Arkansas State press., 1951-05-11

SclCe kLItIS CAl W AE tlANA t44E
same as VIVA, we can find by read
ing the Old Testament. True. the
nations under the Old Testament
lens ara not big empires ike Rome.
still less like the British Empire.
the kingdom OF Israel was only
about 100 miles long and SO miles
wide, while the kingdom Of judah
was smaller than many an Ameri-
can county.
Promise
yIfHEN Solomon died. the king
w dom he had inherited from
David had already shrunk. After
his death, what was left immedi-
ately split into two kingdoms. the
one on the south called Judah and
DE one In the north called Israel.
The nation of Israel, which
lasted more than 200 years, be-
gan with great promise. Indeed,
one Of Gods prophets Il Kings
WAhad given TO Jeroboam, the
first king, the same promise
which had been given David, Of
IN enduring kingdom on con-
sditien Of obedience to God.
Everything seemed to be favor
able Israel had more territory than
most Of her neighbors had, far
more productive soil. and easy ac-
cess to transportation.
Crash
ISRAEL should have succeeded,
I but It failed. Only little more
than 200 years afterwards, no very
great age as nations go. II crashed
completely. never to rise again.
When the walls Of its "impregna-
bic" capital city Of Samaria, after
. two-year siege. fell to the batter
ing-rams Of the Assyrian army, and
over $1,000 leading citizens were
deported. that was the end Of Is
yael for good and all.
How did this happen?
The Hebrew historian ties
everything into few words
when he says that they wrought
wicked things -. they rejected
Gods statutes they served
idols.
But what were the details? What.
In particular. did the nation of Is
rAel do that was wicked?
Reading the prophet Amos will
give many Of the answers. At the
time he preached, by all chamber
,of-commerce standards Israel was
at the peak Of production and pros
lperity. But he foresaw doom around
the corner. and he gave reasons.
He called spade a spade Read
ing him, or even reading the bald.
or accounts in Kings. we can see
the collapse was no mystery.
Other Gods
NNE thing fundamentally wrong
with Israel was idolatry, This
Vas not the simple matter of
making carved images; 1t meant
takhag some other god" TO be the
true God.
We know what the religions
Of Chemish and Molech and
Baal were like; they were thor
oughly bad. In the law Of the
true God, life and purity were
regarded as sacred; life and
purity under these other gods
were held cheap. But one can
see from reading Amos that
what the people Of Israel real
iy worshipped was stu another
idol to whom no statue was
erected; their own pleasures.
Too many citizens didn't care
what happened TO the country. so
long as they could get their liquor,
Glit ANk Tie NV AN0b AAiE OAA tHNH-
ment from mere curiosity. What
about our own nation, our own PEG.
pie and times? The United Steward
ship Council (now the Joint De-
par4ment Of Stewardship Of the Ma
tional Council Of the Churches Of
Christ in the U. S. A. reports that
every year since 1884, excepting
1896, has shown an increase in
giving through the churches.
But-the percent Of this increase
Ia not SO large as the increase OF
annual income. The increase for
contributions through the church Of
God Is less, far less, than the In.
crease in spending for alcoholic
liquors, soft drinks, candy, football
games, iewelry, and a multitude Of
other things. We. like Israel, are
putting God lastl
tCspyright 1851 BY the Division Of
Christian Education, National Council
o. the Churches 81 CHRIST In the rited
states OF America. Released By WhU
fsaturesD