LESSON 12. SEPTEMBER 18.—ISRAEL REPROVED
Lesson Scripture, Amos 5: 4-15, A. R. V. (4) "For thus saith Jehovah unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live: (5) but seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to naught. (6) Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live; lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el. (7) Ye who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth, (8) seek Him that maketh the Pleiades and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth (Jehovah is His name); (9) that bringeth sudden destruction upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress. (10) "They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. (11) Forasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions from him of wheat; ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink the wine thereof. (12) For I know how manifold are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins—ye that afflict the just, that take a bribe, and that turn aside the needy in the gate from their right. (13) Therefore he that is prudent shall keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time. (14) "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say. (15) Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate: it may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. Golden Text.—"Seek the Lord, and ye shall live." Verse 6. (1) Whence came Amos to reprove Israel? What was his occupation previous to his call to prophecy to this people? Note 1. (2) After reminding the people of their sins, what gracious invitation is given? Verse 4. Note 2. (3) To what were they enjoined not to seek? Why? Verse 5. Note 3. (4) What injunction was repeated? What would be the penalty of disregarding this counsel? Verse 6. Note 4. (5) What class was then specially addressed? Verse 7. Note 5. (6) Whom were these called to seek? How were they to know who he was? Verse 8. Note 6. (7) What reference is made to Jehovah's power? Verse 9. Note 7. (8) How did the official class regard the one who brought reproof? Verse 10; Isa. 29: 20, 21. (9) How was official corruption especially manifested? Verse 11. Note 8. (10) Who knew all about their transgressions? How were their sins again pointed out? Verse 12. Note 9. (11) What counsel is given to the prudent at such a time? Why? Verse 13. Note 10. (12) What counsel is once more repeated? With what grand inducement? Verse 14. Note 11. (13) How is this counsel continued? What prospect is added? Verse 15; Isa. 1: 16, 17. 1. Amos was a herdsman of Tekoa, in the northern part of the kingdom of Judah, but he was called of God to go and utter reproofs against Israel, the northern kingdom. He prophesied in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam II., king of Israel, about a hundred years after Elijah. Amos first went to Beth-el, which, despite its sacred memories, had become a center of idolatry and the seat of one of the royal palaces. His mission required heroism; as it was like bearding the lion in his den; but he was possessed of the courageous spirit of the faithful shepherd. See ch. 7: 10-17. In delivering his warning message, however, the prophet used marked discretion. He did not abruptly allude to Israel as worse than other peoples, but referred to the judgments of God that awaited Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab; and then spoke of the fire that would yet come upon his own country, Judah, before delivering his special denunciation of Israel. See ch. 1: 1 to 2: 5. 2. Notwithstanding Israel's great sin, there was hope in turning to God. See, also, Isa. 1: 16-20. 3. To seek Beth-el and Gilgal and Beer-sheba meant seeking unto idols, which would result in material loss, as well as in soul famine. See ch. 8: 11-14. 4. "The house of Joseph" is another name for the kingdom of Israel, as Ephraim and Manasseh, sons of Joseph, were the leading tribes in the kingdom. 5. Turning judgment to wormwood has reference to the corruption of the courts, whose judgments worked oppression to the poor. 6. Oriental shepherds in ancient times, being much of the time out at night, especially in the clear summer season, were close observers of the heavenly bodies, and some of them were well versed in astronomy. Job 9: 9; 38: 31-33. They were not all ignorant men, by any means, as, for instance, Abraham, Moses, Job, and David. They had time and opportunity to study the works of nature and to contemplate their origin and lessons. An idolatrous people were looking to certain planets as gods, in fact worshiping the whole host of heaven; therefore a call to seek Him who made these things was really a call to return to the observance of the Sabbath day. No people can go into idolatry who are faithfully keeping the memorial of the true God. This "sign" between God and His people (Ex. 31: 16, 17; Eze. 20: 20) is designed as a protection against idolatry. When we read of Israel's turning to idolatry, it is a sure sign that they had neglected the Sabbath day. See Isa. 58: 13, 14; Amos 8: 4-6. 7. "Sudden destruction upon the strong."—Israel was then enjoying great material prosperity, and had attained her greatest prestige in military power since the division of the kingdom. But, as is ever the case with nations, as wealth accumulated, men decayed. 8. "Burdens of wheat" refers to heavy taxes on crops. An illustration is found in a Turkish custom still extant in some parts. A wheat harvest can not be gathered until permission is given by a government official, and he often withholds the permit until the danger of loss compels the owner to pay him an exorbitant bribe. 9. Taking bribes and turning aside the needy in the gate—where all complaints of the people were heard, and their causes adjudged—is another reference to the corrupt practices of the judges. See, also, Micah 3: 9-12. 10. The prudent would keep silent in such a time, for the reason that protest would do no good, but would rather increase the oppression. 11. "As ye have spoken."—Israel still fancied themselves God's favorites, and their outward prosperity confirmed this thought, notwithstanding their idolatry. Therefore they were exhorted to conform their lives to His will.