_You only have I known of all the families of the earth._ SIN IN THE HIGHLY-FAVOURED This is shameful ingratitude. The honour and blessing conferred on the Israelites gave the stain of ingratitude to every act of transgression of which they were guilty. It is direct rebellion. “You only have I kno... [ Continue Reading ]
_Can two walk together, except they be agreed?_ AGREEMENT WITH GOD Order is the first law of heaven’s empire. In the material world God has secured it by absolute power. In the world of mind His authority has enjoined it. And in the next state of human existence His omnipotent justice will enforce... [ Continue Reading ]
_Will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey?_ RETRIBUTION I. Retribution springs out of the nature of things. Poiset, in his travels, states that the lion has two different modes of hunting his prey. When not very hungry he contents himself with watching behind a bush for the animal which... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?_ GOD AS THE AUTHOR OF EVIL The principal scope and design of the prophecy of Amos is this,--Though the Jews had by their sins provoked God to send many heavy judgments upon them, yet were they still so stupid and senseless as neither to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets._ PROPHECY: A DISCLOSURE OF GOD’S SECRETS I. God and the prophet (or God’s revelations to the prophet). The seventh verse gives a striking picture of the dignity of the prophetic office. God, the Ruler... [ Continue Reading ]
_They know not to do right._ SAFETY IN RIGHTEOUSNESS 1. The real security of wealth is justice in its acquisition and liberality in its use. Where there is much wealth, unjustly gotten, or unmercifully stored up, there an object for Divine punishment exists. Such wealth will be spoiled by enemies... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land._ THE SPOILER SPOILED In the previous verse Amos has pronounced God’s verdict on the proud citizens of Samaria; here he proclaims the punishment which is about to come upon them. I. The first word of the pas... [ Continue Reading ]
_The shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear._ THE DESTROYER AND THE RESCUER I. There is a destroying power at work in the world. 1. Variously represented. Here, the lion devouring the sheep. In New Testament, “the roaring,” etc.; in Old Testament, “the serpent... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord._ THE HOUSES OF IVORY A devout attention to the passing operations of providence is repaid abundantly in our increased knowledge of God, as a man’s... [ Continue Reading ]