Speak God’s Word With Boldness

“Go, prophesy to my people.”​—AMOS 7:15.

1, 2. Who was Amos, and what does the Bible reveal about him?

WHILE engaging in the ministry, a witness of Jehovah was confronted by a priest. The priest cried out: ‘Stop preaching! Leave this area!’ What did the witness do? Did he give in to the demand, or did he continue to speak God’s word with boldness? You can find out because that witness recorded his experiences in a book that bears his name. It is the Bible book of Amos. Before we learn more about the encounter with the priest, though, let us consider some background information regarding Amos.

² Who was Amos? When and where did he live? We find the answers to those questions at Amos 1:1, where we read: “The words of Amos, who happened to be among the sheep raisers from Tekoa, . . . in the days of Uzziah the king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, the king of Israel.” Amos was a resident of Judah. His hometown was Tekoa, ten miles [16 km] south of Jerusalem. He lived at the end of the ninth century B.C.E. when King Uzziah ruled in Judah and Jeroboam II was king of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Amos was a sheep raiser. In fact, Amos 7:14 says that he was not only “a herdsman” but also “a nipper of figs of sycamore trees.” So he spent part of the year as a seasonal worker. He nipped, or pierced, figs. This work was done to speed up the ripening of the figs. It was tedious work.

“Go, Prophesy”

3. How does learning about Amos help us if we feel unqualified to preach?

³ Amos candidly said: “I was not a prophet, neither was I the son of a prophet.” (Amos 7:14) He was neither born as a prophet’s son nor trained as a prophet. Of all the people in Judah, though, Jehovah chose Amos to do His work. At that time, God did not select a powerful king, a learned priest, or a wealthy chieftain. This provides a reassuring lesson for us. We may possess little in the way of secular status or formal education. But should that make us feel unqualified to preach God’s word? By no means! Jehovah can equip us to proclaim his message​—even in challenging territories. Since that is exactly what Jehovah did for Amos, it will be instructive for all who desire to speak God’s word with boldness to consider the example set by that courageous prophet.

4. Why was it a challenge for Amos to prophesy in Israel?

⁴ Jehovah commanded Amos: “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” (Amos 7:15) That assignment was a challenge. At the time, the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel enjoyed peace, security, and material prosperity. Many had ‘winter houses’ as well as ‘summer houses’ made, not of ordinary mud brick, but of expensive “hewn stone.” Some owned elegant ivory-inlaid furniture and drank wine produced in “desirable vineyards.” (Amos 3:15; 5:11) As a result, many people were complacent. In fact, the territory assigned to Amos may have been similar to that in which some of us perform our ministry today.

5. What unjust things were being done by some Israelites?

⁵ It was not wrong for the Israelites to have material possessions. However, some Israelites were amassing riches by dishonest means. The rich were “defrauding the lowly ones” and “crushing the poor ones.” (Amos 4:1) Powerful merchants, judges, and priests conspired to rob the poor. Let us now go back in time and observe what these men were doing.

God’s Law Violated

6. How did Israelite merchants exploit others?

⁶ We first go to the marketplace. There dishonest merchants made “the ephah small” and “the shekel great,” even selling “mere refuse” as grain. (Amos 8:5, 6) The merchants cheated their customers in the quantity of what they sold, the price was too high, and the quality was inferior. After the merchants exploited the poor to the point of ruin, those unfortunates had to sell themselves as slaves. Next, the merchants bought them “for the price of a pair of sandals.” (Amos 8:6) Just imagine! Those greedy merchants considered their fellow Israelites to be of no more value than mere footwear! What a crushing humiliation of the needy, and what a gross violation of God’s Law! Yet, the same merchants observed “the sabbath.” (Amos 8:5) Yes, they were religious but only outwardly.

7. What made it possible for Israel’s merchants to break God’s Law?

⁷ How did the merchants get away with breaking God’s Law, which commands: “You must love your fellow as yourself”? (Leviticus 19:18) They succeeded because those who should have enforced the Law​—the judges—​were their partners in crime. At the city gate, where legal cases were handled, the judges ‘took hush money and turned aside poor people.’ Instead of protecting the poor, the judges betrayed them for a bribe. (Amos 5:10, 12) So the judges too were ignoring God’s Law.

8. To what conduct were wicked priests turning a blind eye?

⁸ Meanwhile, what role were Israel’s priests playing? To find out, we must turn our attention to another location. See what sins the priests permitted “at the house of their gods”! Through Amos, God said: “A man and his own father have gone to the same girl, for the purpose of profaning my holy name.” (Amos 2:7, 8) Imagine that! An Israelite father and his son committed sexual immorality with the same temple prostitute. And those wicked priests were turning a blind eye to such immorality!​—Leviticus 19:29; Deuteronomy 5:18; 23:17.

