14 15<\/strong>. Amos reiterates more earnestly the exhortation of Amo 5:4<\/em><\/span> ; Amo 5:6<\/em><\/span><\/em>: if Israel will but amend its ways, perchance even yet there may be a remnant to which Jehovah will be gracious.<\/p>\n Seek<\/em> ] The same word as Amo 5:4<\/em><\/span> ; Amo 5:6<\/em><\/span><\/em>, but followed by an abstract object, in the sense of be studious, anxious about<\/em> (cf. Isa 1:17<\/span>, ‘ seek<\/em> judgment.’<\/p>\n and so as ye<\/em> say<\/strong> ] and Jehovah will then be with you to defend you in reality, exactly as you say (cf. Mic 3:11<\/span>) that He actually is now. For the thought, cf. Amo 5:18<\/em><\/span>: the Israelites, so long as their material prosperity continued, imagined that Jehovah was with them, as their patron and defender; Amos replies that the real condition of His being with them is the moral goodness of their lives. Jehovah’s power<\/em> to defend is hinted at significantly by the title ‘God of hosts’ (on Amo 3:13<\/span>). So<\/em> points on to, and strengthens, the following as<\/em>, exactly as in Exo 10:10<\/span>.<\/p>\n Seek good and not evil – <\/B>that is, and seek not evil. Amos again takes up his warning, seek not Bethel; seek the Lord. Now they not only did evil, but they sought it diligently; they were diligent in doing it, and so, in bringing it on themselves; they sought it out and the occasions of it. People cannot seek good without first putting away evil, as it is written, cease to do evil, learn to do well Isa 1:16-17<\/span>. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. He bids them use the same diligence in seeking good which they now used for evil. Seek it also wholly, not seeking at one while good, at another, evil, but wholly good, and Him who is Good. He seeketh good, who believeth in Him who saith, I am the Good Shepherd Joh 10:11<\/span>.<\/P> That ye may live – <\/B>In Him who is the Life; and so the Lord, the God of hosts shall be with you, by His holy presence, grace and protection, as ye have spoken. Israel looked away from the sins whereby he displeased God, and looked to his half-worship of God as entitling him to all which God had promised to full obedience. : They gloried in the nobleness of their birth after the flesh, not in imitating the faith and lives of the patriarchs. So then, because they were descended from Abraham, they thought that God must defend them. Such were those Jews, to whom the Saveour said, If ye were Abrahams seed, ye would do the works of Abraham Joh 8:39<\/span>; and His forerunner, think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham for our father Mat 3:9<\/span>. They wished that God should abide with them, that they might abide in the land Psa 37:3<\/span>, but they cared not to abide with God.<\/P> <\/p>\n Amo 5:14<\/span><\/p>\n Seek good and not evil, that ye may live.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Religion<\/strong><\/p>\n From these words two things may be inferred concerning religion.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>They imply a standard of right. By what do we determine the good and evil in human life? The revealed will of God. What accords with that will is good, what disagrees with it is evil.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Their object is a human pursuit. There are those who pursue evil; they follow it for worldly wealth, animal pleasure, secular aggrandisement. There are those who pursue good; and their grand question is, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>The pursuit of good is the specific effort of religion. Good in thought, spirit, aim, habit, as embodied in the life of Christ. To get good requires strenuous, persistent, devout, prayerful effort.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The enjoyment of true life. That ye may live. Without goodness you cannot really live: <\/strong>goodness is life. Everlasting goodness is everlasting life.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>The enjoyment of the Divine friendship. What a benediction this! The Lord God of hosts, the Almighty Creator, Proprietor and Governor of the universe to be with us, to guide, guard, beautify existence. I will walk among you, says He, I will be your God, and ye shall be My people. (Homilist.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Siding with the good is to be on Gods side<\/strong><\/p>\n If a man wants to be on the winning side, let him be on the right side. There is no other safe rule to conform to. If a man is on the right side he will be on the winning side, even ii it seems the losing side. The right side is Gods <\/em>side, and Gods side is sure of a triumph in the end, however it may look to the world just now. It may be said reverently, that Gods trains have the right of way on the roads of universe, and that he who wants to reach his destination surely, and in time, will do well to take his passage on one of those trains. Any other train is liable to a disastrous collision; at the best it is sure to go astray. He who is not going with God is not going Gods way; and no other way is a safe one to travel. (Great Thoughts.