Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes. Sermons I. THE DISPOSITION AND HABIT HERE CONDEMNED. The following elements are to be recognized. 1. Self-satisfaction. 2. Self-indulgence. 3. Indifference. 4. Carelessness. 5. Negligence. II. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH AGGRAVATE THE SIN OF INDIFFERENCE AND SECURITY. In the case of those here addressed we observe: 1. That they resided in places which were themselves a reminder of the character of Jehovah and of his past "dealings" with the chosen people. 2. That they occupied positions fitted to inspire them with a sense of personal responsibility. They were the distinguished chiefs of the nations - the men to whom the people looked as their leaders, and in whom they might reasonably expect to find an example of piety, unselfishness, and zeal 3. That they lived in times when the judgments of God were abroad, and when insensibility to duty and religion were all the more inexcusably culpable. III. THE EVIL FOLLOWING UPON THE DISPOSITION AND HABIT HERE CONDEMNED. 1. Divine displeasure is prophetically declared against those who are at ease when they should be at work, against those who are secure and confident when they should be examining and judging themselves, and beginning a new and better life. 2. Moral deterioration cannot but follow upon such a state of mind as is here depicted. The slothful are the first to feel the ill effects of their sloth; the habit grows, and a religious, not to say an heroic, life becomes an impossibility. 3. National disaster and punishment are entailed by the indifference and unfaithfulness of those who are called to be a nation's guides and rulers. - T.
Woe to them that are at ease in Zion. There is something very agreeable and desirable in ease. Yet, strange as the declaration may appear, this tranquillity is too common; and to disturb it should be our design. For your peace may be a false peace. Before an earthquake the air is uncommonly serene. Ascertain precisely the characters whose delusions we wish to destroy.I. SOME ARE AT EASE IN ZION FROM SELFISH INSENSIBILITY. Such there were in the days of Amos. In a similar way to Amos, Isaiah upbraids the Jews. There are still many whose attention to their own indulgences regulates all their actions. Our dispositions ought always to correspond with the providence of God, and the purposes for which He placed us in the world. For the unfeeling wretch conscience has no kind office to perform. For him no orphan prays, no widow sings. For him the evil day comes on charged with every horror. He has no asylum in the feelings of the community, the happiness of whose members he never sought. II. SOME FROM INFIDEL PRESUMPTION. If there be any truth in the Scriptures, the dispositions of the generality of mankind are very unsuitable to their state and their destiny. What is this ease which flows from infidel persuasion? 1. It is obtained with difficulty. 2. It is partial, and liable to interruption. 3. The less liable it is to be disturbed, the more awful; for it is penal. 4. This ease is fatal. Its duration is momentary; it must end, and end in anguish and despair. III. SOME FROM VAIN CONFIDENCE; relying on the goodness of their present state, and on the certainty of their future happiness. There is such a thing as spiritual self-flattery; there is such a thing as a delusive dependence on religion. 1. This confidence keeps them from looking after salvation. They are too good to be saved. 2. This course will terminate in woeful surprise and disappointment. IV. SOME PROM PRACTICAL INDIFFERENCE. You would much offend persons of this class, were you to inquire whether they believed the Scripture. These persons are not to be charged sentimentally with anti-nomianism or any other error. They know the Gospel in theory; but they are strangers to its Divine efficacy. Of all the various characters we have to deal with in our ministry, these are the most unlikely to insure success. We preach; you acknowledge, and admire, — but you discover no more concern to obtain the one thing needful we propose, than if you were persuaded we called you "to follow a cunningly devised fable." Your life is a perpetual contradiction to your creed: you are not happy, and contrive not to be miserable. Inferences. 1. They are highly criminal, who countenance and promote a state of carnal ease. 2. Let none be troubled when they find their connections distressed and alarmed with a sense of their sin and danger. 3. Nothing is so much to be dreaded as false security in religion. 4. There is consolation for those who are distressed. We do not applaud all their doubts and dejections, but these painful scruples are easily accounted for, and they lie on the safe side. (William Jay.) 1. It includes carnal security (ver. 1). 2. It includes presumptuous unbelief (vers. 2, 3). 3. It includes sensual indulgence (vers. 4, 5, 6, first clause). 4. It includes selfish indifference (ver. 6, last clause). II. THE JUSTICE OF THE WOE DENOUNCED AGAINST IT. 1. Such a state of mind indicates a lurking enmity against God. 2. Indicates insensibility to the claims of Jesus. 3. Indicates a deep-seated unbelief of coming judgments. (G. Brooks.) Essex Remembrancer. I. THE STATE CONDEMNED. God's threatenings had been declared against the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, but the people confided in their fortifications and external advantages, or in their profession of being the people of God; thus they carelessly indulged themselves, and were heedless about consequences, though destruction impended over them. The application of the passage to the conduct of many under the means of grace is natural and easy. The state of mind condemned is —1. Expressive of careless indifference. 