Middletown transcript., 1922-03-11
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Sl1|1n,l!|day,Schoel
' Lesson '
By REV. +. B. FITZWATER. D. D..
Teacher Of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute OF ChicagoD
LESSON FOR MARCH IL
AMOS WARNS ISRAEL (TEMPER.
ANCE LESSON)
LESSON TEXT-Amos els.

ANCE lESSON)
LESSON TEXT-Amos 6:1-s.
GOLDEN TEXT-Wine is a mocker.
strong drink is raging: and whosoever Is
deceived thereby is not wise.-Prov O:l.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Isa. o:n.
II, %. %; 2Sl-l3; Hosea 4:11 Gal. e:l9-2l.
PRIMARY TOPIC-God Sends Amos on
an Errand.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Prophet Who Was
q Friend to the Poor
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
The Consequences of Self-Indulgence.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Social Evils Yet to Be Conquered.
The kingdom of Israel reached a
high state of prosperity in the time OF
Jeroboam II, and with 1t came Il con-
dition of luxury, corruption and
wickedness.
The judgment woe of this lesson Is
directed against the sins of the upper
classes in Samaria. The same sins are
practiced in America, in the nation
and in the church. With the increase
of wealth in America has come luxury,
corruption and gross wickedness which
staggers the Imagination. 1t behooves
all to give a listening ear, for God will
eventually enter into Judgment. Our
lesson is temperance lesson. Temper
ance applies to other things than in
dulgence in intoxicating liquor. Our
age is intoxicated with pleasure, pur-
suit of gain and selfish ambition.
|. Reckless Security wv. 1-3).
They were blind to the perils that sur
rounded them. They were living in
tn
the approaching storm of judgment as
predicted by Amos. They trusted in
~ mountains of Samaria for their
protection. They regarded their city
as impregnable. They no Goubt re-
garded the utterance of Amos as i'm
practicable-the dreams of fanatic.
The tragic thing about this blindness
on the part of the chief ones of the
nation was they were so puffed up
with pride that they failed to read
the signs of the times in the light of
history ". 2.) The cities Of Calneh
and Klamath, though great and mighty,
had fallen. To disregard the lessons
of history, to dismiss the thought of
impending judgment, is to bring near
the seat of violence" ". 81. Let
chaotic Europe and Russia be the red
lights of warning to America, and let
all injustice and class selfishness be
laid aside.
II. Luxury wv. 4-G).
The luxury of these upper classes In
Samaria expressed itself in: /. Extrav-
| agant furniture ". ~. They had beds
| of ivory-perhaps wood inlaid with
| ivory. Costly as their furniture was in
| that day, 1t was commonplace as COM
| pared to some of the expensive furnl-
ture and fittings in our great cities.
2. Laziness ". ~. They stretched
themselves upon their couches-lived
lives of Incidence. Such is the way
of many still.
| 3. Feasted on delicacies ". A.. The
implication here is that they had their
dainties out of season. This is what
many of the rich pride themselves in.
4 Adorn their feasts with music
". 81. They sang Idle songs-even in
vented musical instruments for this
purpose. They prostituted the noble
art of music to their sensual feasts.
5. They drank wine ". 81. They
| "ClS hol NoiitNhl with vi
ing vessels. They drank from bowls,
indicating excessive drinking. They
were so mastered by the intoxicating
cup that their feasts which were
adorned with the refinements of music
ended in drunkenness.
III. Failure to Grieve for Joseph
". @.
Joseph here stands for Ephraim
and Manasseh, his two sons. Eph-
rain became the principal tribe
of the northern kingdom, SO Joseph is
used as synonym for the nation. The
upper classes were indulging in these
effeminate luxuries, entirely Indifferent
to the groanings of the masses. And
whenever such condition exist In Il
nation there Is need of Amos to
thunder Gods Judgment upon those
who are guilty of it.
w. The Inevitable Issue wv. ,S).
l. They shall go into captivity ". y.
The northern nation was first in sin,
therefore first to go into captivity.
What striking contrast this picture!
Instead of lying on ivory couches
feasting upon dainties, they are with
the suffering eXiles.
| 2. The certainty of the issue ". 81.
1t Is inevitable because Of Gods ma
ture. He is n God of justice. He
has sworn that Judgment shall fall.
He is the God Of hosts-the controller
of the whole universe, therefore none
can escape. God hates the wickedness
of the world, and He will bring into
judgment the men and women who
revel in luxury with no concern for
the poor and needy. Though God
waits long. He does not forget. The
only escape for America is repentance.
| Mcditation