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Habit aids right doin<\/strong><\/p>\n g:–<\/strong>The force of habit, when enlisted on the side of righteousness, not only strengthens and makes sure our resistance to vice, but facilitates the most arduous performances of virtue. The man whose thoughts, with the purposes and doings to which they lead, are at the bidding of conscience, will, by frequent repetition, at length describe the same track almost spontaneously,–even as in physical education, things, laboriously learned at the first, come to be done at last without the feeling of an effort. And so, in moral education, every new achievement of principle smooths the way to future achievements of the same kind; and the precious fruit or purchase of each moral virtue is to set us on higher and firmer vantage-ground for the conquests of principle in all time coming. He who resolutely bids away the suggestions of avarice, when they come into conflict with the incumbent generosity; or the suggestions of voluptuousness, when they come into conflict with the incumbent self-denial; or the suggestions of anger, when they come into conflict with the incumbent act of magnanimity and forbearance–will at length obtain not a respite only, but a final deliverance from their intrusion. (T. Chalmers.<\/em>)<\/p>\n Verse 14. Seek good, and not evil<\/B><\/I>] Is there a greater mystery in the world, than that a mall, instead of seeking good<\/I>, will seek evil<\/I>, knowing that it is evil<\/I>?<\/P> <\/P> And so the Lord<\/B><\/I>] As God is the Fountain of good, so they who seek the supreme good seek him: and they who seek shall find him; for the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with him<\/I>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Seek good; <\/B>turn to the law of God, study it, that ye may do the good it requireth in works of piety, justice, and charity. <\/P> And not evil:<\/B> you have devised evil, and done it in works of impiety, injustice, and cruelty. Or this may be the same with Amo 5:4-6<\/span>, which see. <\/P> That ye may live:<\/B> see Amo 5:4<\/span>. <\/P> The Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you; <\/B>the eternal glorious God, who is Lord of all, and can help you, having all the hosts of heaven and earth at his disposal; he will be with you to bless and save you yet, notwithstanding all your former sins. <\/P> As ye have spoken; <\/B>you have boasted his being with you, you think he is bound to be with you and own you; so he will indeed, but it is if you repent, cease from idols and violence. <\/P> <\/p>\n 14. and so<\/B>on condition ofyour “seeking good.” <\/P> shall be with you, as ye havespoken<\/B>as ye have boasted; namely, that God is with you, andthat you are His people (Mic 3:11<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n Seek good, and not evil<\/strong>,…. Seek not unto, or after, evil persons and evil things; not the company and conversation of evil men, which is infectious and dangerous; nor anything that is evil, or has the appearance of it, especially the evil of evils, sin; which is hateful to God, contrary to his nature and will; is evil in its own nature, and bad in its consequences, and therefore not to be sought, but shunned and avoided; but seek that which is good, persons and things: seek the “summum bonnum”, “the chief good”, God, who is essentially, perfectly, immutably, and communicatively good, the fountain of all goodness, and the portion of his people; seek Christ the good Saviour and sacrifice, the good Shepherd, and the good Samaritan, who is good in all his relations, as a father, husband, and friend, and in whom all good things are laid up; seek the good Spirit of God, who works good things in his people, and shows good things to them, and is the Comforter of them; seek to him for assistance in prayer, and to help in the exercise of every grace, and in the discharge of every duty, and as the guide into all truth, and to eternal glory; seek the good ways of God, the way of truth, the path of faith and holiness, and especially the good way to the Father, the way of life and salvation by Christ; seek the good word of God, the Scriptures of truth, the promises contained in them, and the Gospel of them; seek the company of good men, and that good part that shall not be taken away, the true grace of God, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; seek the glories of another world, the goodness of God laid up, the best things which are reserved to last:<\/p>\n that ye may live<\/strong>; comfortably, spiritually, and eternally, which is the consequence of all this; [See comments on Am 5:4]<\/span>;<\/p>\n [See comments on Am 5:6]<\/span>;<\/p>\n and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken<\/strong>; as they used to say, and boasted of; though they had not the temple, the ark of the testimony, the symbols of the divine Presence, as Judah had; but this they would have in reality, both his gracious presence here, and his glorious presence hereafter, did they truly and rightly seek those things; than which nothing is more desirable to good men, or can make them more comfortable, or more happy. The Targum is,<\/p>\n “seek to do well, and not to do ill, that ye may live; and then the word of the Lord God of hosts shall be your help, as ye have said.”