9, 10. Of what violations of God’s Law were the Israelites guilty, and what parallel can be drawn with our day?

⁹ Referring to other sinful conduct, Jehovah said: “On garments seized as a pledge they stretch themselves out beside every altar; and the wine of those who have been fined they drink at the house of their gods.” (Amos 2:8) Yes, priests and people in general also ignored the law recorded at Exodus 22:26, 27, which said that a garment taken as a pledge had to be returned before nightfall. Instead, they used it as a blanket on which to sprawl while feasting and drinking to false gods. And with the fines they extracted from the poor, they bought wine to drink at false religious festivals. How far they had strayed from the path of pure worship!

¹⁰ The Israelites were shamelessly violating the two greatest commandments of the Law​—to love Jehovah and to love their fellow humans. God thus sent Amos to condemn them for their unfaithfulness. Today, the nations of the world, including those of Christendom, reflect the corrupt condition of ancient Israel. While some people prosper, many others are ruined financially and damaged emotionally by the immoral practices of dishonest leaders of big business, politics, and false religion. But Jehovah is concerned about those who are suffering and who are moved to search for him. Therefore, he has assigned his present-day servants to do a work like that of Amos​—to preach His word boldly.

11. What can we learn from the example of Amos?

¹¹ Because of the similarities between our work and that of Amos, we will benefit greatly from considering his example. In fact, Amos shows us (1) what we should preach, (2) how we should preach, and (3) why opposers cannot stop our preaching work. Let us consider these points one at a time.

How We Can Imitate Amos

12, 13. How did Jehovah show that he was displeased with the Israelites, and what was their reaction?

¹² As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we center our Christian ministry on the Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making work. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 13:10) Nevertheless, we also draw attention to God’s warnings, even as Amos declared that Jehovah would bring adverse judgment upon the wicked. For instance, Amos 4:6-11 shows that Jehovah repeatedly made clear his displeasure with Israel. He gave the people “want of bread,” “withheld from [them] the downpour,” struck them with “scorching and mildew,” and sent among them “a pestilence.” Did these things move Israel to repent? “You did not come back to me,” God said. Indeed, the Israelites rejected Jehovah time and again.

¹³ Jehovah punished the unrepentant Israelites. First, however, they received a prophetic warning. In line with this, God declared: “The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) God had revealed to Noah that the Flood was coming and had instructed him to sound a warning. Similarly, Jehovah told Amos to give a final warning. Sadly, Israel ignored that divine message and failed to take the right action.

14. What similarities are there between the time of Amos and our day?

¹⁴ No doubt you will agree that there are some striking similarities between the time of Amos and our own day. Jesus Christ prophesied that numerous calamities would take place during the time of the end. He also foretold a worldwide preaching work. (Matthew 24:3-14) As in Amos’ day, though, most people today ignore both the signs of the times and the Kingdom message. For such individuals, the consequences will be the same as those faced by the unrepentant Israelites. Jehovah warned them: “Get ready to meet your God.” (Amos 4:12) They met God by experiencing his adverse judgment when Assyria conquered them. Today, this ungodly world will ‘meet God’ at Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14, 16) Yet, as long as Jehovah’s patience continues, we exhort as many people as possible: “Search for Jehovah, and keep living.”​—Amos 5:6.

Facing Opposition as Amos Did

15-17. (a) Who was Amaziah, and how did he react to the pronouncements of Amos? (b) Amaziah leveled what allegations against Amos?

¹⁵ We can imitate Amos not only in what we preach but also in how we preach. That fact is highlighted in chapter 7, where we encounter the priest mentioned at the beginning of our discussion. He was “Amaziah the priest of Bethel.” (Amos 7:10) The city of Bethel was a center of Israel’s apostate religion, which involved calf worship. So Amaziah was a priest of the State religion. How did he react to the bold pronouncements of Amos?

¹⁶ Amaziah told Amos: “O visionary, go, run your way off to the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and there you may prophesy. But at Bethel you must no longer do any further prophesying, for it is the sanctuary of a king and it is the house of a kingdom.” (Amos 7:12, 13) In effect, Amaziah said: ‘Go home! We have our own religion.’ He also tried to get the government to ban the activities of Amos, telling King Jeroboam II: “Amos has conspired against you right inside the house of Israel.” (Amos 7:10) Yes, Amaziah accused Amos of treason! He told the king: “This is what Amos has said, ‘By the sword Jeroboam will die; and as regards Israel, it will without fail go into exile from its own ground.’”​—Amos 7:11.