2. It is expressive of false security.The persons warned in the text were regarding themselves as secure on false and uncertain grounds. So many are now found perverting the doctrines of the Gospel, and promising to themselves security in such per version. Or they pretend that they arc waiting for God's time, when He will afford them necessary help. They make their moral inability, or in other words, their unwillingness to receive Christ and His Gospel an excuse for their continued disobedience, and attribute their rebellion and unbelief to the want of God's help, rather than to the state of their own hearts, to the love of sin, and to their unwillingness to yield submission to the Saviour's authority. Others make their moral conduct a ground of hope. Their honesty, their kindness to their neighbours, and the propriety of their general deportment are substituted for faith in Christ, and a cordial reception of His Gospel. 3. It is expressive of a state of sloth. Many professors are thus at ease. Once they were anxious, inquiring, full of apparent desire after the favour of God and the blessings of salvation, and of activity 'in the Saviour's cause. But their zeal, activity, and ardour have passed away. They are slumbering and sleeping. II. MARK THE PLACE WHERE THIS STATE OF MIND IS EXERCISED. If slothfulness and indifference are unseemly in other spheres, are they less so in Zion, in the house, in the Church of God? If they are injurious to our temporal concerns... are they less so to our spiritual and eternal interests? Restricting the term "in Zion" to the place where God is worshipped, to His sanctuary, we remark — 1. That in Zion the law of God is declared. Its purity, its justice, its spiritual character and extensive requirements are set forth. In Zion we are shown the harmony of the law with the Gospel, while it becomes the means of preparing us to receive salvation. 2. In Zion the Gospel is proclaimed. Here the most constant theme is salvation through the Saviour s blood. Here Jesus is evidently set forth as crucified among us. Can you be at ease in Zion, cold and insensible, with the Cross in view, and indifferent to the Saviour's voice addressing us therefrom? 3. Zion is the special residence of Christ. Jesus is now represented as King in Zion, as the Ruler and Head of His Church. III. THE DANGER TO WHICH THIS STATE OF MIND EXPOSES. 1. How opposed to all spiritual improvement. 2. How expressive of contempt for spiritual blessings. 3. How ruinous to our eternal interests. (Essex Remembrancer.) I. CONSIDER THE PERSONS HERE MENTIONED. They are described as being "at ease in Zion." The temple was called Zion. The name was gradually extended to the worshippers, so that it came to embrace all who profess to know and worship God. To be in Zion means to be in a land where the true God is known and worshipped, where religious privileges, similar to those of the Jews, are enjoyed. Taking the word in a more limited sense, to be in Zion is to be among those who statedly meet for the purpose of religious worship. Or it may include only those who have made a public profession of religion. The ease here intended is ease not of body, but of mind; ease relating not to our temporal but to our religious or spiritual concerns. Persons are at ease when they feel neither sorrow nor alarm on account of their sins; when they are seldom troubled by the admonitions of conscience; when they arc not engaged in working out their salvation with fear and trembling, but feel quiet and secure. This unconcern respecting themselves is usually accompanied by at least equal unconcern respecting the salvation of others. Such persons are described as "not grieved for the affliction of Joseph"; that is, for the evils and calamities that afflict the Church. This body may be divided into several classes, corresponding with the various causes to which their ease is ascribed.1. Those who deny that any punishment will be inflicted on sinners. This includes infidels of every description; those who deny God's government of the world; those who contemn God; and the scoffers. In this class must also be placed those who believe that all men will be saved. False prophets who cry "peace, peace," when there is no peace. 2. Those who allow that sinners will be punished, but who deny, or do not appear to believe, that they are sinners. They find, or fancy that they find none better than themselves, few so good, and very many worse. Hence they conclude that they arc in no danger, that they have nothing to fear, and of course feel easy and secure. Such persons are without the law. They know nothing of its spirituality, strictness, and extent. They have never tried themselves by this rule. They are like a man buried in sleep, totally unconscious of their true character and situation, insensible of their sins, and of the danger to which their sins expose them. 3. Those who acknowledge that they are sinners, and that sinners will be punished; and yet they are at ease, for they contrive in various ways to persuade themselves that though other sinners will be punished, they shall themselves escape. Such persons, though habitually, are not always at ease. They have times of anxiety and alarm. It is their way by promises and resolutions to put off the evil day. They trust to a future convenient season. There is perhaps no class of sinners whose situation is more dangerous. This class also includes all who entertain a false and groundless persuasion that they have already become pious, obtained the" pardon of their sins, and secured the favour of God. The reasons why persons feel such a persuasion are various. II. THE WOE WHICH IS DENOUNCED AGAINST THEM IN OUR TEXT. The doom is expressed in general terms; in terms which may include curses and threatenings of every kind. Why are such characters thought worthy of a punishment so severe? 