“They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly,” Amos 5:10.
I was not long converted when I heard an endearing word about Amos the prophet. Dr Paisley quoted from his book in response to criticism that was being heaped upon his head by ecumenical ministers, whose folly and defiance of God’s Word he had condemned. The verses he quoted are found in Amos 7:14-15.
“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.”
I instantly learned that the Lord was pleased to call into His service those whom some might consider as being utterly unsuitable!
I later learned that the Lord had earlier displayed the same mercy and sovereign grace in the calling of that great prophet Elisha, anointed to that holy office by his great predecessor, Elijah.
“So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him,” 1 Kings 19:19-21.
I can say as did Amos, but even more unquestionably: “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son” but the Lord called me into His service, and in a faint likeness, I ministered to an ‘Elijah’. For shortly after I began my studies as student for the ministry in January 1965, Dr Paisley took me to live with his family for about six months and in a small way I ministered unto him, driving him around the province to gatherings and to gospel meetings and all the time gaining a knowledge of what it was to preach.
In our text, you have the prophet’s observation regarding the attitude of those intent on following their own devices and who detested the rebukes that the prophet addressed to them.
I. THIS IS AN ALL TOO COMMON ATTITUDE TODAY
This is a day of backsliding. Even the most unobservant Christian knows that this so. Worldly attitudes and notions have invaded the ‘church’! Sadly, many fail to recognise them for what they are. Ministers know at least something of what is happening BUT, sadly, are reluctant to address the issues because of the response that may be forthcoming. Amos encountered ‘hate’ and ‘abhorrence’!
1. There was defiance outburst against authority in the prophet’s day. “They hate him that rebuketh in the gate”. This is a reference to those who hold a God-appointed position of authority. ‘The Gate’ is where the judges sat and administered justice.
This is illustrated very clearly in the law of God pronounced by Moses. “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear,” Deuteronomy 21:18-21.
It was also the place where the prophets often declared the message of the Lord. We famously have that statement by Moses, spoken at the gate. “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him,” Exodus 32:26.
In the days of Jeremiah, days of rebellion and defiance of God, Jeremiah was commanded of God: “Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; and say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction,” Jeremiah 17:19-23.
This is a perfect illustration of what it was that Amos complained about.
Today
Is there not a spirit of defiance abroad today of the very kind that is illustrated for us by that quotation from Jeremiah and of which Amos lamented over?
Women are increasingly throwing aside the God-commanded head-covering in church services and it seems to be accepted in those places where it is happening. That appears to be obviously so for the absence of the head-covering continues unabated or corrected and the hats remain off!
Of course, that is not the only evidence of defiance of the standards of behaviour hitherto embraced as Biblical. The ‘modernising’ of hymn singing and the general spirit of worship, which is nothing more than an importing of a fleshly atmosphere to the place of worship, together with casual dress, amongst males and females, is all part of that abandoning of the ‘old paths’ that are all too evident today.
It has been rightly observed that those who are quite ready to appear as they do in the presence of the Lord in His house, would never dream of appearing in the same attire were they called to meet the king!
What a shameful thing it is to be guilty of such a lack of regard and honour toward the Lord of Glory, who gave “his life a ransom for many,” Mark 10:45.
2. But is not just those who ought to be subject to rulers who show such disregard but even the rulers themselves!
“They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards,” Psalm 69:12. So complained David, the ‘king of Isreal’!
Good Order
What hope have we of order in God’s house when those in authority have such a low regard for the Law of God? The solemn oaths taken at ordination and installation can, it would appear, be set aside as unimportant soon after they are sworn! That has happened and is seen to be happening in the disregarding of rebellion in the pew! Misters and elders, who are bound by a solemn oath before God and are those who are to be obeyed, as is stated in the Word of God: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you,” Hebrews 13:17, do not always act in the light of that word!
It was recently emphasised at an ordination service that there is authority attached to the office of a minister and an elder. That is true. But is it an authority employed to rebuke sin and set forth the way of righteousness or is it an authority employed to exalt the occupant of the office in the eyes of those over which they rule?
If it is the latter, then it results in a race of office-bearers who have all the marks of those against whom the Saviour railed in Matthew 23:1-11.
“Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”
Holiness
The authority of ministers and elders is to be directed toward advancing holiness amongst the people of God by preaching the Word with Holy Ghost power and rebuking sin.
This Paul emphasised in his final words to Timothy.
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry,” 2 Timothy 4:1-5.
Many of the older ministers will remember being challenged as Dr Paisley preached from this words at their ordination.
It is certainly so with me!
Future account
Office-bearers in God’s house would ever need to remember these words already quoted from Hebrews 13:17: “they that must give account” when faced by carelessness and defiance in the pew. Not only the occupant of the pew who has cast aside obedience to God’s Word but the ministers and elders, whose task it is to maintain order in God’s house, will have to give an account of their failings to the ‘only King and Head of the Church’, the Lord Jesus Christ.
That simple truth is enough to dramatically alter the discernible direction that our church is sadly taking!
II. MINISTERS WHO WOULD BE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST MUST ENCOUNTER THIS ATTITUDE
1. ‘Hate and abhorrence’ is what the Saviour encountered and that being so, those who would live and labour in His Word, will encounter the same!
“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not,” Isaiah 53:2-3. The Lord Jesus warned His disciples of what they would face. said: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known,” Matthew 10:25-26.
2. It is very wrong that abhorrence be manifested toward the faithful exhortations and rebukes of a servant of God, but how much more horrific is it that the Lord of Glory and His Word be abhorred? In truth, the hating and abhorring of the ministry of a faithful minister is but the manifesting of a bitter rejection of the Lord Jesus. That is what He has said: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you,” John 15:18-19.
The faithful preaching of God’s Word identifies a man with Christ and will cause the hatred shown toward Him of old, to fall upon His servant also!
3. It is not surprising in these last days to hear of and see examples of this sinful attitude that Amos encountered. We have been warned that it would be so. Apostasy has ever been marked by such a spirit.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them,” Romans 1:28-32.
III. THIS WICKEDNESS OF ABHORRING AND HATING THAT WHICH IS GOOD WILL GROWING INCREASINGLY IN THE DAYS PRIOR TO THE RETURN OF CHRIST IN JUDGMENT!
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,” 2 Timothy 3:1-3.
1. This is emphasised again and again in holy Scripture.
“These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire,” 2 Peter 2:17-22.
“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life,” Jude 1:14-21.
2. This spirit of ‘hating and abhorring’ of God’s truth will reach its zenith in the person of the Antichrist and bring about his damnation.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by (Greek – concerning) the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5.
“Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; and of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him,” Daniel 7:19-27.
3. This repugnant despising of the truth of God and those that preach and seek to enforce it in accordance with the mind of the Lord, must be noted and avoided by the true believer lest the suffer they fate of Antichrist and his rebels. We say especially to the younger members of the Free Presbyterian Church, BEWARE of this spirit of contempt for the ‘old paths’, in which the Lord would have young and old walk. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein,” Jeremiah 6:16.
Rather than despising the holy walk of obedience to God’s Word on the ‘old paths’, we ought to be praying for their restoration amongst us for therein is the “good” way where we “shall find rest for our souls.”
There are those today who defy God, reject His ways and say “We will not walk therein”.
Be not one of them, dear Christian!
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
Saturday, 30th November 2024