¹⁷ Into those words, Amaziah packed three misleading statements. He said: “This is what Amos has said.” Yet, Amos had never claimed to be the source of the prophecy. Instead, he had always stated: “This is what Jehovah has said.” (Amos 1:3) Amos was also accused of saying: “By the sword Jeroboam will die.” As recorded at Amos 7:9, however, Amos had prophesied: “I [Jehovah] will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with a sword.” God had foretold such calamity for Jeroboam’s “house,” his posterity. Furthermore, Amaziah alleged that Amos had said: ‘Israel will without fail go into exile.’ But Amos had also prophesied that any Israelites who returned to God would receive blessings. Clearly, Amaziah used distorted half-truths in an effort to obtain an official ban on the preaching work done by Amos.

18. What parallels are there between the methods used by Amaziah and those employed by clerics today?

¹⁸ Have you noticed the parallels between the methods used by Amaziah and those employed by opposers of Jehovah’s people today? Just as Amaziah tried to silence Amos, so certain priests, prelates, and patriarchs of our day try to block the preaching work of Jehovah’s servants. Amaziah falsely accused Amos of treason. Today, some clergymen likewise falsely accuse Jehovah’s Witnesses of being a threat to national security. And just as Amaziah turned to the king for help in combating Amos, so the clergy often turn to political allies for support in persecuting Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Opposers Cannot Stop Our Preaching Work

19, 20. How did Amos react to the opposition from Amaziah?

¹⁹ How did Amos react to Amaziah’s opposition? First, Amos asked the priest: “Are you saying: ‘You must not prophesy against Israel’?” Without hesitation, God’s courageous prophet then spoke words that Amaziah certainly did not want to hear. (Amos 7:16, 17) Amos was not intimidated. What an excellent example for us! When it comes to speaking God’s word, we will not disobey our God, even in lands where modern-day Amaziahs are fomenting cruel persecution. Like Amos, we keep on proclaiming: “This is what Jehovah has said.” And opposers can never stop our preaching work, for “the hand of Jehovah” is with us.​—Acts 11:19-21.

²⁰ Amaziah should have known that his threats would be futile. Amos had already explained why no one on earth could stop him from speaking​—and that is our third point for consideration. According to Amos 3:3-8, Amos used a series of questions and illustrations to show that every effect has a cause. Then he made this application: “There is a lion that has roared! Who will not be afraid? The Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself has spoken! Who will not prophesy?” In other words, Amos told his listeners: ‘Just as you cannot help being afraid when you hear the roar of a lion, so I cannot help preaching God’s word, since I have heard Jehovah’s command to do so.’ Godly fear, or deep reverence for Jehovah, impelled Amos to speak with boldness.

21. How do we respond to God’s command that we preach the good news?

²¹ We too hear Jehovah’s commission to preach. How do we react? Like Amos and like Jesus’ early followers, with Jehovah’s help we speak His word with boldness. (Acts 4:23-31) Neither persecution incited by opposers nor complacency displayed by those to whom we preach will silence us. Showing zeal like that of Amos, Jehovah’s Witnesses around the globe are impelled to continue declaring the good news with boldness. We have the responsibility to warn people of Jehovah’s coming judgment. What does that judgment involve? That question will be answered in the following article.

Jehovah’s Judgment Will Come Against the Wicked

“Get ready to meet your God.”​—AMOS 4:12.

1, 2. Why can we be confident that God will end wickedness?

WILL Jehovah ever put an end to wickedness and suffering on this earth? At the beginning of the 21st century, that question looms larger than ever. It seems that everywhere we turn, we see evidence of man’s inhumanity to man. How we long for a world free of violence, terrorism, and corruption!

² The good news is that we can have complete confidence that Jehovah will end wickedness. God’s qualities make it certain that he will take action against the wicked. Jehovah is righteous and just. At Psalm 33:5, his Word tells us: “He is a lover of righteousness and justice.” Another psalm says: “Anyone loving violence [Jehovah’s] soul certainly hates.” (Psalm 11:5) Surely, Jehovah, the all-powerful God, who loves righteousness and justice, will not forever tolerate what he hates.

3. What will be emphasized in a further consideration of the prophecy of Amos?

³ Consider another reason why we can be sure that Jehovah will remove wickedness. The record of his past dealings guarantees this. Striking examples of Jehovah’s pattern of dealing with wicked ones are found in the Bible book of Amos. A further consideration of the prophecy of Amos will emphasize three things about divine judgment. First, it is always deserved. Second, it is inescapable. And third, it is selective, for Jehovah executes judgment upon evildoers but extends mercy to repentant and rightly disposed individuals.​—Romans 9:17-26.

Divine Judgment Always Deserved

4. Where did Jehovah send Amos, and for what purpose?

⁴ In the days of Amos, the Israelites were already split into two kingdoms. One was the southern two-tribe kingdom of Judah. The other was the northern ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Jehovah commissioned Amos to serve as a prophet, sending him from his hometown in Judah to Israel. There Amos would be used by God to proclaim divine judgment.

