Amos 2:12

But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not. BUT YE GAVE THE NAZARITES WINE TO DRINK - ye so despised these my favours as to tempt the Nazarite to break his vow. AND COMMANDED THE PROPHETS, SAYING, PROPHESY NOT - and forbade the prophets prophesying (). So Amaziah forbade Amos (Amos 7:12, "Prophesy not again anymore at Beth-el")....

But it now follows, _Ye have to the Nazarites quaffed wine, and on the Prophets ye have laid a command, that they should not prophesy _God complains here that the service which he had instituted had been violated by the people. It seems indeed a light offense, that wine had been given to the Nazarites; for the kingdom of God, we know, is not meat and drink, (1 Corinthians 8:8) though this saying of Paul was not yet made known, it was yet true in all ages. It was then lawful for the Nazarites to drink wine, provided they used moderation. To this the simple answer is that it was lawful to drink wine, for they of their own accord undertook to abstain from it. In similar manner God forbade the priests to drink wine or strong drink whenever they entered the temple. God indeed did not wish to be served with this kind of ceremony; but his intention was to show, by such a rite, that a greater te...

9-16 We need often to be reminded of the mercies we have received; which add much to the evil of the sins we have committed. They had helps for their souls, which taught them how to make good use of their earthly enjoyments, and were therefore more valuable. Faithful ministers are great blessings to any people; but it is God that raises them up to be so. Sinners' own consciences will witness that he has not been wanting to them in the means of grace. They did what they could to lead believers aside. Satan and his agents are busy to corrupt the minds of young people who look heavenward; they overcome many by drawing them to the love of mirth and pleasure, and into drinking company. Multitudes of young men who bade fair as professors of religion, have erred through strong drink, and have been undone for ever. The Lord complains of sin, especially the sins of his professing people, as a bu...

Verse Amos 2:12. _BUT YE GAVE THE NAZARITES WINE_] This was expressly forbidden in the laws of their institution. See Numbers 6:1. _PROPHESY NOT._] They would not worship God, and they would not hear the voice of his prophets....

BUT YE GAVE THE NAZARITES WINE TO DRINK - Literally, “and,” (this, on their part, was the consequence of what God did for them) “ye caused the Nazarites to drink wine.” God appointed; Israel strove to undo His appointment. God “raised up Nazarites,” as a testimony to them; they sought to make His servants break their vow, in order to rid themselves of that testimony. Their pains to destroy it, is a strong proof of its power. The world is mad against true religion, because it feels itself condemned by it. People set themselves against religion and the religious, the Church or the priesthood, only when and because they feel their power on God’s side against them. What people despise, they do not oppose. “They kill us, they do not despise us,” were true words of a French priest, as to the “reign of reason” in the first French revolution. If the people in power had not respected the Nazarite...

EXPOSITION AMOS 2:1 Judgment on Moab. AMOS 2:1 MOAB. The prophet now denounces the other nation connected by ties of blood with Israel (see on Amos 1:13). Moab's hostility had been shown in the hiring of Balsam to curse the Israelites, and in seducing them to idolatry (Nu 22-25:3). He was their oppressor in the time of the Judges (Judges 3:12); and David had to take most stringent measures against him (2 Samuel 8:2). The Moabites joined in a league against Jehoshaphat ...

BUT YE GAVE THE NAZARITES WINE TO DRINK,.... Contrary to their vow and calling, and in contempt of it, and to make them like themselves; they either persuaded them, or forced them to it: AND COMMANDED THE PROPHETS, SAYING, PROPHESY NOT; hard and heavy things, judgments and denunciations of vengeance, only smooth things; by this authoritative language it appears that this is said of the rulers and governors of the people, as king, princes, and priests; see Amos 7:12....

CHAPTER 2 _ 1. Moab (Amos 2:1) _ 2. Judah (Amos 2:4) 3. Israel (Amos 2:6) Amos 2:1. So fierce was the hatred of Moab that they dishonored the bones of the king of Edom. “Moab burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime” (see 2 Kings 3:26). The fire or judgment came upon Moab and her glory, too, departed like the glory of the other nations. Amos 2:4. While the measure was full of these nations, who had heaped transgressions upon transgressions, Judah and Israel were

THE SIN AND DOOM OF ISRAEL. Suddenly the prophet turns and confronts Israel. The benighted heathen nations have sinned and must be punished. What of Israel, God's chosen people? Why, just because they have been chosen and more privileged, failure to act up to their responsibilities and privileges deserves greater condemnation! Of this failure the prophet proceeds to give typical examples, and announces a punishment more severe even than that of Israel's neighbours. The Israelites (Amos 2:6) sell as slaves honest, unimpeachable men who refuse to bribe their judges, and poor men who incur trifling debts to the value of a pair of sandals. They trample to the dust of the earth the head of the poor (Amos 2:7 *). The rich and powerful callously crush the poor, and obstruct or divert from its natural course the simple path of the hum

YE GAVE, &C. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 6:2; Numbers 6:3). App-92....