No Fraet for Talemaot Message Bilong God

“Go, talem profesi long pipol bilong mi Israel.”—AMOS 7:15.

1, 2. Hu nao Amos, and wanem nao Bible talem abaotem hem?

TAEM wanfala servant bilong Jehovah duim ministry, wanfala priest kam long hem. Datfala priest singaot olsem: ‘Iu no preach moa! Iu go aot from disfala area!’ Wanem nao datfala servant bilong Jehovah hem duim? Waswe, hem no preach nao, or hem gohed nomoa? Record bilong samting wea kasem servant hia hem stap long buk wea garem nem bilong hem. Hem nao Bible buk bilong Amos. Bifor iumi herem moa samting abaotem taem wea Amos meetim datfala priest, bae iumi story abaotem Amos lelebet.

² Hu nao Amos? Wea nao hom bilong hem? Wanem taem nao hem stap laef? Ansa bilong olketa kwestin hia stap long Amos 1:1 wea hem sei: “Olketa toktok bilong Amos, wea stap witim olketa wea lukaftarem sheep from Tekoa, . . . long taem bilong Uzziah datfala king bilong Judah and long taem bilong Jeroboam son bilong Joash, datfala king bilong Israel.” Hom bilong Amos hem long distrik bilong Judah. Taon wea hem kam from hem Tekoa wea stap 16 kilometer south long Jerusalem. Hem stap laef long end bilong mek-naen century B.C.E. taem King Uzziah rul long Judah and Jeroboam II hem king bilong tenfala tribe bilong Israel. Amos hem man for lukaftarem sheep. Amos 7:14 sei hem no man for “lukaftarem sheep” nomoa, bat hem “man for mekem hol long olketa fig bilong sycamore tree” tu. Diswan hem for mekem olketa fig raep kwiktaem. So samfala taem insaed long year Amos savve duim harvest waka. Hem waka wea savve mekem man taed fogud.

“Go, Talem Profesi”

3. Hao nao wei for lane abaotem Amos bae helpem iumi sapos iumi feel iumi no fit for preach?

³ Amos tok stret olsem: “Mi no wanfala profet, and mi no son bilong wanfala profet tu.” (Amos 7:14) Jehovah chusim Amos for duim waka bilong Hem, nomata hem no born olsem son bilong profet and no kasem training for kamap wanfala profet tu. Long datfala taem, God no chusim wanfala king wea garem bigfala paoa, or wanfala priest wea garem savve, or wanfala rich chief. Diswan hem teachim iumi wanfala important samting. Maet iumi no garem big waka or hae education. Bat waswe, datwan shud mekem iumi feel iumi no fit for preach abaotem Word bilong God? Nomoa nao! Jehovah savve helpem iumi for talemaot message bilong hem—nomata long olketa territory wea staka pipol no interest. From Jehovah duim datwan for Amos, hem bae gud for evriwan wea willing and no fraet for talemaot message bilong God for lukluk gud long example wea Amos showimaot olsem wanfala profet wea no fraet.

4. Why nao hem no isi for Amos talem profesi long Israel?

⁴ Jehovah givim disfala komand long Amos: “Go, talem profesi long pipol bilong mi Israel.” (Amos 7:15) Datfala assignment hem no isi. Long datfala taem, ten-tribe kingdom bilong Israel stap long peace and garem gudfala living. Olketa rich. Staka garem olketa ‘haos for taem wea barava cold tumas’ and ‘olketa haos for taem wea hem hot’ tu, wea olketa wakem no from mud brik, bat from “ston wea olketa katem” wea expensive for baem. Samfala garem olketa chair and samting long haos wea garem spesol ivory design long olketa, and olketa drinkim wine wea kam from “olketa best grape plantation.” (Amos 3:15; 5:11) From diswan, pipol satisfae and no warim eniting. Tru nao, luk olsem territory wea Amos preach long hem, hem semsem witim territory wea staka long iumi duim ministry distaem.

5. Wanem samting nao samfala Israelite duim wea no followim justice?

⁵ Hem no rong for olketa Israelite garem olketa material samting. Nomata olsem, samfala hipimap riches long wei wea no honest. Olketa wea rich “ravem olketa man nating” and tu “spoelem olketa wea poor.” (Amos 4:1) Olketa bisnisman wea garem paoa, olketa judge, and olketa priest mekem plan for steal from poor pipol. Distaem, iumi bae storyim wanem olketa man hia duim.