1. Because the ease which they feel proves that they belong to the number of the wicked. All who are habitually at ease in Zion know nothing of true religion. They are either careless sinners or self-deluded hypocrites. 2. They are not only sinners, but sinners of no common stamp, sinners whose guilt and sinfulness are peculiarly aggravated, and whose punishment will therefore be peculiarly severe. He who is at ease in Zion must be deaf to God's voice, blind to God's glories, insensible to every spiritual object; he sins against light and against love. 3. There is little reason to hope that they will ever repent. On what grounds can we hope for the salvation of those who are at ease? If they cannot be roused, if their false peace cannot be disturbed, they must inevitably perish; and to rouse them, humanly speaking, seems impossible. (E. Payson, D. D.) : — While Amos unveils the transgressions of Israel, he does not spare the sins of Judah.I. THE PERSONS HERE REFERRED TO. Those who are "in Zion." The class of persons spoken of are the members of the visible Church, the professing people of God. Regard the professing Church — 1. As solemnly devoted to holiness and God.(1) They are so by the immediate and express purpose of God Himself. He has created them anew in Christ Jesus. And He has done this for His own glory.(2) They are so by the intention of their Divine Redeemer. He has done and suffered much for them. To redeem and raise up a holy Church is the object which is the solace of all the Redeemer's labours, the mead of all His sufferings.(3) They are devoted to holiness in baptism. The ordinance of baptism is the expressive type and sign of the sprinkling of the efficacious blood.(4) They are thus devoted by voluntary covenant. Every Christian is such by his free choice. 2. As the appointed instrument in the evangelisation of the world. The Church of Christ is designed to be a benevolent institution. They are appointed "witnesses" for God to an unbelieving and perishing world.(1) They are eminently fitted for this. They are themselves awakened and alive to the dangerous condition of every unconverted man. They know too the way of deliverance. And(2) they have the command. 3. As a mediator with God on behalf of a perishing world.(1) The renovation of the moral world depends upon the agency and operation of the Holy Ghost. The Word of God itself con tains no inherent or independent efficacy to convert mankind.(2) The bestow meat of the Spirit is frequently and distinctly promised, but always in answer to prayer.(3) Hence prayer is made the Christian's primary duty. Jesus both by precept and by example urged it upon His followers. II. THE SIN CHARGED UPON THEM. "They are at ease." Consider — 1. Their spiritual condition. They are devoted to holiness; are they holy? The spiritual state of Christians generally is not such as to warrant their being at ease. Every scriptural view of their character and duty involves the obligation of strenuous exertion. 2. The state of the world. The Gospel has now been preached over eighteen hundred years, and what is the result? Look at your own family and domestic circle. Look at the inhabitants of your town and neighbourhood. To how small a proportion of our race have even the tidings of the Gospel yet been conveyed. 3. Another reason for uneasiness is that the success of the Word must always arise from the agency of the Holy Spirit. III. THE JUDGMENT DENOUNCED. Under stand — 1. In the sense of a simple prophecy, as the prediction of a calamity likely and even certain to ensue. 2. It is the language of righteous retribution. That there is an equitable correspondence between sin and its consequences is testified by all experience. 3. It is the language of Divine denunciation. God is a just God, and a terrible. The sceptre of His mercy may become the rod of His wrath. If by our supineness, our unfaithfulness, our inconsistency, our sin, we have caused to be shed the blood of souls, shall we escape, think you, the just judgment of God? (John G. Avery.) The text practically applies to all nominal and professing Christians.I. WHAT IS MEANT BY THOSE WHO ARE AT EASE IN ZION? Lazy Christians. Christianity is more than profession, it is even something more than faith. It is carrying into practice the truths we profess. The soul that is at ease sits down very contentedly on his mere profession, and mistakes earth for heaven. II. WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF BEING AT EASE IN ZION? 1. There is ignorance of the nature of Christian life. Christianity is not ease, but labour. It is a daily struggle against unbelief and sin. The man at ease does his religion by deputy, or trusts entirely to the "mercy" of God, or relies on outward service and participation in form and ceremonies. 2. There is a dislike of the duties to be undertaken. Self-denial is not congenial to the natural heart. Labour is hateful, conflict repulsive, and therefore men sit down and dream away their opportunities. 