<\/p>\n “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah the God of hosts may be with you, as ye say.<\/em> Amo 5:15<\/span>. Hate evil, and love good, and set up justice in the gate; perhaps Jehovah the God of hosts will show favour to the remnant of Joseph.” <\/em> The command to seek and love good is practically the same as that to seek the Lord in Amo 5:4<\/span>, Amo 5:6<\/span>; and therefore the promise is the same, “that ye may live.” But it is only in fellowship with God that man has life. This truth the Israelites laid hold of in a perfectly outward sense, fancying that they stood in fellowship with God by virtue of their outward connection with the covenant nation as sons of Israel or Abraham (cf. Joh 8:39<\/span>), and that the threatened judgment could not reach them, but that God would deliver them in every time of oppression by the heathen (cf. Mic 3:11<\/span>; Jer 7:10<\/span>). Amos meets this delusion with the remark, “that Jehovah may be so with you as ye say.” neither means “in case ye do so” (Rashi, Baur), nor “in like manner as, i.e., if ye strive after good” (Hitzig). Neither of these meanings can be established, and here they are untenable, for the simple reason that unmistakeably corresponds with the following . It means nothing more than “so as ye say.” The thought is the following: “Seek good, and not evil: then will Jehovah the God of the heavenly hosts be with you as a helper in distress, so as ye say.” This implied that in their present condition, so long as they sought good, they ought not to comfort themselves with the certainty of Jehovah’s help. Seeking good is explained in v. 15 as loving good, and this is still further defined as setting up justice in the gate, i.e., maintaining a righteous administration of justice at the place of judgment; and to this the hope, so humiliating to carnal security, is attached: perhaps God will then show favour to the remnant of the people. The emphasis in these words is laid as much upon perhaps<\/em> as upon the remnant of Joseph. The expression “ perhaps<\/em> He will show favour” indicates that the measure of Israel’s sins was full, and no deliverance could be hoped for if God were to proceed to act according to His righteousness. The “remnant of Joseph” does not refer to “the existing condition of the ten tribes” (Ros., Hitzig). For although Hazael and Benhadad had conquered the whole of the land of Gilead in the times of Jehu and Jehoahaz, and had annihilated the Israelitish army with the exception of a very small remnant (2Ki 10:32-33<\/span>; 2Ki 13:3<\/span>, 2Ki 13:7<\/span>), Joash and Jeroboam II had recovered from the Syrians all the conquered territory, and restored the kingdom to its original bounds (2Ki 13:23<\/span>., 2Ki 14:26-28<\/span>). Consequently Amos could not possibly describe the state of the kingdom of the ten tribes in the time of Jeroboam II as “the remnant of Joseph.” As the Syrians had not attempted any deportation, the nation of the ten tribes during the reign of Jeroboam was still, or was once more, all Israel. If, therefore, Amos merely holds out the possibility of the favouring of the remnant of Joseph, he thereby gives distinctly to understand, that in the approaching judgment Israel will perish with the exception of a remnant, which may possibly be preserved after the great chastisement (cf. Amo 5:3<\/span>), just as Joel (Joe 3:5<\/span>) and Isaiah (Isa 6:13<\/span>; Isa 10:21-23<\/span>) promise only the salvation of a remnant to the kingdom of Judah.<\/p>\n The Prophet again repeats, that it was only owing to the Israelites themselves that it was not well with them; for God was ready to grant them his blessing; but they designedly sought a curse for themselves. Inasmuch, then, the hypocrites are wont to put away from themselves the blame of every evil, and to complain of their miseries, as though the Lord afflicted them unjustly, the Prophet here shows, that no evil happened to the Israelites, but what they procured by their vices: and at the same time he exhorts them to repentance, and gives them the hope of pardon, provided they hardened not their hearts to the last. He therefore bids them to seek good; but by adding, seek not evil, his words are full of meaning, as though he had said, that they were so fixed in their own wickedness, that they could not be torn away from