Brekem Law Bilong God

6. Hao nao olketa bisnisman long Israel spoelem pipol?

⁶ Firstaem iumi go luk long market. Long there olketa bisnisman wea raverave olketa mekem “ephah smol” and “shekel big,” and salem tu “rabis grain.” (Amos 8:5, 6) Olketa bisnisman ravem pipol taem olketa kostim hae tumas olketa samting wea shud cheap nomoa. Bihaen olketa bisnisman tekem evri selen bilong poor pipol, olketa hia mas salem olketa seleva for kamap slave. Then, olketa bisnisman baem olketa “for kost bilong sandol.” (Amos 8:6) Tingim datwan! Olketa ting nating long olketa nara Israelite olsem sandol nomoa! Diswan barava spoelem and putim hevi long olketa wea garem need, and datwan barava brekem Law bilong God! Nomata olsem, olketa sem bisnisman hia barava keepim “sabbath.” (Amos 8:5) Yes, olketa followim religion bat no from heart.

7. Hao nao olketa bisnisman bilong Israel isi for brekem Law bilong God?

⁷ Hao nao olketa bisnisman hia missim panis taem olketa brekem Law bilong God, wea sei olsem: “Iu mas lovem narafala man olsem iuseleva”? (Leviticus 19:18) Olketa no kasem panis bikos pipol wea shud strongim Law, hem nao olketa judge, join witim olketa bisnisman for duim diswan tu. Long gate bilong taon, wea hem ples for herem olketa kot case, olketa judge ‘tekem bribe and no willing for helpem poor pipol.’ Winim wei for protectim poor pipol, olketa judge acceptim bribe for no helpem olketa. (Amos 5:10, 12) Olketa judge tu bat ting nating long Law bilong God.

8. Olketa wicked priest ting nating long wanem kaen fasin?

⁸ Long semtaem, wanem nao olketa priest bilong Israel duim? For faendaot, iumi luk go long nara ples. Lukim barava nogud samting wea olketa priest letem for gohed long “haos bilong olketa god bilong olketa”! Thru long Amos, God sei: “Wanfala man and dadi bilong hem go long sem girl, and olketa duim for spoelem holy nem bilong mi.” (Amos 2:7, 8) Tingim datwan! Wanfala Israelite man and son bilong hem duim dirty fasin witim sem jury woman long temple. And olketa wicked priest hia ting nating long kaen dirty fasin olsem!—Leviticus 19:29; Deuteronomy 5:18; 23:17.

9, 10. Olketa Israelite duim wanem samting wea brekem Law bilong God, and hao nao diswan hem olsem taem bilong iumi?

⁹ Taem hem story abaotem olketa nara nogud fasin, Jehovah sei: “Saed long kaleko wea olketa tekem from man olsem samting wea bae olketa keepim sapos datfala man no peim kaon bilong hem olketa leidaon antap kaleko hia long saed bilong evri altar; and wine bilong olketa wea peim fine olketa drinkim long haos bilong olketa god bilong olketa.” (Amos 2:8) Tru nao, olketa priest and pipol tu ting nating long law wea stap long Exodus 22:26, 27, wea sei wanfala kaleko wea man tekem for reason olsem, hem mas givim bak bifor hem dark. Bat, olketa iusim datwan olsem kava for leidaon antap taem olketa mekem feast long temple for olketa giaman god. And olketa iusim selen wea olketa tekem from poor pipol olsem fine, for peim wine for drinkim long olketa festival bilong olketa giaman religion. Olketa go farawe tumas nao from klin worship!

¹⁰ Olketa Israelite nating shame for brekem tufala main komandment bilong Law—for lovem Jehovah and lovem nara pipol. From diswan, God sendem Amos for tok strong againstim olketa from olketa no faithful. Distaem, olketa nation long world, and olketa nation bilong Christendom tu, olketa olsem Israel bifor wea duim evri nogud samting. Samfala pipol rich, bat staka pipol no garem selen and feel nogud from fasin for no honest bilong olketa leader bilong bisnis, politik, and giaman religion. Nomata olsem, Jehovah tingim olketa wea safa and wea luk aotem hem. Dastawe, hem markem olketa servant bilong hem distaem for duim waka olsem waka bilong Amos—for preachim message bilong hem witim fasin for no fraet.

11. Wanem nao iumi savve lanem from example bilong Amos?

¹¹ From waka bilong iumi hem olsem waka wea Amos duim, wei for lukluk long example bilong hem bae barava helpem iumi. Amos showim iumi (1) wanem message nao iumi shud preachim, (2) wei wea iumi shud preach, and (3) why olketa wea againstim iumi no savve stopem preaching waka bilong iumi. Bae iumi lukluk long each wan long olketa point hia.

