Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-11-26
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER q
AMOS, THE FEARLESS PRoPHE-

Among the prophets Amos bulks
large. His message (B. c. 1877 p is !
most thoroughly modern and its ap- (
plication to our present day problems
deserves careful consideration. Read |
the entire book prayerfully. Chapters
l and 2 enumerate the sins of the
nation and of Israel: 3-6 contain ad-
dresses of the prophet: 7:1-9, 10 rec
ords his visions and the conclusion,
9:ll-15 is a Messianic prophecy. The
modern prophet of social service and
those who neglect a proper consider
alton of applied Christianity" both
ought to ponder well this passage.
|. Jehovah's Lamentaton, w. 1-3. The
words of this lesson are those of Je-
hovah spoken to the house of Isreal
but apply to all people of all ages.
Verse one is prophecy of the mas
ter's grief over the holy city (Luke
1894; 19:4). Outwardly rich and
opulent, in Jehovah's sight the ma
ton had already fallen ". 2 R. VI
and there 'is none (present tense) to
raise her up" Israel is personified
as maiden sorely wounded. Spoken
decades before, Israel did fall and has
risen no more But there is a possibil-
ity of mercy. There is here COM
mand and a promise and those who
| obey the command will obtain the
promise of life.
To seek ye me" w. ~ is to turn
the face to him rather than to turn
the back. It implies the forsaking
of all evil thoughts, yea, our own
thoughts and ways and to turn unto
him who will abundantly pardon lisa.
-55:6-7; Deut. 30:2S). There is life for
the most outbreaking and outrageous
sinner if he will seek the Lord.
II. The Prophets Exhortation, w. 40.
The places mentioned in verse five
had each been made sacred by Gods
| presence and subsequently degraded
by idolatry. Bethel especially so.
! (Gen. 1878; 28:10-18; Kings 12:29-29).
These new religions and the false
worshiping were beguiling even the
sincere and unwary, hence the warn
ing. We need to beware of the mani
fold new cults" lest we depart from
the faith of our fathers. America is
today standing upon a social and re-
ligious crater in many ways similar to
ancient Israel. God is either con-
/ suming fire (Heb. 15:28-29; Mark
9:43-49) to the impenitent or else
minister of grace to those who repent.
Verse seven is suggestion regard
ing the rulers of that day and finds
far too many counterparts in our own
times. In verse Jehovah exhorts
the people to seek him and live"
In verse 6 the prophet utters the
same cry. Now ". 81 the appeal is to
seek him because to do so is wisdom.
fa) 1t is he that maketh the stars,
the earth, yea, everything, and it is
well to be On his side FPS. 19). (b)
He ''turneth the shadow of death into
morning" Or. W (see Ps. 30:5). Who
can comprehend the vast host of his
saints for whom this has been done?
(c) He 'maketh the day dark with
the night" (R. W. This he is doing
repeatedly. The God who set the day
in it's turn can also turn it aside;
he has done it both past and present.
(d) He "calleth for the waters-and
earth" This is both poetical and
scientific. God delivers the rain and
upon him we all depend. 1t is the part
OF wisdom as well as of life to be on
the side of the self-eXistent, eternal Je-
hovah against whom mans strength
is as nothing ". 81.
Wat man creates. man can destroy.
7 7 fn
God any less able?
III. The Word of Application, w.
1915. Sinners always hate the man
who rebukes their sin. Scripture is
not needed to prove this fact, for we
see it today. We are specifically
wicked Nuke 626) and any true and
upright witness for Christ knows that
, he is abhorred by those whose lives
> are crooked John 3:18, 20). Verse
J II "a. W sounds very much like
f many of the structures that are being
made regarding the acts of some OF
, the rich of today. How frequently we
, behold mansions built from the pro-
ceeds of oppression deserted by the
> ones who anticipated their occupancy
=. How few fortunes are really expended
: and enjoyed by those who make the
v accumulation. The manner by which
9 we accumulate, our conduct towards
+ the just (Acts 7:52), our acceptance
? of bribes. and our neglect of the needy
and the poor is all known to God
(v. 12). Therefore" even as today
it is difficult and costly to get justice
in our courts, even as iniquity is rapid
s ly growing in the earth, about all the
e prudent man can do is to hold his
II peace. to wait upon God and watch fol
# him. He it is who must call with
l. trumpet voice lisa. 58:D even though
# he does now speak with human lips
II The fourth exhortation to seek" "
e 14) is to search after the good. though
l. the time be an ''evil one"
The individual is to seek good. tt
= hate evil, and do all in his power tt
{ establish justice in the gate" viz
D so far as in his power lies, exalt tt
: the positions of rulers and governor:
those who also seek good, not evil
:. The result will be that Jehovah, thc
y God of hosts, will be with u.s. even il
: this evil time (See Gen. 1922, 8. %
:, Phi. l4:8-9O.
Is True goodness is to hate evil ant
10 love the good" FPS. 97:10; Rom 10:9)
4. By this test we may know if we reall,
% hate sin, if we are truly y:sstacus
d This is the path of blessednes
n (Heb. l:6).
e Our nation needs the Jehovah 0
D Amos, a sense of sin and a realization
that sinners are lost.
We have churches and lack reveI
ence; we have preachers but are no