THE KI NG ' S BUSINESS
277
July- August, 1934
The offerings were not accepted by the Lord, and the sacrifices were not regarded by Him (v. 22). Alb the outward show of religion was vanity. It rose no higher than the smoke o f the sacrifices. And much o f the religion o f today is similar to that o f Amos’ time. There is a denial o f God’s truth on the part o f many who profess to worship Him. Israel’s rejection o f the Lord is seen to be complete when the Lord refused to ac cept even their songs and the notes o f their musical instruments (v. 23). However aesthetic might be their service, there was nothing to please God in it, and the whole thing was rejected by Him. And with the rejection of the offered worship, there was the rejection also of the worshipers. T o the onlooker, unacquainted with the holi ness. o f God, it might have appeared that these people would be specially favored by the Lord. But to the eye o f the prophet, illumined by the Holy Spirit, all the sham was a hateful thing from which God must turn in disgust. And the welfare of the nation o f Israel was centered in her wor ship. Thus; when the worship was not ac cepted o f God, it meant virtually the re jection o f the nation. IV. T he H ope o f I srael (24). While there remained any opportunity for repentance, God continued to plead with the people (v. 24). There were two things which God demanded, if the people would repent and turn back to Him. There must be, first o f all, the establishment o f justice in the land. “ Let judgment run down as waters.” The word suggests a cloudburst that would sweep before it the injustice and the oppression of the poor, which was so prévalent in the nation. No halfway measures would suffice. But like a rushing mighty wall o f water, judg ment was to be allowed to flow over all the shameful criminality. And, in the second place, after the sweeping away o f injustice, there must fol low the establishment of righteousness as a mighty stream. When righteousness was once thus established, there would be no further opportunity for the return of the evils against which the prophet spoke. That righteousness was to be a powerful stream, not to be dammed up again by a return to the old order. It was God’s holiness and truth which the prophet insisted upon—not the return o f mere outward observance o f religious rites and ceremonies. This regard for God’s righteousness would lead to the uplift of all the people. Instead o f the condition in which one favored class received all the benefits and maintained its position by se ducing the authorities and oppressing the weak and the poor, all the people would share in the prosperity. Amos pleaded for justice, and his words are as applicable to our times as to those in which he lived. Points and Problems 1. In describing the lamentable social conditions in the time o f the prophet, Amos declares: “ They hate him that rebuketh in the gate” ( Amos 5 :10). It was at “the gate" o f the cities and villages that the judges sat to decide the controversies which arose between the people. This place was the court o f the city. The demand of Jehovah in verse 15 is to “establish justice in the gate.” Evidently these wealthy sinners had corrupted the judges; and when a judge was found who did his duty, they hated him. 2. In teaching this lesson, it would be well to include all the material from verse 10 to 24. The section omitted in the print ed lesson is very important, dealing with
BLACKBOARD LESSON
the prophet hinted that there was still time for the people to repent and to find grace in God’s sight; that is, there would be forgiveness if they would abandon their evil practices, and seek the Lord, rather than mere religion. In the prophet’s words there was also a hint that the threatened judgment will be neither a complete nor final rejection of Israel as a people. Amos condemned the lawlessness of the people (v. 10). The expression, “him that reproveth in the gate” (v. 10, R. V .), refers to the magistrate who honestly attempted to equitably dispense justice, the “gate” corresponding to our law courts. But the leaders abhorred the judge who would speak uprightly. Graft and political influ ence were being used to further terrible in justices. When the courts o f law can be seduced into aiding criminals, there is little hope for any nation; yet such a condition prevailed in Israel. Amos condemned the treatment o f the poor (v. 11). By their control o f the courts, the leaders were enabled to take away from the poor man the just rewards o f his labor. But the prophet declared that these criminals would not be permitted to dwell in the houses they built from their ill-gotten gains, nor to drink o f the wine from the vineyards which had been secured by unjust dealings. The offenders were warned that their manifold sins were known (v. 12). Nothing is hid from the eye o f the Lord. While wicked deeds may not be publicly known, the record o f all crime is before Him. In the verses o f this lesson, God appears to look upon bribery and affliction of the poor as being heinous beyond most sins. When bribery can be practiced in any land, there is an end to justice, and the poor are caused to suffer. Instead of being an an cient prophet, speaking to an ancient peo ple whose ways and modes of living are far removed from our own, Amos might very well be a modern voice speaking o f condi tions in our own times. Because o f the widespread influence of the bribers and their partners in crime, it was not prudent for any one to raise a voice in condemnation (v. 13). The whole nation seems to have been so corrupt that to complain o f conditions would have brought sore persecution to the complainer. Consequently, honest men became afraid to testify to the corruption o f which they were aware. The condition was not unlike that which prevails today, when witnesses in criminal courts can be so terrorized by gangsters that it is difficult to secure testi mony against the lawbreakers when they are brought to court. But such was the seed which grew into the final ruin of Israel, and such is the seed which will issue in the ruin o f America, unless it can be killed before it develops. The prophet pleaded with Israel to for sake the evil, to turn to the good, and to establish righteousness in the land (vs. 14, IS). God refrained from bringing judg ment upon a people until He had given that people every opportunity to escape the threatened punishment. These people to whom Amos spoke knew the evil of their ways—their unrighteous dealings, their op pression of the poor, their use o f political influence to further their schemes to de fraud the poor—and Amos put these sins before them in plain language. Yet there was no malice in his heart or in his speech, for he immediately pointed out the way of escape from the punishment that was prom ised. If the people turned from their evil ways, then God would be with them in truth. In their folly, they dared to say that He was with them, in spite o f their sin. It is a terrible thing for any one to
go on in known sin, claiming that God is with him. III. T he R ejection o f I srael (21-23). There was much outward religion in Israel in those days. The people were oc cupied with many religious feasts and as semblies. But underneath all the outward show, there remained the corrupt practices and the terrible sins. As a result, the cere monies were a stench before God. He could say, “ I hate” your rites and ceremonies, “ I despise” your religious observances, and I “ will take no delight in your solemn as semblies” (v. 21, R, V .). There was much that was solemn in the eyes o f man. Mag nificent services were held. Pomp and dis play characterized the religion o f the times. But it was all an offense to the God who loved righteousness above all things and therefore hated iniquity. As long as the people persisted in their unrighteous ness, they could have no appeal to God, however solemn and pompous were their religious rites. And what was true of that day is of course true o f ours. Letters B y M artha S nell N icholson 1 The one 1 love went way out West To make a home for me, as best He could. And he would write to me From far away, so tenderly, It seemed he bared his very heart, And we were not so far apart I I’d read his letters o’er and q’er. He’d tell me what to do before I came to him, and what to bring, And how to find the way. I’d sing All day, and dream about that home, And how he’d greet me when I’d come. What would he think of me If, when I saw him, I should say, : “I was so busy every day I never read your words to me, The words you wrote so tenderly I” The Lord I love went on ahead To make a home for me. He said He would come back again. And He, 0 gracious love, He wrote to me I He knew I was so weak and blind And foolish that I could not find The road alone. He told me thirigs That all earth’s wise men and its kings Have never guessed, yet I foreknow I f I but read His Word. And, oh, Such depths of love on every sheet I My soul is trembling at His feet. What would He think of me If, when I saw Him, I should say, “I was too busy every day To read what Thou didst write to m e; 1 really hadn’t time for Thee!”
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