy re-
veals a sore one. Though outwardly
prosperous, and victorious upon the
battlefield, indeed Israels golden
age" yet this prophet reveals that 1t
was an age OF lead as well, for he
shows that associated with political
and material prosperity was a gross
moral corruption; even as was the
case in the declining days of the Ro-
man Empire and as was the state OF
France just preceding the days of the
French Revolution. This is certainly
lesson for our day. Blessed as we
have been so abundantly, we need to
pause and examine the framework of
our political and moral life.
Gods Proclamation.
"Woe to them that are at ease in
Zion" (verse u. What an indictment.
and of how many can this be said In
this present day. The state of Israel
spoken of by Amos has come down
through the ages. We must not, of
course. suppose that all were In that
state, but rather the majority. Any
one at all interested or familiar with
present-day church life knows how
few are concerned with the fundamen-
tai work of the church, viz, seeking
to save the lost. Not only our indiffer-
ence to those of heathenism but of our
neighbors and companions. How much
are we concerned with the groans and
the cry OF intemperance except per.
hapl to shed a few crocodile tears
and straightway forget? But God by
the mouth of the prophet proclaims
"Woe." We are not called to lease"
but to work, not alone to enjoy but
to suffer, Tim. 212. If we are to
escape the woe we must bestir our
selves and not be at ease. This of
course refers to the war being waged
against evil and not to any matter OF
our personal salvation, Phil. 46. 7R.V.
Pet. ST. This is the ease of indif.
ference to Gods honor and the peril
of men out Of Christ.
The prophet then points to the ma.
tions that bordered about (verse p
and warns them that like as they had
come and gone, risen to eminence and
power and sunken to obscurity and de-
cay, so also will Israel unless it bestir
itself America is strong and proud
but is just as weak as those that have
gone before. We could not stand
halfslave and half-free," no more can
we stand half-intoxicated and half
sober. We may seek to put off the
evil day (verse 81 but whatsoever we
sow that shall we also reap, Gal. 6:7.
Israel relied upon the fortified noun
tains round about, only to find later
such support to be broken reed, for
the day OF reckoning came (9:1O).
Sinners scott at warning, hell is a
myth, judgment and death long way
off, 2 Pet. ga. Governments put off
the proper course of action for politi- !
cal reasons and the people perish.
Witness intemperance in America,
opium (due to Englapds perfidity) in
China, and slavery in Africa. Can God
be a righteous God and overlook these
things? where there is no vision
knowledge of the need and the re-
sources at our command) the people !
perish" e. g., throw of restraint r. ", !
Prov. 29:1S. Lacking a vision, nations,
families and individuals alike perish. |
Rather than to face the issue (verse A. |
we give ourselves to ease and to
tho enjoyn-ents of the sensual ma.
ture. because sentence against the /
evil work is not executed speedily, |
therefore the heart of the sons of men |
is fully set in them to do evil" Eccl /
S:11; and SO to the chant of music |
(verse 81 they drink bowls of wine /
(verse g. and anoint themselves with |
choice ointments but are not con-
cerned about the affliction of Joseph,
=. g., the chosen ones of God.
Display of Wealth.
Here we have a terrific indictment,
These people abounded in "superfiui-
ties" (marg.) suggesting something
of the lavish display of wealth we are
constantly beholding, each seeking to
outvie the other, whereas God is call
ing the Christian to life of simple
ity as the price of power. The intem-
perate way some professed Christians
load up with diamonds, the straining
to attract attention by means OF dress,
as we'll as other forms of display, de-
mands that we pause and ask what
will be the outcome, let alone the ef-
feet upon the Kingdom. See / Peter
S:S, 4; l Tim. 80, 10; Luke 6:24, %;
Matt. 1924.
Therefore" (verse y. Back of
every effect is an adequate cause"
Back of the fall of Babylon was a cor
rupt court, back of the fall of Rome
an enervated, morally emancipated
people; back Of the fall of Jerusalem
a disobedient race who trespassed
once too often.
In bringing this lesson before our
younger scholars we can tell the story
OF Israel's outward prosperity and call
to the fact that like the tall