The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-14
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cism. Our first great prophets were
Elijah and Elisha. Thru their influ-
ence the nation fully acknowledged
Jehovah as it's god. For the next half
century both kingdoms had great
prosperity under able rulers and grew
strong, secure and wealthy. The rul-
Ing classes used their power unscrup-
ulously to acquire riches. Greed,
violence. injustice, fraud. became SO
common that they excited little re-
mark. Even prophets and priests
shared in the carnival of selfish greed.
The people were proud of their his
tory, scrupulous about their religious
duties. and confident that Jehovah,
their God was loading them with
blessings, and would bestow. yet
greater ones. Their theory of religion
made 1t a system of observances, the
hearty fulfillment of which would in
sure the protection and favor or Goa.
That He would measure the quality
as we'll as the quantity of such wor-
ship they hardly seem to realize. I'M
der these conditions the conquering
nation OF Assyria produced crisis In
IsraePs religious life. Would Jehovah
protect his people? Was 1t worth while
10 be loyal to him? Upon true an
swer hung the faith 'of the Hebrews.
None but a prophet could give it. At
This juncture Amos, Hosea and Isaiah
saved Israers faith by broadening 1t.
When Amos, who belonged to Judah,
appeared in the northern kingdom
I'd accused them of injustice. oppres-
sion and self-indulgence, they refused
to hear the Shepherd preacher. He
denounced their sins and declared that
rs sure as Jehovah was a God of JUS
tice, he would destroy that corrupt
nation. The rulers drove him back to
his home in Tekoa and told him they
wanted no more of his preaching.
Amos replied that, in silencing him.
they defied Jehovah, and ahead of
them was only misery and captivity.
1t was about the middle of the
sighth century B. c., AAsyria had laid
her mighty hand on all the petty
people conceived of Jehovah very
much as their neighbors. Moab or
Edom did of their national gods.
While they faithfully carried rich Of
,erings to His sanctuaries. they felt
that they would be protected. As
faith in God as being willing or able
to deliver His people. The prophets
alone realized that the calamities
came to the nation not because God
was unable to avert it, but because
the sins Of His people rendered the
Judgment necessary. Not until bitter
national experiences had prepared the
way did the people begin to heed the
warnings of their enlightened leaders.
The task which confronted Amos
was not inviting. He had little en-
couragement that his words would be
needed. The fact that he was a hum
BILE shepherd was much against him
Being from Judah would also cause
prejudice, and then his message was
one of Incorporating denunciation
for which the rulers would not stand
1t is not improbable that the act OF
tyranny which brought the mission OF
Amos to an abrupt end in the North
kfnUdan1 lad linn, fn ri
the pen. when his lips We're silenced
and thus rendered his words immortal
The little diagram that follows will
show most wildly the splendid man.
ner in which Amos outlined his SER
mon. 1t is the graphic way in which
Mr.. White portrays to his Bible classes
how Amos brought his story of Their
captivity home to the Northern King.
dom. Beginning with Damascus and
following the line around to the CEN
ter we can easily follow the reading OF
the first two chapters.
The Message of Hosea.
Some five or ten years after Amos
preached his sermons at Bethel Hosea
began to preach. His intense sympa-
thy for northern Irrael proves that he
must have been one of them. Love
for IsraeIs fair fields and hills, fol
her people, as we'll as for her Coo
was his master passion. Hosea was
poet, and projected into the distan
future the ideal of perfect harmon,
and love between Jehovah and Hi
creation which filled his soul anC
dominated his every word and act
His fate it was. however. to stand b,
and see that ideal trampled upon b,
his unappreciative countrymen. Tn
social, political and religious evil
pointed out by Amos had begun t.
sap the strength of the state, and be
cause, under Jeroboam second, tn
state seemed strong the people coul
not realize the ruin Hosea proclaime
in his sermons. The body polite be
came corrupt from top to bottom
Social evils increased. Private as we
as public honor was lost. Immoralit
was openly practiced unrebuked Tn
debasing customs of the Caananitis