Vera. 14-16.---Judgment lnevitable. In the preceding verses there is observable an accumulation of human transgression and iniquity. And in these closing verses of the chapter the reader is equally struck with the rhetorical accumulation of figures intended to convey a deep impression of the inevitableness of retribution. L A PICTURE OF HUMAN GREATNESS. Man has his own standard of greatness. The prophet piles up epithets to represent man's power. In vivid colours and in rapid succession there rise before the imagination the figures of the "swift" runner who is wont to overtake his foe, the "strong" hero whose blow cleaves the helmet in twain, the ''mighty" whose praise is upon all lips, the "bowman" whose arrow pierces the fugitive in the battle-field, the "swift on foot" who trusts for safety to his speed, the "horseman" whose charge has often broken the doughty ranks of the enemy, the "courageous," " the strong of his heart," whom no danger daunts. II. A VISION OF Th"EVITABLE RETRIBUTION AND OF THE DISCOMFITURE OF TIIE ENEMIES OF GoD. Even such as those who have been described shall be powerless in the day of the Lord. Exemption from the operation of righteous law is not to be obtained by any human craft or might. The swift shall be overtaken, and the arm of the warrior shall fa.11 powerless by his side. Justice must be vindicated ; the Lord of right will never abandon his sovereign throne.-T. Vere. 9-13.-God and 'IUJ,tions. "Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and bis roots from beneath," etc. These verses suggest a few· remarks in relation to God and nations. L He reminds nations of the GREATNESS OF HIS KINDNESS TOWARDS THEM. In these venes he reminds Israel of two great merciful interpositions of his on their behalf. (1) The destruction of the Amorite-the original inhabitant of Canaan. Amorite here stands for all the old Ce.naanites. He drove out the Canaanites that Israel might possess and enjoy the goodly land in which they then lived (Exod. xxiii. 27). (2) Their emancipation from Egypt and their guidance into the Holy Land. "Also I brought you up from Egypt, and led you into the promised land." These two great acts of kindness are mentioned only as specimens of millions of others. 'l'he language in which these acts are represented suggest three great truths in relation to God's conduct toward the world. 1. He often sacrifices one people in order to advance the intere,sts of another. The old Canaanites he sacrificed for the good of Israel. In the history of the world this is often done; one country ruined for the advantage of auother. This is m.a.rvellons; it clashes with our primitive ideas of justice and Divine goodness. But we cease to murmur when we remember that there is a great explaining day, and that the peoples that have been ruined for the interests of others have never suffered more from the hands of God than they have justly de,erved. 2. That the mightiest hT///'1W/fl, powers cannot obstruct hi,m in his procedure. The Amorites, the original inhabitants of Canaan, were a great people. It is said their "hei6 ht was like the height of cedars," and they were "strong as oaks." They were in the great field of mankind not like the tender sapling or the stunted shrub; they were tall as the cedars and mighty as the oak (Numb. xiii. 32, 33). 'l'hen Egypt, too, from which he delivered. them, was a mighty power. Pharaoh was the greatest despot of the old world. But what was all this human power before the march of Omnipotence? The mighty Canaanite and the powerful Egyptian were as mere stubble under his feet. God will not be hindered. 3. That he fuljils his great purposes with nations by the agency of men. He crushed the Canaanit.es and he crushed the Egyptians, not by hurling directly from his hand the thunderbolts. No; but by the agency of Joshua and Moses. God works with men by men. By men he blesses and by men he puni.J;hes. He allows man to be the devil of man, and be makes man the saviour of man. II. He reminds nations of THE A.BOBE OF TBE MERCIES BE BAD CONFERRED ON THEM. OB. m. 1-15,] THE BOOK 01!' AMOS. 89
He specifies here two special mercies which he had bestowed upon Israel. 1. A apiritual miniatry. "And I raised up of your eone for prophet,." He ga.ve them men whom ho duly qua.lilied to indoctrina.te a.nd in8pire them with the highest truths of duty and of destiny. The greatest blessing which God bestows upon a. people is a tr?.UJ ministry. 2. Virtuous young men. "Your young men for Nazarites." "These were young mon who," to use the language of another, "bound themselves by a vow to God and his service, and, in pursuance of that, denied themselves many of the lawful delights of sense, as drinkiug wine and eating grapes. Thero were some of their young men that were in their prime for the enjoyment of the pleasures of this life, and yet voluntarily abridged themselves of them; these God raised up by the power of hie grace to be monuments of his grace, to his glory, and to be his witnesses against the impieties of that degenerate age." Virtuous and high-min<led young men are amongst the chief ornaments and brightest hopes of a people. But how did Israel treat these Divine mercies? "They commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not." Tbey did not wish to hear their voices; they closed their ears to their ministry. To a great extent this is the case with our own country now. The great bulk of our people say to the pulpits of England, bj their conduct, "Prophesy not;" we do not want your ministry. Sad state this-a state of sin and the precursor of ruin. How did Israel treat these virtuous young men? "They ga.ve the Nazarites wine to drink." They caused them to break their vow. This they did, it may be, by seductive promises, or frightening t.hreats, or abashing ridicule and reproach. A. greater crime than the crime of a people endeavouring to make young men drunkards can scarcely be imagined, and this crime England is on all hands earnestly promoting. The multiplication in our midst of beer-houses and gin-palaces, all under the sanction of law, is an insult to Heo.ven, an outrage on decency, a curse to the country. It behoves every philanthro- pist to take his stand against this abomination, and to sweep from the earth such hnge establishments of the devil as the Burton breweries and the infernal spirit-distilleries, whence streams of poison flow through every grade of social life. "Every inordinate cup is unbless'd, and the ingredient is a devil;" "0 thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil!" (Shakespeare).-D. T.
EXPOSITION.