it. The import of the whole, then, is this — that the Israelites could not complain of being too severely treated by God, because they suffered not themselves to be kindly dealt with. And the Prophet assigns this as the reason — that they were not only alienated from what was good, but that they also with avidity and eager desire followed what was evil: in the meantime he exhorts them to repentance and adds a promise the more to encourage them. <\/p>\n Seek then good, he says, that ye may live; And then he adds, And thus God will be with you, as ye have said. Here the wickedness of the people is reproved who sought to bind God to themselves; for hypocrites are wont to misapply the promises: when they presumptuously reject God himself, they still wish him to be under an obligation to them. Thus they gloried that they were the children of Abraham, an elect people; circumcision was to them like a royal diadem; they sought to be superior to all other nations: and thus they abused the name of God, and at the same time they petulantly scorned both the word of God and his Prophets. As, then, they ever boasted that God was dwelling in the midst of them, the Prophet says, “Then and thus will God be with you if ye seek what is good or the doing of good;” for to seek good is nothing else than to endeavor to do good; as though he said “Change your nature and your manners; for hitherto iniquity has prevailed among you; you have been violent, and rapacious, and fraudulent: begin now to do good, then God will be with you.” <\/p>\n There is therefore a great emphasis to be laid on the particle כן, can, thus will God be with you: for the Prophet reminds them of what so often occurs in the law, “Be ye holy, for I am holy,” who dwell in the midst of you, (Lev 11:44<\/span>) God shows, in these words, that it could not be that he would dwell with the Israelites except they sanctified themselves, that there might be a mutual agreement. But they had no regard for holiness, and yet wished God to be bound to them. This false confidence the Prophet derides, and says, that a certain condition is fixed in the law, according to which God would dwell in the midst of them. Thus then will God be in the midst of you; that is, when he sees that you strive after uprightness and the doing of good. <\/p>\n I have already explained what this means, as ye have said; for he proves that foolish vaunting to be false which was heard among the Israelites: “Has not the Lord chosen and adopted us as his people? Is not the ark of the covenant a sure pledge of his presence? How then could he depart from us? God would deny himself, were he not to keep his pledged faith; for he covenanted with our fathers, that we should be his flock even to the end of the world.” Since, then, they thus foolishly boasted, and were, at the same time, covenant breakers, the Prophet says, “Ye boast, indeed, by your mouth that God is in the midst of you, but see what he in his turn stipulates and requires from you. If, then, ye respond to his call, he will not surely be wanting to his pledged faith; but as ye willfully depart from him, he must necessarily become alienated from you.” We now then perceive the meaning of the Prophet in these words. It follows — <\/p>\n CRITICAL NOTES<\/strong>.] <\/strong><\/p>\n Amo. 5:14<\/span><\/strong>. Spoken]<\/strong> They fancied that God was with them by virtue of the covenant with Abraham (Joh. 8:39<\/span>). <\/p>\n Amo. 5:15<\/span><\/strong>. Perhaps<\/strong>] indicates difficulty in their case, not uncertainty with God (cf. Gen. 16:2<\/span>; Joe. 2:13<\/span>). Peradventure (Exo. 32:3<\/span>). Remnant]<\/strong> preserved in the approaching judgment, as Joe. 3:5<\/span>; Isa. 6:13<\/span>; Isa. 10:21-23<\/span>. <\/p>\n HOMILETICS<\/em><\/p>\n SEEKING GOOD AND ENJOYING GOD.Amo. 5:14-15<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n These words supplement the previous paragraph, in which Israel were exhorted to renounce idolatry, an offence to God, a crime against man. Now the order is reversed. Good must be sought and evil avoided, that mercy may yet be shown to a remnant of the people.<\/p>\n I. The course recommended<\/strong>. Seek good and not evil. The negative and positive side of human duty. <\/p>\n 1. Seek the good<\/em>. Good is needful, and all men seek it. Who will show us any good? The soul is formed to know and love the good. As the plant turns towards the sun, so the soul seeks for good. But men seek in the wrong direction. They seek gratification in earthly things, and exclude God from their pursuits. They have a desire for him, a capacity to enjoy him, but move not in the direction to him. Seeking good is defined as loving<\/em> the good. The right affection must be cherished. Depraved appetites and vitiated tastes must be renewed. A change of disposition is necessary to reformation of life. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. <\/p>\n 2. Hate the evil<\/em>. Aversion is needful as well as affection. We have something to hate and something to love. Our sympathies and antipathies are not at variance, they differ in intensity, gain power according to their objects, and greatly influence our conduct. We evince the soundness of conversion by loathing and forsaking what God hates. We cannot love God without hating evil. The fear of the Lord is seen by departing from evil. Positive virtue, says one, promotes negative virtue. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. <\/p>\n 3. Practise justice<\/em>. Establish judgment in the gate. Israel must raise up and firmly support what they had thrown down. In their courts of law and in common practice they must be truthful. Neither bribe nor self-interest should divert men from judgment. The penitent will be just to man. In words and deeds he will give to all their due. Profession without principle is an insult to God. What a man is in private duties, that he is in the sight of God, and no more, says Dr Owen. We cannot serve God, unless we are right with men. Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well.<\/p>\n Be what thou seemest, live thy creed,<\/p>\n Hold up to earth the torch Divine,<\/p>\n Be what thou prayest to be made,<\/p>\n Let thy great Masters steps be thine.<\/p>\n II. The benefits of adopting this course<\/strong>. Self-interest is not always the right motive to urge; but the benefits of serving God are manifold. <\/p>\n 1. Human life is preserved<\/em>. Ye shall live. Calamity would take away their life, but deliverance would preserve it. In general, sin by its own nature and by the judgments of God upon it brings men to an untimely end. The wicked do not live out half their days. Worldliness wears out the spring; but piety contributes to the length and enjoyments of life. Religion promotes temperance and self-control. It redeems body and soul from morbid excitement and moral disease. Righteousness tendeth to life. <\/p>\n 2. Gods grace is received<\/em>. The Lord God of Hosts will be gracious, &c. The sinner is not only delivered from present danger, but blessed with grace to live a holy life. Gods grace is infinite and free. Former displeasures will not hinder him from bestowing it upon those who seek it. Penitent nations and feeble churches may hope for his returning favour. God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. <\/p>\n 3. Gods presence is enjoyed<\/em>. He shall be with you as ye have spoken. Israel boasted of being Gods people, and desired God to be with them in sin. But the righteous Lord cannot dwell with an unrighteous people. It is a delusion to talk of God if we do not seek him, to expect his presence when we do not walk in his commands. If ye were Abrahams seed ye would do the works of Abraham. It is only when we repent and return to God that we enjoy his favour. God is always present to protect in the way of duty, as the God of Hosts. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways.<\/p>\n HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES<\/em><\/p>\n Amo. 5:15<\/span>. It may be. I. If so, for what reasons?<\/em> <\/p>\n 1. Men do not deserve deliverance. The expression perhaps<\/em> he will show favour indicates that the measure of Israels sins was full, and no deliverance could be hoped for if God were to proceed to act according to his righteousness [Keil<\/em>]. <\/p>\n 2. God in sovereign mercy has promised it. This is not the language of uncertainty. The difficulty is not with God, but with man. Except ye repent, &c. II. If so, on what conditions?<\/em> Negatively and positively stated. <\/p>\n 1. Not by presuming on outward relation to God. God must be sought and found. The verse sets forthThe relation between the negative and positive duties of life; or<\/p>\n 1. The nature of true penitenceseeking God. God gives encouragement to such as sincerely seek him; yet he would not have them absolutely<\/em> expect deliverance in temporal judgments, when provocations are come to a height: and he seeth it meet to exercise them with uncertainties that they may be yet more diligent, and prove their real piety by submission in those things [Hutcheson<\/em>].<\/p>\n Temporal promises are made with an, It may be<\/em>: and our prayers must be made accordingly.<\/p>\n ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 5<\/p>\n Amo. 5:14-15<\/span>. We must not envy the doers of evil, but depart from their spirit and example. As Lot left Sodom without casting a look behind, so must we leave sin. No time or parley is to be held with sin, we must turn away from it without hesitation, and set ourselves practically to work in the opposite direction [Spurgeon<\/em>].<\/p>\n RIGHTEOUSNESS DEMANDS REPENTANCEHATE EVIL AND LOVE GOD<\/p>\n TEXT: Amo. 5:14-20<\/span><\/p>\n 14<\/p>\n Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say.