5. Against what nations did Amos first prophesy, and what was one reason why they deserved adverse divine judgment?

⁵ Amos did not begin his work by pronouncing Jehovah’s judgment against the wayward northern kingdom of Israel. Rather, he began by declaring adverse divine judgment against six nearby nations. These nations were Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab. But did they really deserve to experience God’s adverse judgment? They definitely did. For one thing, they were hard-set enemies of Jehovah’s people.

6. Why was God going to bring calamity upon Syria, Philistia, and Tyre?

⁶ For example, Jehovah condemned the Syrians “on account of their threshing Gilead.” (Amos 1:3) The Syrians took territory away from Gilead​—a region of Israel east of the Jordan River—​and inflicted serious injury on God’s people there. What about Philistia and Tyre? The Philistines were guilty of taking Israelite exiles, or captives, and selling them to the Edomites, and some Israelites came into the hands of Tyrian slave traders. (Amos 1:6, 9) Imagine that​—selling God’s people into slavery! It is no surprise that Jehovah was going to bring calamity upon Syria, Philistia, and Tyre.

7. What did Edom, Ammon, and Moab have in common with Israel, but how did they treat the Israelites?

⁷ Edom, Ammon, and Moab had something in common with Israel and with one another. All three nations were related to the Israelites. The Edomites descended from Abraham through Jacob’s twin brother, Esau. In a sense, therefore, they were Israel’s brothers. The Ammonites and the Moabites were descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot. But did Edom, Ammon, and Moab treat their Israelite relatives in a brotherly manner? Far from it! Edom mercilessly used the sword against “his own brother,” and the Ammonites were sadistic in their treatment of Israelite captives. (Amos 1:11, 13) Although Amos does not directly mention Moab’s mistreatment of God’s people, the Moabites had a long record of opposing Israel. The punishment for those three kindred nations would be severe. Jehovah would send a fiery destruction upon them.

Divine Judgment Is Inescapable

8. Why were God’s judgments against the six nations near Israel inescapable?

⁸ Without question, the six nations addressed early in the prophecy of Amos deserved adverse divine judgment. Moreover, there was no way for them to escape it. From Amos chapter 1, verse 3, through chapter 2, verse 1 Am 1:3–2:1, Jehovah says six times: “I shall not turn it back.” True to his word, he did not turn his hand back from against those nations. Recorded history proves that each of them later suffered calamity. Why, at least four of them​—Philistia, Moab, Ammon, and Edom—​eventually ceased to exist!

9. What did the inhabitants of Judah deserve, and why?

⁹ The prophecy of Amos next focused attention on a seventh nation​—his home territory of Judah. His listeners in the northern kingdom of Israel may have been surprised to hear Amos proclaim judgment against the kingdom of Judah. Why did the inhabitants of Judah deserve adverse judgment? “On account of their rejecting the law of Jehovah,” says Amos 2:4. Jehovah did not take lightly such willful disregard for his Law. According to Amos 2:5, he foretold: “I will send a fire into Judah, and it must devour the dwelling towers of Jerusalem.”

10. Why could Judah not escape woe?

¹⁰ Unfaithful Judah could not escape the coming woe. For the seventh time, Jehovah said: “I shall not turn it back.” (Amos 2:4) Judah received the foretold punishment when she was desolated by the Babylonians in 607 B.C.E. Once again we see that for the wicked, there is no escaping divine judgment.

11-13. Amos prophesied primarily against what nation, and what forms of oppression existed there?

¹¹ The prophet Amos had just declared Jehovah’s judgment on seven nations. Anyone who thought that he had completed his prophesying, however, was mistaken. Amos was far from finished! He had been commissioned primarily to declare a scathing judgment message against the northern kingdom of Israel. And Israel deserved adverse divine judgment because the moral and spiritual decay of the nation was deplorable.

¹² The prophesying of Amos exposed the oppression that had become common in the kingdom of Israel. In this regard, Amos 2:6, 7 reads: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘On account of three revolts of Israel, and on account of four, I shall not turn it back, on account of their selling someone righteous for mere silver, and someone poor for the price of a pair of sandals. They are panting for the dust of the earth on the head of lowly persons; and the way of meek people they turn aside.’”

¹³ Righteous ones were being sold “for mere silver,” possibly meaning that judges who accepted silver as a bribe were sentencing the innocent. Creditors were selling the poor into slavery for the price of “a pair of sandals,” perhaps for some minor debt. Heartless men ‘panted,’ or eagerly sought, to bring “lowly persons” down to such a state that these poor ones would throw dust on their own heads as a sign of distress, mourning, or humiliation. Corruption was so rampant that “meek people” could not hope to find any justice.