Hao Iumi Savve Followim Example Bilong Amos

12, 13. Hao nao Jehovah showimaot hem no hapi long olketa Israelite, and hao nao olketa ting long diswan?

¹² From iumi Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, main samting iumi duim long Christian ministry hem for preach abaotem Kingdom and mek disaepol. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 13:10) Nomata olsem, iumi talemaot olketa warning bilong God tu, long sem wei wea Amos talem hao Jehovah bae judgem wicked pipol long taem bilong hem. Olsem example, Amos 4:6-11 sei, staka taem nao Jehovah talemaot hao hem no hapi witim Israel. Hem mekem olketa kasem “bigfala hangre,” “holem bak rain” from olketa, mekem olketa kasem “bigfala hot sun and tumas rain,” and sendem “nogud sik” go long olketa. Waswe, olketa samting hia muvim Israel for repent? God hem sei: “Iufala nating kam bak long mi.” Tru tumas, olketa Israelite rejectim Jehovah staka taem.

¹³ Jehovah panisim olketa Israelite wea no repent. Bat, firstaem, olketa kasem warning thru long profesi. Dastawe God hem sei: “Sovereign Lord Jehovah bae no duim eni samting sapos hem no firstaem talem secret samting bilong hem long olketa servant bilong hem, olketa profet.” (Amos 3:7) God hem talem long Noah hao Flood bae kam and hem mas talemaot warning. Long sem wei, Jehovah talem Amos for talemaot wanfala last warning. Sorre tumas, Israel ting nating long datfala message from God and fail for duim stretfala samting.

14. Wanem kaen samting nao semsem long taem bilong Amos and taem bilong iumi?

¹⁴ For sure iu bae agree hao samfala samting wea happen long taem bilong Amos hem olsem samting wea happen long taem bilong iumi. Jesus Christ talem profesi abaotem staka bigfala trabol wea bae happen long taem bilong end. Hem profesi tu abaotem wanfala preaching waka evriwea long world. (Matthew 24:3-14) Bat, olsem long taem bilong Amos, staka pipol distaem ting nating long olketa samting wea showimaot end hem klosap, and ting nating tu long message bilong Kingdom. Sem samting wea kasem olketa Israelite wea no repent bae kasem olketa hia tu. Jehovah warnim olketa olsem: “Reredi for meetim God bilong iu.” (Amos 4:12) Olketa Israelite meetim God taem hem letem Assyria for barava spoelem olketa. Distaem, disfala world wea no followim God bae ‘meetim God’ long Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14, 16) Nomata olsem, taem Jehovah gohed for showimaot patient fasin, iumi laek for encouragem staka moa pipol olsem: “Luk aotem Jehovah, and stap laef.”—Amos 5:6.

Deal Witim Wei for Againstim Iumi Olsem Amos

15-17. (a) Hu nao Amaziah, and wanem nao hem duim taem hem herem olketa toktok bilong Amos? (b) Wanem nao olketa samting wea Amaziah sei Amos hem talem?

¹⁵ Iumi savve followim Amos long wanem iumi preach abaotem and tu wei wea iumi preach. Chapter 7 nao mekhae long diswan. Hem story abaotem taem wea Amos meetim priest wea iumi storyim abaotem firstaem. Datfala man hem “Amaziah, priest bilong Bethel.” (Amos 7:10) Bethel nao hem wanfala main ples bilong apostate religion bilong Israel, wea olketa worshipim young buluka. So Amaziah hem priest bilong religion bilong olketa long there. Wanem nao hem duim taem Amos no fraet for talemaot olketa toktok hia?

¹⁶ Amaziah sei olsem long Amos: “O man for lukim vision, iu go, ran go long land bilong Judah, and long there kaikaim bred, and long there iu savve talem profesi. Bat long Bethel iu mas no talem eni profesi moa, from hem temple bilong wanfala king and hem haos bilong wanfala kingdom.” (Amos 7:12, 13) Hem olsem Amaziah sei: ‘Go bak! Mifala garem lotu bilong mifala finis.’ Hem trae tu for encouragem gavman for stopem preaching waka bilong Amos taem hem sei olsem long King Jeroboam II: “Amos plan againstim iu barava midolwan olketa bilong Israel.” (Amos 7:10) Tru tumas, Amaziah hem sei Amos againstim gavman! Hem sei olsem long king: “Diswan nao wanem Amos talem, ‘Jeroboam bae dae long sword; and for saed bilong Israel, hem bae lusim graon bilong hem and kamap prisoner long nara ples.’”—Amos 7:11.

