THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S edy for intemperance that is thorough, lasting and effective is the Gospel of the grace of God‘ in the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Friday, March 10. Amos 6:1-6. A Faithful Preacher , Amos was a simple herdsman who received no training in the schools of the prophets. He is an illustration of that grace which selects its ministers from the tents of the shepherd as well as from the palace of the sovereign. He was no .Jonah, fleeing from the call of duty, but showed a bold and uncom promising spirit in the fulfillment of his Divine commission. His message was stern and searching. He uttered many denunciations but few promises. He announced not only the impending ruin of the house of Jeroboam, but the end of the Northern kingdom itself. That he, a man of such humble origin and lowly calling, should have left his herd and with staff in hand, should have journeyed so far from home and into another and hostile kingdom, shows how deeply God’s message had sunk into his soul. Saturday, March 11. Amos 7:7-9. The Plumb Line The plumb line judges every slant wall. The Word of God is a plumb line, a straight edge and a spirit level in the relation of morals and religion. The word “ canon” originally signified a carpenter’s rule. As applied to the Scriptures it means the books which we regard and accept as Divinely in spired and which contain God’s rule of righteousness. Scripture is not made a canon by human authority, but only recognized as such. If any book of Scripture was without Divine authority in the church, it never could acquire it. The church never made any book authoritative that was not so before. Neither do we receive the books of .Scripture on the authority of the Fathers and councils. We receive them as the Fathers and councils re ceived them because we have evidence that they are the writings of the men whose names they bear and that they are credible, authentic and inspired. Sunday, March 12. Amos 8:1-10. A Basket of Summer Fruit There is a marked advance in the vision of summer fruit on that of the plumb line. In that judgment was represented as certain. Here it is rep resented as imminent. The decayed spots of the fruit are pointed out In
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verses 4-6. The solemn announcement o f dire judgment on the people for their evil works is given in verses 7-10. Thus Amos fulfilled his ministry. 2 Tim 4:5. Completeness of character is only a little more beautiful than completeness of effort. It is usually the result of such effort. Fulfil is simply fill full. It is our privilege to fill life up to the brim and have it run over like a living fountain. Each day may be pressed down and running over with benevo lence, generosity and devotion. God does not demand a ten-talent dividend from a one-talent man. He preserves a true ratio in requiring according as each hath received a gift. I Pet. 4:10. Monday, March 13. 2 Kings 17:1-12. The Sin of Israel The kingdom of Israel began in a rebellion and ended in an overthrow by a foreign power. The seeds of de struction were sown by Solomon. The introduction of foreign wives into the royal family was the first step. They brought idolatry, which spread through the nation like a plague. The prophet Ahijah told Jeroboam the conditions under which he might take and hold the throne. He no' sooner came into power than he laid the foundation of national ruin, by changing the place of worship, 1 Kings 12:28-30, by chang ing the symbol of God, 1 Kings 12:28,, by changing the appointed ministry, 1 Kings 12:31, and by changing the time of sacred feasts, 1 Kings 12:32. After Jeroboam eighteen kings reigned in turn and it is said of every one except Shallum, who reigned but a few months, that “ he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” It took 250 years to reap the harvest. “Whatsoever a man (or a nation) soweth,' that shall he also reap.” Tuesday, March 14. 2 Kings 17:13-18. The Judgment on Israel Hoshea, during whose reign Samaria fell, was not the worst of Israel’s kings, yet the cup of the nation’s iniquity was full and destruction must follow. God punishes sin with sin. The people abandoned themselves to every idola trous practice observed by the grossest heathenism. They sacrificed their chil dren to the hideous god Moloch. Be cause they sold themselves to do evil like Ahab, 1 Kings 21:25, “ the Lord removed them out of his sight,” in other words, He permitted them to be taken from their own land' into a strange and foreign country. He sep-
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