14. Who were being mistreated in the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel?

¹⁴ Notice who were being mistreated. They were the righteous, poor, lowly, and meek inhabitants of the land. Jehovah’s Law covenant with the Israelites demanded that compassion be shown to the vulnerable and needy. For such individuals in the domain of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, however, conditions could not have been worse.

“Get Ready to Meet Your God”

15, 16. (a) Why were the Israelites warned: “Get ready to meet your God”? (b) How does Amos 9:1, 2 show that the wicked could not evade the execution of divine judgment? (c) What happened to the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel in 740 B.C.E.?

¹⁵ Since immorality and other sins were rampant in Israel, it was with good reason that the prophet Amos warned the rebellious nation: “Get ready to meet your God.” (Amos 4:12) Unfaithful Israel could not escape the approaching execution of divine judgment because for the eighth time, Jehovah declared: “I shall not turn it back.” (Amos 2:6) Regarding wicked ones who might try to hide, God said: “No one fleeing of them will make good his flight, and no one escaping of them will make his getaway. If they dig down into Sheol, from there my own hand will take them; and if they go up to the heavens, from there I shall bring them down.”​—Amos 9:1, 2.

¹⁶ The wicked could not evade the execution of Jehovah’s judgment upon them by digging “down into Sheol,” figuratively denoting attempts to hide in the lowest parts of the earth. Neither could they escape divine judgment by going “up to the heavens,” that is, trying to find refuge on high mountains. Jehovah’s warning was clear: There is no hiding place beyond his reach. Divine justice required that the kingdom of Israel be called to account for its wicked deeds. And that time did come. In 740 B.C.E.​—about 60 years after Amos recorded his prophecy—​the kingdom of Israel fell to the conquering Assyrians.

Divine Judgment Is Selective

17, 18. What does Amos chapter 9 reveal about God’s mercy?

¹⁷ The prophecy of Amos has helped us to see that divine judgment is always deserved and is inescapable. But the book of Amos also indicates that Jehovah’s judgment is selective. God can find the wicked and execute judgment upon them wherever they hide. He can also find repentant and upright ones​—those to whom he chooses to extend mercy. This is beautifully highlighted in the final chapter of the book of Amos.

¹⁸ According to Amos chapter 9, verse 8, Jehovah said: “I shall not completely annihilate the house of Jacob.” As noted in Am 9 verses 13 to 15, Jehovah promised that he would “gather back the captive ones” of his people. They would be shown mercy and would enjoy security and prosperity. “The plowman will actually overtake the harvester,” Jehovah promised. Imagine that​—a harvest so abundant that some of it would not yet be gathered in when the next time for plowing and sowing seed came around!

19. What happened to a remnant from Israel and Judah?

¹⁹ It can be said that Jehovah’s judgment against wicked ones in both Judah and Israel was selective in that repentant and rightly disposed ones were shown mercy. In fulfillment of the restoration prophecy recorded in Amos chapter 9, a repentant remnant of Israel and Judah returned from Babylonian captivity in 537 B.C.E. Back in their beloved homeland, they restored pure worship. In security, they also rebuilt their houses and planted vineyards and gardens.

Jehovah’s Adverse Judgment Will Come!

20. Of what should our consideration of the judgment messages declared by Amos assure us?

²⁰ Our consideration of the divine judgment messages proclaimed by Amos should assure us that Jehovah will put an end to wickedness in our day. Why can we believe this? First, these examples of God’s past dealings with the wicked indicate how he will act in our day. Second, the execution of divine judgment upon the apostate kingdom of Israel makes it certain that God will bring destruction upon Christendom, the most reprehensible part of “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion.​—Revelation 18:2.

21. Why does Christendom deserve God’s adverse judgment?

²¹ There is no question that Christendom deserves adverse divine judgment. Her deplorable religious and moral conditions speak for themselves. Jehovah’s judgment against Christendom​—and the rest of Satan’s world—​is deserved. It is also inescapable, for when it is time to execute judgment, the words of Amos chapter 9, verse 1, will apply: “No one fleeing of them will make good his flight, and no one escaping of them will make his getaway.” Yes, no matter where the wicked may hide, Jehovah will find them.

22. What points regarding divine judgment are made clear at 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8?

²² Divine judgment is always deserved, inescapable, and selective. This can be seen from the apostle Paul’s words: “It is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you, but, to you who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8) “It is righteous on God’s part” to repay those who deserve adverse judgment for bringing tribulation upon his anointed ones. That judgment will be inescapable, for the wicked will not survive ‘the revelation of Jesus with his powerful angels in a flaming fire.’ Divine judgment will also be selective in that Jesus will bring vengeance “upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news.” And the execution of divine judgment will bring comfort to godly ones who suffer tribulation.