<\/p>\n 15<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 16<\/p>\n Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all the broad ways; and they shall say in all the streets, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentation to wailing.<\/p>\n 17<\/p>\n And in all vineyards shall be wailing; for I will pass through the midst of thee, saith Jehovah.<\/p>\n 18<\/p>\n Woe unto you that desire the day of Jehovah! Wherefore would ye have the day of Jehovah? It is darkness, and not light.<\/p>\n 19<\/p>\n As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.<\/p>\n 20<\/p>\n Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?<\/p>\n QUERIES<\/strong><\/p>\n a.<\/p>\n How is seek good, parallel with seek Jehovah?<\/p>\n b.<\/p>\n What is the meaning of wailing shall be in all the broad ways?<\/p>\n c.<\/p>\n Why Woe unto all those who desire the day of Jehovah?<\/p>\n PARAPHRASE<\/strong><\/p>\n Search after and do that which is good and refrain from doing evil in order that you may live. Then the Lord God of Hosts will truly be your Helper, as you claim He is. Outward religious formality is not enough, you must have a heart that abhors evil and loves good which brings about the establishment of what is right and just in social relationships. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Hosts will have mercy on the small remnant which remains after the great chastening takes place upon Israel. As I have said before, says the Lord God of Hosts, All admonition to return to Me appears to be useless, therefore, there will be weeping and moaning for the dead up and down the streets of every village and city, every farmer will also be wailing for the dead and there will be so much death and destruction lamentations will be chanted to those who are professional wailers themselves. And in the vineyards, where one would expect to see rejoicing, there shall be wailing. Jehovah no longer passes-over Israel but will have passed through the land in judgment just as He did in Egypt in the days of Moses. Alas for you who rest your hope of deliverance from the heathen upon what you think the Great Day of Jehovah will be! You do not know what you are asking for when you pray for the Day of Jehovah to come for it will not be a day of deliverance for you for you are no better than the heathen. It will be for you as it is for the heathen, a day of misery, darkness and doom. There will be no escape from it. In that day every place is full of danger and death; neither in-doors nor out-of-doors is anyone safe. God will not let you escape! How can you expect the Righteous Jehovah to bring upon those who seek evil and not good any kind of a Day but inevitable and absolute destruction and darkness?<\/p>\n SUMMARY<\/strong><\/p>\n For a small remnant, godly living may avert the destruction that is surely coming. But for the majority, whose conception of the Day of Jehovah is perverted, Gods judgment is inevitable and absolute.<\/p>\n COMMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n Amo. 5:14-15<\/span> SEEK GOD, AND NOT EVIL, THAT YE MAY LIVE . . . HATE THE EVIL, AND LOVE THE GOOD, AND ESTABLISH JUSTICE IN THE GATE . . . Social injustice and the abuse of human personality ultimately stems from the concept that religion and morality are separate. This is a Satanic dichotomy! God has never authorized such a division! But man has, ever since Eden, been deceived into thinking that religion and everyday living are two separate compartments of life. True God-revealed and God-centered religion is Life. Practically all the prophets had to deal with this false concept (cf. Isa. 1:1-20<\/span>; Mic. 6:1-6<\/span>, etc.). In this realm man makes either one of two errorshe either substitutes religion for morals or he substitutes morals for religion. God teaches through the prophets that all morality finds its roots, its spiritual source and its compelling power over the consciences of men in the character of God Himself, and that is true religion (cf. Jas. 1:27<\/span>). To seek God is to seek good; to love God is to love good and, conversely, to hate evil because God hates evil. Elton True-blood has described our modern predicament as a cut-flower society. That is, we are attempting to maintain an ethic without a religion. The solution in Amos day was, even as in our day, restoration of the old paths (cf. Jer. 6:16-21<\/span>) and regeneration, not revolution. Social injustice cannot be corrected by simply renovation and reorganization of the social structure. Social injustice can only be overcome by upgrading the ethics of all men and this can be done only by regeneration, recreating men in the image of God, and this is accomplished by true religion which in turn involves submission to the authority of God as revealed exclusively in the written word of God!