The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-04

I ton. Injured to austerity of life, and made
/ him the keen unflinching censor Of the
/ vices which flourish in the lap Of luxury.
How he comes to be prophet he tells
/ himself He was no prophet by -educatiop
the prophetic guilds We read about In con-
nection with Elisha. The manner in which
! that they were not always actuated by the
highest motives but men who earned their
( living by their profession, and not in the
strict sense of the term, independent. They
were often tempted to serve in accordance
with the lee they expected to receive. Amos
was none Of these. He was simple country
man Of religious frame of mind who medi-
I tated on the things OF God, but whose bust
ness was with the flocks on the hills or the
his occupation when he became conscious
Jehovah took me from after the flock; and
Jehovah said unto me, Go phoPAesy to my
people Israel" In obedience TO the sum
mons Amos left Judah and went to Israel
then in tho height Of prosperity. to which
it had been raised by the success OF JerO-
| tienal sanctuary. under the. particular
patronage Of the king, and there in the
reused Israel from its self satisfied securi-
ty and sounded only too clearly the knell
Of its approaching doom His discourses
exile. When he named the reigning mon
arch personally. his words excited the
priest Of Bethel, who sought accordingly, 90
obtain his expulsion from the country.
Amos repeated his predictions In still more
emphatic ind pointed terms (7:17) with the
addition Of fresh prophecies (s:1-9 :10).
OF Amoss personal life no further partic-
of the well planned disposition of. his
prophesiss. It is reasonable to suppose that
istrations st Bethel. he returned to his ma
tive home. and there at his leisure arranged
bridge bible
Amos was contemporary with Hosea. and
JeFobosm IL. ana during ri the early ministry
Of Isaiah, b. c. s10-IS5. He saw his first
which which we We learn arm was IN the days Of tzziah
tZech 14:5 Isaiah Il :Z50 He must not be
eonfounded with sAmob, the father of
Amos directed his prophecies chiefly
against the ten tribes of Israel, tho not eN-
Judah ana threatens the k@wdoms that
border Palestine He foretel1S in clear
terms theNaptivity Of the ten tribes. a pre-
diction accomplished 90 yearR later. when
Shalmaneser. King OF Assyr4a. destroyed
the Kingdom and the fearful calamities at
that Col would not utterly destroy the
house of Jacob. but after sitting and
splendor and happiness in the Kingdom Of
subjects. He rebukes also the corruption
OF their manners, which kept pace with
with partiaiity as judges and violence
against fha poor.
ment on al with future restoration for Israel.
The previous occupation OF Amos illustrates
the grace which selects its ministers from
the tents Of the shepherds as well as from
the palace of the sovereign" and qualify
each for the duties to which he is called.
/. Cor. :27-2o.
The idoiitrous priest Amaziah complains
to Jeroboam. who orders Amos to quit the
kingdom and prophesy against Judah. In
the next c;sapter famine Of Gods word is
prophesied. No prophet has more magnif-
icentiy described the Deity. more graveiv
rebuked the luxurious. or reproved in5us-
tive and oppression with greater warmth or
more general Indignation. His prophetic
Oh - hx-t he FaSf of
stephen. the first martyr. and James (Acts
Z 40 43; 15.15-1Tl