Hope for the Upright

23. What hope and comfort can be drawn from the book of Amos?

²³ The prophecy of Amos contains a wonderful message of hope and comfort for rightly disposed individuals. As foretold in the book of Amos, Jehovah did not completely annihilate his people of ancient times. He eventually gathered back the captive ones of Israel and Judah, returning them to their homeland and blessing them with abundant security and prosperity. What does this mean for our day? It makes us certain that during the execution of divine judgment, Jehovah will find the wicked wherever they hide and will locate individuals he considers deserving of his mercy, no matter where they may live on this earth.

24. In what ways have Jehovah’s modern-day servants been blessed?

²⁴ While we await the time for Jehovah’s judgment to come against the wicked, what is our experience as his faithful servants? Why, Jehovah is blessing us with overflowing spiritual prosperity! We enjoy a way of worship that is free of the lies and distortions that have resulted from Christendom’s false teachings. Jehovah has also blessed us with spiritual food in abundance. Remember, though, that with these rich blessings from Jehovah comes a great responsibility. God expects us to warn others about the coming judgment. We desire to do all we can to find those who are “rightly disposed for everlasting life.” (Acts 13:48) Yes, we desire to help as many as possible to share in the spiritual prosperity that we now enjoy. And we want them to survive the approaching execution of divine judgment upon the wicked. Of course, to share in these blessings, we must have the proper heart condition. As we will see in the next article, this too is highlighted in the prophecy of Amos.

Search for Jehovah, the Examiner of Hearts

“Search for me, and keep living.”​—AMOS 5:4.

1, 2. What is meant when the Scriptures say that Jehovah “sees what the heart is”?

JEHOVAH GOD told the prophet Samuel: “Mere man sees what appears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.” (1 Samuel 16:7) How is it that Jehovah “sees what the heart is”?

² In the Scriptures, the heart is often used figuratively to represent what a person is inside​—his desires, his thoughts, his emotions, and his affections. So when the Bible says that God sees the heart, it means that he looks beyond outward appearances and focuses on what a person really is.

God Examines Israel

3, 4. According to Amos 6:4-6, what conditions existed in the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel?

³ As the Examiner of hearts looked down upon the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel in the days of Amos, what did He see? Amos 6:4-6 speaks of men who were ‘lying down on couches of ivory and sprawling on their divans.’ They were “eating the rams out of a flock and the young bulls from among fattened calves.” Such men had “devised for themselves instruments for song” and were “drinking out of bowls of wine.”

⁴ At first glance, this might appear to be a pleasant scene. In the comfort of their well-appointed homes, the rich enjoyed the best in food and drink and were entertained by the finest in musical instruments. They also had “couches of ivory.” Archaeologists have found exquisitely carved ivories in Samaria, the capital city of the kingdom of Israel. (1 Kings 10:22) Very likely, many of these had been attached to furniture and inlaid in wall paneling.

5. Why was God displeased with the Israelites of Amos’ day?

⁵ Was Jehovah God displeased that the Israelites were living comfortably, savoring tasty meals, drinking fine wine, and listening to beautiful music? Of course not! After all, he provides such things richly for man’s enjoyment. (1 Timothy 6:17) What displeased Jehovah were the wrong desires of the people, their wicked heart condition, their irreverent attitude toward God, and their lack of love for fellow Israelites.

6. What was the spiritual condition of Israel during the time of Amos?

⁶ Those ‘sprawling on their divans, eating the rams out of a flock, drinking wine, and devising instruments for song’ were in for a surprise. Those men were asked: “Are you putting out of your mind the calamitous day?” They should have been greatly distressed over conditions in Israel, but they had “not been made sick at the catastrophe of Joseph.” (Amos 6:3-6) Looking beyond the nation’s economic prosperity, God saw that Joseph​—or Israel—​was in a catastrophic spiritual situation. Yet, the people went about their daily affairs unconcerned. Many people today have a similar attitude. They may acknowledge that we are living in difficult times, but as long as they are not affected personally, they care little about the plight of others and manifest no interest in spiritual matters.

Israel​—A Nation in Decay

7. What would happen if the people of Israel did not heed divine warnings?

⁷ The book of Amos paints a picture of a nation in decay, its outward appearance notwithstanding. Because of their failure to heed divine warnings and correct their viewpoint, Jehovah would abandon them to their enemies. The Assyrians would snatch them from their splendid ivory couches and drag them off into captivity. No more comfort for them!

