THE KING’S BUSINESS
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judgments—like John again (Mark 1:3, 4; 6:18; Matt. 3:30). The rich, the cultured, the disciples of the schools, are seldom re formers. Heroes are of another mould (Matt. 11:7, 8). 3. His Times. He prophesied B. C. 793; 2700 years ago. Great changes have come through the ages, but man, and sin, and God’s Word and ways with men remain un changed. Therefore Amos is up-to-date. His were times of great material prosperity and great moral degeneracy, especially in Israel under Jeroboam II. Wealth, em pire, culture, “civilization” do not tend to improve character or conduce to increase happiness. A fact which wise men have always seen (Ecclesiastes) and all men would see but for “the blinding effect of sin.” Not of necessity ¡but in reality “pros perity” tends to degrade and to destroy; a fact, too, which if all teachers could truly see and clearly show in all the world today by the help of Amos and the grace of God they might produce much of that gain which is “Gpdliness with contentment” (1 Tim. 6:6). Better Amos poor, uncouth, simple, sincere, and independent of all save God the Almighty, than Jeroboam power ful, rich, wretched, and doomed. 4. His Auditors. These were the rulers, the rich, the profligate, including sycophant priests and false prophets who wished to “stand in” with their patrons. These were and always are “optimists” and hate a “pes simistic” Amos (7:10-13). But indirectly he prophesied to the people, for they are al ways like their priests and princes. In our land the people are the princes, and have the power in their own hands to correct abuses if they would. For this reason the very children in the Sunday schools should hear what Amos has to say for govern ing their own conduct, and their country in days to come. II. O ur T ext — Amos 6:1-8. 1. The Prophet Charged Them — (1) With idleness, "At ease.”—They had no aim in life; no “high calling” (Phil. 3: 14). Every crumb they ate was a theft, but their surfeiting was wholesale robbery
(2 Thes. 3:7-10). God gives men life, wealth, place to serve; and a curse is his who can but won’t. Did you ever hear of Meroz? (Judges 5:23). Our “Four Hun dred is a symbolic number. We have tens of thousands of rich idlers, and millions who would be such, and it is not their fault that Satan has not more “mischief still” for them to do. Amos says, “At ease in Zion”—yes, even in the Church there are myriads selfishly at ease, indif ferent to the claims of civil, philanthropic, evangelistic and spiritual obligations, who never ask, “Shall I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease?” As a church member said to the writer, seemingly in earnest, “Oh, I’m going to heaven in a very comfortable way.” “Woe, to such as are at ease.” Get something to do, something worth while, something for God and man, and, as Carlyle said, “Get it quick.” (2) With a false trust, “And trust in the mountains of Samaria”—a Gibraltar- like citadel. No physical or philosophical defenses, rocks, battleships, stalwart health, mints of money, bright intellect, bad the ology, can save when God gets after the sinner behind his “spider webs” and “un tempered mortar" (Job 8:14; Ezek. 13:10). The neglectful citizens .trust that “God takes care of infants, idiots, and the United States,” and the minister, an elder or two, and a few godly women the church, the Sunday school, and missions. (3) With reckless procrastination, “That put far off the evil day.” Somehow their optimism does not satisfy. There is in all their merriment “a certain fearful looking for of judgment” (Heb. 10:27). As to the social wreck—“It will not come in my time’ (2 Kings 20:19), as to the wreck of the soul, “It’s a good way off, meantime we’ll have a good time, and we’ll repent in due time” (Luke 12:20). (4) With oppression, “Cause the seat of violence to come near”—They used their opportunity for unjust exaction (Ps. 94: 20). “Violence” is not so evident among us, though we have it, and large public sen-
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