The Pulpit Commentary — Amos — Section 21

greater than it bad before, or would ever have again. Amos, however, as a true "seer," saw under the surface of society. He was not to be diverted from sins and woes at home by dashing enterprises abroad. He knew that the poor were oppressed, that other classes were sinking into luxurious effeminacy, that the worship of Jehovah was ignored; a.nd these and other evils he rightly traced to the idolatry which had its seat in Bethel. Inspired by God to denounce these sins, he visited the towns and villages of Israel, everywhere delivering his messa.ge, until he came to Bethel itself, and boldly denounced idolatry in its choseo seat. He was expelled the kingdom by force, in obedience to the order of Jeroboam, who was instigated. by Amaziah the high priest. But (as Church history has often shown) the attempt to silence a voice from God made its echoes reverberate through all the ages. Secluded in his little native village, Amos recorded the words which God had given him as a message to his contemporaries, and hence they have come down to us for our iostruction. The history of the man and the style of his teaching in themselves teach us important lessons. We are reminded first- L THAT Gon OFI"EN CHOOSES HIS SERVANTS FROM AMONGST MEN OF LOW EST.A.TE, We often quote the words (1 Cor. i. 27, 28), "God bath chosen the foolish thinas of the world to confound the wise; and God bath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, bath God chosen." But we glide over the surface of that assurance with- out noting, as we should do, its deep significance and profound truth. As a. matter of history, however, it is true that the world is most indebted, not to its kings, but to its shepherds, fishermen, and tentmakers. In the stress of poverty and toil, not in the indulgences of luxury, the noblest characters have been formed, It is what a. man is, and not what a man has, that fits him for the service of God. The Church has lost much moral power by ignoring that. No one can visit our places of worship without noticing that members of the artisan class are conspicuous by their absence. Their energy and activity are too often antagonistic to religion. And since they form the basis of society, and it is ultimately their work which makes our wealth, the outlook is sufficiently serious. Doubtless they are to blame, but the Church is to blame also, Abstention from places of worship is often due, in its initial stage, to absence of welcome; to the unexpressed desire, on the part of Christians, to treat certaio of their fellow-men as a. separate class, which is "to be done good to" with effusive bene- volence. Once more let it be true that "the rich and the poor meet together, and the Lord is the Maker of them all," that "the poor have the gospel preached to them," and we shall see a marvellous change. Those who now, when intelligent, are too often cynically sceptical, or, when degraded, are too often sunk low in drunkenness, will become as of yore-amongst the noblest upholders of love, righteousness, and truth. II. THAT Gon DESIRES ms SERVANTS TO DO THEIR WORK NATURALLY. Amos drew almost all his illustrations from the natural objects and scenes with which he wu familiar in hie calling among the herdmen. Perfect naturalness is a source of moral power to any teacher, especially to a. teacher of religious truth. Nothing is more offensive in him than pretence, unreality, and affectation. To ape the style of another man, to speak confidently on subjects which have not been personally studied, etc., brin"s nothing but contempt. Be real and genuine, and thoroughly yourself, wherever you ~re, but most of all in speak.in~ for God. A.mos the herdmo.n would not put on the style of Solomon the king. He was as wise as David was when he put off the armour of Saul because it was untried and therefore unsuitable, The shepherd lad was mightiest with the shepherd's sling and stone. III. THAT GoD MAKES ms WORLD TO BE VO0AL WITH TEA.OKING. The prophecy of Amos is crowded with scenes which the herdman had witnessed. It is worthy of study, if only as a bold picture of the incidents of village life in the East in olden days. Let UR trust ourselves to bis guidance in imagination. We see the gin set for the bird, and the snare spread for the game. We hear the roar of the lion in the thicket when he has caught hie prey, and stand by the fisherman with his h~ks, as with skill and patience he plies his craft. We watch the man fleeing from the lion only to meet the bear, and the fugitive bandit hoping for refuge in the caverns of Mount Carmel, We follow Amos to the field. Here the ploughman and vinedresser are busy at work; and there the gardens, cursed with mildew and blasting, bear no fruit, Now we lie~ llB. I. 1-1B.) THE BOOK OF A.M.08. 21