<\/p>\n The people of Amos day were claiming that Jehovah was with them and that they were with Jehovah, but Amos knew that as long as they continued in their present evil deeds and thoughts their claims on God were vain and false. Their only hope was to turn to God and righteousness. Many of the Israelites had already gone too far and had set their minds against God, Amos was speaking to those few who would still listen. Gods mercy was still available for the few who would hate evil and love good. Amo. 5:16-17<\/span> . . . WAILING SHALL BE IN ALL . . . THE STREETS . . . AND IN ALL VINEYARDS . . . FOR I WILL PASS THROUGH THE MIDST OF THEE, SAITH JEHOVAH. Unless the sin of Israel was corrected, and Amos seems to feel the situation is almost hopeless for the largest segment of the nation, national destruction would be inevitable. Amos portrays the coming time as one of nation-wide mourning. There will be mourning in the squares and plazas, in every street of every city, in the fields of the farmers and lamentations will be changed to those who are professional wailers themselves. Alas! Israel is no longer Gods special peopleshe has become as heathen and as rebellious as Egypt in the days of Moses. God will no longer pass-over Israel, but will pass through her midst as He did Egypt with the plagues!<\/p>\n Amo. 5:18-20<\/span> . . . THE DAY OF JEHOVAH . . . IT IS DARKNESS, AND NOT LIGHT . . . On the Day of Jehovah, see our Special Study seven, pages 84 to 90, The Day of The Lord. The Jews, from the Messianic prophecies of the Torah (Law of Moses), had interpreted the destiny of their theocracy to be that of eventual world rulers. On some great Day of the Lord they believed God would deliver his people from all heathen oppression and bondage and elevate them to the supreme place of power and influence among the nations. They looked forward to this great Day (Mal. 2:17<\/span>Amo. 3:5<\/span>) when the Lord would come suddenly to His temple, the Messiah would be a warrior king who would appear as a political champion and military hero to rally to his standard the Jews from every nation and lead them in a victorious onslaught against their enemies. Heathen oppressors would be annihilated and Gods elect race would become the worlds conquerors.<\/p>\n H. E. Dana, in The New Testament World, pages 128139 describes in full the Messianic Hope of the Jews (or what the prophets call the Day of the Lord). The divine choice of Israel was to the end that Jehovah might have a people who would establish his name in all the earth and make his Law supreme. Therefore the national interests of Israel were one with the cause of Jehovah. To oppose or oppress the chosen people meant to defy Jehovah and to disdain his righteous demands. They were Gods specially chosen representatives among the nations, and considered that they should be treated as such. But, on the contrary, they were despised by the Gentiles, ruthlessly seized and consigned to bondage by one despotic conqueror after another, to be buffeted and maltreated in the most humiliating fashion. To the devout Jewish religionist this could only mean that Jehovah was keenly incensed at the heathen nations and regarded them as his own defiant enemies. The coming Day of the Lord (Messianic age) must in the very nature of the case bring the consummate destruction of the incorrigible and the humble submission of those who yielded to the Jewish state.<\/p>\n The truth of the matter was, the Day of the Lord would be a day of deliverancebut only for the true Israel, those who were Jews inwardly and not Jews only outwardlyfor the Day of the Lord of which Amos speaks is typical and prophetic of the climactic Day of the Lord, the coming of the Messiah. When the Day of the Lord came of which Amos was speaking, God delivered the faithful remnant through which He could someday present the Messiah, while at the same time He judged those who were unfaithful and had therefore cut themselves off from covenant relationship with Him. For the most of the people of Israel, then, the Day of the Lord was darkness and not light. It was a time of inescapable crisis, a time of inevitable judgment, a time when man would be abandoned by every known source of aid. Amos uses an almost humorous figure of speech in Amo. 5:19<\/span> to describe the inescapability of Gods judgment!<\/p>\n Having known oppression during practically all of her existence it seems only natural that Israel would have longed for a time of deliverance, No doubt, people passionately spoke of the way in which life would be vindicated, once the day of the Lord was manifested. But they did not realize what they were hoping for. The Righteous God does not change! He must judge every man who sins! He must execute every rebel! QUIZ<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.<\/p>\n What did Isaiah and Micah have to say about the connection of religion and morality?<\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n Why cannot the two be separated?<\/p>\n 3.<\/p>\n What is necessary in order to bring about true social justice?<\/p>\n 4.<\/p>\n What is the meaning of God passing through the midst of Israel?