Blessed be the Lord for making his servants faithful. Who but must admire the humbleness and modesty of Amos, in his account of his call to the ministry! And who but must be delighted with the firmness of the man, while acting as the servant of the Lord? Observe what holy zeal and boldness an heart truly devoted to the Lord finds in the Lord! Faithful servant of thy God, valiant Amos! Even in the degenerate age in which we live, still there is grace enough in the Church to admire, if not to follow thy bright example in being bold amidst the Amaziah's around, to glorify the Lord God of Israel, whether men will hear, Or whether they will forbear.
REFLECTIONS
I take occasion, from the noble conduct of the Prophet in this Chapter, in opposing the priest of Bethel, to remark to the Reader and mine own heart no less at the same time, how truly blessed it must be, thus to defend the truths of God, whenever or by whomsoever they are opposed. Cowardice in a minister of God is worse than in the soldier of an earthly prince; for the deserting the cause of this world is but for a day, but running from the Redeemer's standard affects a whole eternity. Had the Prophet been a time-serving man, no doubt the charge of Amaziah would have alarmed him, and soon bought him over. But as his study was to approve himself to God, he felt that holy indignation, which not only repelled the attack, but gave him an honest boldness to reprove in his Lord's name. And never was there a day in the Church of God, when a modest firmness became more necessary than the present. Lord! give thy servants, whom, like Amos, thou hast called to the work, grace, like Amos, earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Let an holy zeal make them earnest to win souls, and to consider that faith worth contending for, which gives God all the glory of salvation, and exalts the Lord Jesus as the source and fountain of all spiritual life, in grace here and glory to all eternity. And do thou, Lord, carry on thy work in their heart, and the hearts of thy people, that both may be living under the rich anointings of God the Holy Ghost! Amen.