3. Self-confidence. Disaster seems so unlikely. We fancy we are so secure that nothing can move us. Our prosperity, our privileges, our apparent tranquillity deceive the heart and lure the soul to sleep. III. THE RESULT OF BEING AT EASE IN ZION. 1. It generates sin. 2. It merits the displeasure of God. 3. It will end in entire destruction. (G. Wood, M. A.) Unless you make for the great things of your life, for I am not talking about the little things of life, many of which are best deter mined by circumstances — unless you make for the great things of life, the deliberate choice of the better part, you have in effect made the disastrous choice of the worst. The "policy of drift" always ends in ruin for a nation, for an army, for an individual. And it is plain enough that it is so, because, to the superficial observer, it is a great deal easier, and a great deal pleasanter, to take the low levels than to climb; and there are far more, and very clamant voices calling to us from out of worldly things to eat, and drink, and take our ease and be merry, and let ideals alone, than there are summoning us to the loftier, harder, more heroic, Christlike course of life. It is hard work taking a great junk up the Yang tse-Kiang. Hundreds of trackers have to strain every nerve and muscle as they go stumbling over the rocks on the bank, with great cables on their shoulders, and slow progress is made. It would take a week to get as far up as they can travel coming downwards in a day, without any trouble. Ay, and what is that that the idle crew begin to hear, as they lie half somnolent on the deck, enjoy ing the repose? A groaning sound, the roar of the rapids. To go down stream is easy, but there is a Niagara at the far end. You choose the worse when you do not deliberately choose the better. That is true all round. If you do not coerce, by a deliberate act, your will, or your inclination, the baser sort of them will get the upper hand of you. Take away the police, and the mob will loot and riot.(A. Maclaren, D. D.) : — It is not the increase of the outer man and his surroundings and possessions, but the renewal of the inner life and spirit which makes the net profit and abiding wealth. It is the inner life of a nation that determines all things, not the visible, but the more or less invisible, not what can be arrayed in figures and statistics, but what no figures can express — not the show and splendour of prosperous times, the glare of wealth, the blaze of knowledge, the surfeit of luxuries, the pomp of pride, the flaunting of power, but the hidden qualities of patience, faith, self-mastery, courage, righteousness, and purity which lie underneath all this external display. It is the soul of a nation that makes a nation, not its body. If the soul is not sound, the body soon becomes a mass of weakness and decay. France is wealthier than it ever was before. It has more splendid cities, larger armies, greater intellectual resources and material resources than ever before; the outward man was never so fair and strong as now. What of all that if the heart has ceased to beat with honest purpose, if its ideals are lost, if the inner life has become diseased, defiled, corrupt? The outward show slowly rots away, when the inspiring force within degenerates and disappears. It is the continued renewal of the inner man that saves all.(J. G. Greenhough, M. A.) The phases of transition in the moral temper of the falling Venetians, during their fall, were from pride to infidelity, and from infidelity to the unscrupulous pursuit of pleasure. During the last years of the existence of the State, the minds both of the nobility and the people seem to have been set simply upon the attainment of the means of self-indulgence. There was not strength enough in them to be proud, nor forethought enough to be ambitious. One by one the possessions of the State were abandoned to its enemies; one by one the channels of its trade were forsaken by its own languor, or occupied and closed against it by its more energetic rivals; and the time, the resources, and the thoughts of the nation were exclusively occupied in the invention of such fantastic and costly pleasures as might best amuse their apathy, lull their remorse, or disguise their ruin. It is as needless, as it is painful, to trace the steps of her final ruin. That ancient curse was upon her, the curse of the cities of the plain, "Pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness." By the inner burning of her own passions, as fatal as the fiery rain of Gomorrah, she was consumed from her place among the nations; and her ashes are choking the channels of the dead salt sea.(John Ruskin.) People Amos, David, Hemath, Jacob, JosephPlaces Ashteroth-karnaim, Brook of the Arabah, Calneh, Gath, Hamath, Lebo-hamath, Lo-debar, Samaria, ZionTopics Chief, Comfort, Complacent, Confident, Danger, Distinguished, Ease, Fear, Feel, Foremost, Marked, Mount, Mountain, Named, Nation, Nations, Notable, Noted, Renowned, Resting, Samaria, Sama'ria, Secure, Sorrow, Trust, Wo, Woe, ZionOutline 1. The wantonness of Israel,7. shall be plagued with desolation; 12. and their incorrigibleness shall end in affliction. Dictionary of Bible Themes Amos 6:1 5386 leisure, nature of Library The Carcass and the Eagles'Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! 2. Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? 3. Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; 4. That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture June the Twenty-Fourth at Ease in Zion A Sermon for the Time Present Whether it is Proper to Christ to be Head of the Church? Of Christian Liberty. Of Orders. The Prophet Amos. Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C. The Wrath of God Links Amos 6:1 NIVAmos 6:1 NLT Amos 6:1 ESV Amos 6:1 NASB Amos 6:1 KJV Amos 6:1 Bible Apps Amos 6:1 Parallel Amos 6:1 Biblia Paralela Amos 6:1 Chinese Bible Amos 6:1 French Bible Amos 6:1 German Bible Amos 6:1 Commentaries Bible Hub |
    |