<\/p>\n 5.<\/p>\n What did Israel think the Day of Jehovah was?<\/p>\n 6.<\/p>\n What does Malachi say the Day of the Lord will be like?<\/p>\n 7.<\/p>\n How extensive may the Day of the Lord be?<\/p>\n (14, 15) Break in like a beam of sunshine in the darkness. The fearful doom, already spoken of, is after all conditional. Let a moral change be wrought in them, and even now Jehovah, God of hosts, may deign to be with them. Enlist your passions on the right side. No virtue is safe till it is enthusiastic.<\/p>\n 14, 15<\/strong>. <\/strong> In spite of the apparent hopelessness, the prophet renews his appeal, declaring that, if the exhortation is heeded, Jehovah may yet be gracious to a remnant of Joseph. <\/p>\n Seek good <\/strong> Practically the same as “seek Jehovah” (Amo 5:6<\/span>; compare Amo 5:4<\/span>). Jehovah is found by him who is anxious about doing good (Isa 1:16-17<\/span>; Mic 6:8<\/span>). <\/p>\n Not evil <\/strong> As they were doing (Amo 5:12<\/span>). <\/p>\n Live <\/strong> See on Amo 5:4<\/span>. <\/p>\n And so <\/strong> If you seek good. <\/p>\n Jehovah, the God of hosts <\/strong> See on Amo 3:13<\/span>. <\/p>\n With you <\/strong> To bless and protect. <\/p>\n As ye have spoken <\/strong> See general remarks on Amo 3:1<\/span>; Amo 4:3<\/span> (p. 207; compare Amo 5:18<\/span>; Mic 3:11<\/span>). The exhortation is repeated and explained in even stronger terms in Amo 5:15<\/span>. A complete transformation is needed. <\/p>\n Hate the evil <\/strong> Not uprightness (Amo 5:10<\/span>). <\/p>\n Love the good <\/strong> The morally good instead of an elaborate ceremonial (Amo 5:5<\/span>; Amo 4:5<\/span>), or actual wrongdoing (Amo 3:10<\/span>). <\/p>\n Establish judgment <\/strong> [“justice”] Enthrone it, instead of trampling it upon the ground (Amo 5:7<\/span>). This phase of right doing demanded special emphasis in the days of Amos. <\/p>\n In the gate <\/strong> The place of judgment (Amo 5:10<\/span>), where it was most persistently outraged (Amo 5:12<\/span>). If the warning is heeded Jehovah may yet save from utter annihilation. <\/p>\n Joseph <\/strong> See on Amo 5:6<\/span>. <\/p>\n Remnant <\/strong> The prophet undoubtedly has in mind the remnant mentioned frequently in the prophetic writings, of whose future glorification speaks Amo 9:11-15<\/span>. All the prophets are convinced of the certainty of judgment; and all believe that out of it will be saved a penitent, faithful few, the holy seed (Isa 6:13<\/span>), which will grow into a new nation of God. Some writers suppose, though without warrant, that the use of the term implies that Israel had already been reduced, at the time of such use, to a remnant, that is, a fragment of its former prestige and power (see general remarks on Hos 2:14-23<\/span>, and Introduction, pp. 35ff.).<\/p>\n The prophet continues in Amo 5:16-17<\/span> as if the people had declared their determination to persist in rebellion, and he proceeds to announce once more the imminent doom. <\/p>\nFuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>It implies a specific pursuit. Seek good, and not evil. Good and evil are both in the world; they work in all human souls; they explain all history.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>It involves the highest benediction.<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
2. By pursuing right, (a<\/em>) Right towards God. Hate the evil and love the good. (b<\/em>) Right towards man. Establish judgment. To these conditions the hope, though humiliating to carnal security, is attached: perhaps God will then be gracious to a remnant<\/em> of Joseph.<\/p>\n
2. The evidence of true penitencehating evil.
3. The reward of true penitenceGods protection and favour in life; or,
1. God the object sought.
2. Evil the difficulty in the way.
3. Divine favour and blessings the motive to urge the pursuit.<\/p>\nFuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
The prophets did not preach reformation, but restoration and regeneration! They were not political revolutionaries or civil rights advocates, per se. They were preaching to change individuals, to call each man to repent and turn to Gods revealed will for their lives. Society will never be changed except as men are changed! And men will never be changed until they are united with God through His revelation which has now been made in His Incarnate Son!<\/p>\n
Has not every individual and generation been guilty of reliance upon national and religious heritages instead of personal relationship to God? Should we not have some second thoughts about how ready we are for the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord to come? If God were to come in the consummation of all the ages today would we be ready? Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is . . . And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mar. 13:31-37<\/span>)<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n