8. How had Israel come to be in a bad spiritual state?

⁸ How had the Israelites come to be in such a state? This situation had begun to develop in 997 B.C.E., when King Solomon was succeeded by his son Rehoboam and ten tribes of Israel separated from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The first king of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel was Jeroboam I, “the son of Nebat.” (1 Kings 11:26) Jeroboam convinced the people of his domain that it was too much for them to travel to Jerusalem to worship Jehovah. However, he was not truly concerned about the welfare of the people. Instead, he was trying to protect his own interests. (1 Kings 12:26) Jeroboam was afraid that if the Israelites continued to go to the temple in Jerusalem for annual festivals honoring Jehovah, they would eventually switch their loyalties to the kingdom of Judah. Seeking to prevent this, Jeroboam set up two golden calves, one at Dan and the other at Bethel. Thus calf worship became the State religion in the kingdom of Israel.​—2 Chronicles 11:13-15.

9, 10. (a) What religious observances were arranged for by King Jeroboam I? (b) How did God view the festivals held in Israel in the days of King Jeroboam II?

⁹ Jeroboam tried to give the new religion an air of respectability. He arranged for observances somewhat similar to the festivals held in Jerusalem. At 1 Kings 12:32, we read: “Jeroboam went on to make a festival in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival that was in Judah, that he might make offerings upon the altar that he had made in Bethel.”

¹⁰ Jehovah never approved of such false religious festivals. He certainly made that clear through Amos more than a century later during the reign of Jeroboam II, who became king of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel in about 844 B.C.E. (Amos 1:1) According to Amos 5:21-24, God said: “I have hated, I have rejected your festivals, and I shall not enjoy the smell of your solemn assemblies. But if you people offer up to me whole burnt offerings, even in your gift offerings I shall find no pleasure, and on your communion sacrifices of fatlings I shall not look. Remove from me the turmoil of your songs; and the melodious sound of your stringed instruments may I not hear. And let justice roll forth just like waters, and righteousness like a constantly flowing torrent.”

Present-Day Parallels

11, 12. What parallels can be drawn between worship in ancient Israel and that found in Christendom?

¹¹ Clearly, Jehovah examined the hearts of those engaging in Israel’s festivals and rejected their observances and offerings. Similarly today, God rejects Christendom’s pagan celebrations, such as Christmas and Easter. For worshipers of Jehovah, there can be no partnership between righteousness and lawlessness, no fellowship between light and darkness.​—2 Corinthians 6:14-16.

¹² Other parallels can be noted between worship carried on by the calf-worshiping Israelites and that found in Christendom. Although some professed Christians accept the truth of God’s Word, Christendom’s worship itself is not motivated by genuine love for God. If it were, she would insist on worshiping Jehovah “with spirit and truth” because that is the kind of worship that pleases him. (John 4:24) Moreover, Christendom does not “let justice roll forth just like waters, and righteousness like a constantly flowing torrent.” Instead, she consistently soft-pedals God’s moral requirements. She tolerates fornication and other gross sins and even goes so far as to bless homosexual unions!

“Love What Is Good”

13. Why do we need to comply with the words of Amos 5:15?

¹³ To all who yearn to worship Jehovah in an acceptable way, he says: “Hate what is bad, and love what is good.” (Amos 5:15) Love and hate are strong emotions that emanate from the figurative heart. Since the heart is treacherous, we must do everything in our power to safeguard it. (Proverbs 4:23; Jeremiah 17:9) If we allow our heart to nurture wrong desires, we may find ourselves loving what is bad and hating what is good. And if we act on such desires by practicing sin, all the zeal in the world will not bring us back into God’s favor. Let us therefore pray for God’s help to “hate what is bad, and love what is good.”

14, 15. (a) In Israel, who were among those doing what was good, but how were some of them being treated? (b) How can we encourage those who are in full-time service today?

¹⁴ Not all Israelites were doing what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes. For instance, Hosea and Amos ‘loved what was good’ and served God faithfully as prophets. Others took vows as Nazirites. For the length of their Naziriteship, they abstained from the use of products of the vine, especially wine. (Numbers 6:1-4) How did the other Israelites view the self-sacrificing course of such doers of good things? The shocking answer to that question reveals the extent of the nation’s spiritual decay. Says Amos 2:12: “You kept giving the Nazirites wine to drink, and upon the prophets you laid a command, saying: ‘You must not prophesy.’”

¹⁵ Upon seeing the faithful example of the Nazirites and the prophets, those Israelites should have been ashamed and should have been moved to change their ways. Instead, they unlovingly sought to discourage the loyal ones from giving glory to God. Let us never urge fellow Christians who are pioneers, missionaries, traveling overseers, or members of the Bethel family to discontinue their full-time service simply to return to a so-called normal life. Rather, let us encourage them to keep up their good work!

