Rulership Without Ruin (Micah 4:1-4)
temptations and troubles which He per mits. The favorite promise of many Chris tians is: “ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called ac cording to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). One Christian could not get his car started. He later learned that he would have been killed by driving where a bridge was washed out had he traveled as he had planned! Another Christian found a house for rent because she missed her streetcar and had to wait a few minutes for another car! Yes, all things work together for good to God’s children!
“ O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.” Sometimes it seems that God’s children have more poverty, pain, losses, and sorrows than do those who serve Satan. One of God’s servants has said that God allows the greatest trouble in the lives of those who love Him most because He can trust them never to doubt His wis dom and His love. The needle pricks the cloth, but it makes lovely embroidery or beautiful garments. The sweet briar rose is never truly fragrant until its leaves are crushed. So it is with those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Their lives are made sweeter and stronger for Him by the Pointers on the Lesson What kind of men were the Old Testa ment prophets? Primarily, they were men who told forth the message of God for the people of the day in which they lived. They sought to get those of their day to live righteously. But there were times when in ministering to those of their day that they saw beyond the im mediate time to ■future days of judg ment and glory. And here is where the predictive element in the prophets’ ministry entered. It is well to keep in mind this two-fold character of the ministry of the prophets, which is well illustrated in this week’s lesson. A pro phet is a forth-teller as well as a fore teller. He speaks first for his own day, then looks beyond to future days. Profession Without Possession (Amos 5:21-24) Here the prophet’s message concerns, first of all, the people of his day. But the principle here presented pertains to any day. A form of godliness without the power of it will avail nothing. Is rael’s feasts and sacrifices and all their pious songs were an empty mockery in the sight of God. Their hearts were not right. Those who today engage in the forms of religious service do well to examine their hearts to see just what is really behind these religious exercises. Is there sincerity and integrity of life? Or are these forms, just a veneer that hides a life that is unworthy? God hates the latter (v. 21). Insinuation Without Justification , (Amos 7:10-15) Unspiritual men are quick to point out anything in the life of a servant of God which will tend to decrease their effectiveness. Ofttimes charges and in sinuations are made that are utterly false. Two innuendoes were directed against Amos in this passage. Neither was justified. First, Amaziah insinuated that Amos was working against the wel fare of Israel, that he was a troubler in the land and that he was forming a con spiracy in the nation. The very opposite was true; Amos was working for the good of Israel. He wanted to see sin and idolatry, which were eating the heart out of the kingdom, uprooted. Second, Ama- O C T O B E R , 1948
The predictive element shines forth in this passage. The prophet sees a glo rious day in the future when sin and idolatry will no longer exist but when Messiah shall reign, nations shall be blessed, and the havoc of war no longer will be the menace of the world. Men will give themselves to peaceful pur suits and there will be plenty for all. This is a day when the glorious truth of the coming of the Lord needs to be stressed. Helps for the Children The Message Amos Brought Amos 7: 10-15 Memory Verse: “ Let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24). Following the books of poetry in God’s Library, we find the books of the proph ets. God’s people, the Israelites, sinned fre quently and had to be punished. God always raised up a messenger or a prophet who would ask His people to repent and to come back to Him. Fre quently the people refused to listen to the message of the prophets. Sometimes the prophets’ lives were in danger. FAMOUS ALLEGORY BY JOHN BUNYAN (AUTHOR OF PILGRIM’S PROGRESS )
November 14, 1948 PROPHECY IN THE BIBLE Amos 5:21-24; 7:10-15; Mic. 4:1-4
ziah insinuated that Amos was working in the northern kingdom for “bread” (12), in other words, for personal gain. Nothing was further from the truth. Amos was fulfilling God’s call;- he had other means of livelihood. But divine urgency compelled him to follow God’s bidding. The situation pictured in this passage had not changed since that day.
with biographical sketch and annotations by Dr. Wilbur M. Smith
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