16. Why had the Israelites been better-off in Moses’ day than they were in the time of Amos?

¹⁶ Although many Israelites were enjoying a materially satisfying life in the days of Amos, they were “not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21) Their forefathers had eaten only manna in the wilderness for 40 years. They had not feasted on manger-fed bulls or sprawled sluggishly on couches of ivory. However, Moses had rightly told them: “Jehovah your God has blessed you in every deed of your hand. . . . These forty years Jehovah your God has been with you. You have not lacked a thing.” (Deuteronomy 2:7) Yes, the Israelites in the wilderness always had what they truly needed. Best of all, they had God’s love, protection, and blessing!

17. Why did Jehovah lead the early Israelites into the Promised Land?

¹⁷ Jehovah reminded the contemporaries of Amos that He had brought their ancestors into the Promised Land and had helped them to clear it of all their enemies. (Amos 2:9, 10) But why had God led those early Israelites out of Egypt and into the land of promise? Was it so that they could live a life of idle luxury and reject their Creator? No! Rather, he had done so to make it possible for them to worship him as a free and spiritually clean people. But the inhabitants of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel did not hate what was bad and love what was good. Instead, they were giving glory to graven images, not to Jehovah God. How shameful!

Jehovah Holds an Accounting

18. Why has Jehovah set us free spiritually?

¹⁸ God was not going to ignore the disgraceful conduct of the Israelites. He made his position clear when he said: “I shall hold an accounting against you for all your errors.” (Amos 3:2) Those words should make us reflect on our own deliverance from slavery to modern-day Egypt, this present wicked system of things. Jehovah has not set us free spiritually so that we can pursue selfish goals. Instead, he has done this so that we can give him heartfelt praise as a free people engaging in clean worship. And all of us will render an account for the way we are using our God-given freedom.​—Romans 14:12.

19. According to Amos 4:4, 5, what had most Israelites come to love?

¹⁹ Sadly, the powerful message delivered by Amos went unheeded by most inhabitants of Israel. The prophet exposed their spiritually diseased heart condition in these words recorded at Amos 4:4, 5: “Come, you people, to Bethel and commit transgression. At Gilgal be frequent in committing transgression, . . . for that is the way you have loved, O sons of Israel.” The Israelites had not cultivated proper desires. They had not safeguarded their hearts. As a result, most of them had come to love what was bad and to hate what was good. Those obstinate calf worshipers did not change. Jehovah would hold an accounting, and they would have to die in their sins!

20. How can one pursue a course in harmony with Amos 5:4?

²⁰ It must not have been easy for anyone living in Israel in those days to remain faithful to Jehovah. It is difficult to swim against the current, so to speak, as Christians today, young and old, well know. Yet, love for God and a desire to please him did motivate some Israelites to practice true worship. Jehovah extended to them the warm invitation recorded at Amos 5:4: “Search for me, and keep living.” Today, God similarly shows mercy to those who repent and search for him by taking in accurate knowledge of his Word and then doing his will. It is not easy to pursue this course, but doing so leads to everlasting life.​—John 17:3.

Prosperity Despite Spiritual Famine

21. What famine befalls those who do not practice true worship?

²¹ What awaited those who did not support true worship? Famine of the worst kind​—spiritual famine! “There are days coming,” said the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “and I will send a famine into the land, a famine, not for bread, and a thirst, not for water, but for hearing the words of Jehovah.” (Amos 8:11) Christendom is in the throes of such a spiritual famine. But honesthearted ones in her midst can see the spiritual prosperity of God’s people and are flocking to Jehovah’s organization. The contrast between the situation in Christendom and that prevailing among true Christians is aptly shown in Jehovah’s words: “Look! My own servants will eat, but you yourselves will go hungry. Look! My own servants will drink, but you yourselves will go thirsty. Look! My own servants will rejoice, but you yourselves will suffer shame.”​—Isaiah 65:13.

22. Why do we have reason to rejoice?

²² As Jehovah’s servants, do we personally appreciate what we have in the way of spiritual provisions and blessings? When we study the Bible and Christian publications and attend our meetings, assemblies, and conventions, we do indeed feel like crying out joyfully because of the good condition of the heart. We rejoice in the clear understanding that we have of God’s Word, including the divinely inspired prophecy of Amos.

23. What do those who glorify God enjoy?

²³ For all humans who love God and want to give him glory, the prophecy of Amos contains a message of hope. No matter what our present economic situation or what trials we must face in this troubled world, we who love God are enjoying divine blessings and the best spiritual food. (Proverbs 10:22; Matthew 24:45-47) All glory, then, goes to God, who provides all things richly for our benefit. May we, therefore, be determined to give him our heartfelt praise forever. That will be our joyous privilege if we search for Jehovah, the Examiner of hearts.