¹⁷ Long there, Amaziah talem thrifala laea toktok. Hem sei: “Diswan nao wanem Amos talem.” Bat, Amos nating sei hem nao talem datfala profesi. Amos evritaem sei: “Diswan nao wanem Jehovah talem.” (Amos 1:3) Amaziah talem tu hao Amos hem sei: “Jeroboam bae dae long sword.” Bat, long Amos 7:9, Amos hem talem disfala profesi: “Mi [Jehovah] bae kamap againstim famili bilong Jeroboam witim wanfala sword.” God hem talemaot hao “famili” bilong Jeroboam nao bae kasem trabol. And tu, Amaziah sei Amos hem talem hao: ‘Israel bae go prisoner.’ Bat Amos talem profesi tu hao eni Israelite wea go bak long God bae kasem olketa blessing. Hem klia hao Amaziah talem olketa laea toktok for trae mekem gavman stopem waka bilong Amos for preach.

18. Hao nao olketa teknik wea Amaziah iusim hem semsem witim wanem olketa bigman bilong religion duim distaem?

¹⁸ Waswe, iu lukim hao sekson wea againstim pipol bilong Jehovah distaem iusim olketa sem teknik wea Amaziah iusim? Long sem wei wea Amaziah trae for mekem Amos stap kwaet, olketa bigman bilong religion distaem tu trae for stopem preaching waka wea olketa servant bilong Jehovah duim. Amaziah laea for sei Amos againstim gavman. Distaem, samfala bigman bilong religion tu laea for sei Olketa Jehovah’s Witness wanfala sekson wea againstim gavman. And olsem Amaziah go long king for help for againstim Amos, long sem wei tu olketa bigman bilong religion go long olketa fren bilong olketa long politik for sapotim wei wea olketa persecutim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness.

Olketa wea Againstim Iumi No Savve Stopem Preaching Waka

19, 20. Wanem nao Amos duim taem Amaziah againstim hem?

¹⁹ Wanem nao Amos duim taem Amaziah againstim hem? First samting, Amos askem hem: “Waswe, iu talem mi for no talem profesi againstim Israel’?” Profet bilong God hia no fraet for talem toktok wea Amaziah les tumas for herem. (Amos 7:16, 17) Amos nating fraet. Diswan hem nambawan example for iumi! Saed long wei for talemaot toktok bilong God, iumi bae no disobeyim God bilong iumi, nomata long olketa kantri wea pipol duim samting olsem Amaziah for startim raf persecution. Olsem Amos, iumi gohed for sei: “Diswan nao wanem Jehovah talem.” And olketa wea againstim iumi bae nating savve stopem preaching waka bilong iumi, bikos “hand bilong Jehovah” hem stap witim iumi.—Acts 11:19-21.

²⁰ Fitim Amaziah for savve hao toktok bilong hem bae fail. Amos explainim finis why no eni man long earth savve stopem hem for toktok—and datwan nao mek-thri point wea iumi bae storyim. Long Amos 3:3-8, Amos askem samfala kwestin and talem olketa tokpiksa for showimaot hao reason hem stap for evriting wea happen. Then hem explainim diswan olsem: “Wanfala lion hem singaot big! Hu nao bae no fraet? Sovereign Lord Jehovah hem talem samting finis! Hu nao bae no talem profesi?” Hem olsem Amos sei long olketa wea herem hem: ‘Long sem wei wea iu fraet taem iu herem lion hem singaot, mi tu no savve hol bak for talemaot toktok bilong God, bikos mi herem komand bilong Jehovah for duim datwan.’ Wei for fraet long God, wea minim barava bigfala respect for Jehovah hem muvim Amos for toktok.

21. Hao nao iumi ting long komand bilong God for preachim gud nius?

²¹ Iumi tu herem komand bilong Jehovah for preach. Wanem nao iumi duim? Olsem Amos and olketa follower bilong Jesus bifor, iumi no fraet for talemaot toktok bilong Jehovah witim help wea Hem givim. (Acts 4:23-31) Iumi bae no stop for preach nomata iumi kasem persecution from olketa wea againstim iumi or pipol no laek for lisin. From Olketa Jehovah’s Witness evriwea long world showimaot strong olsem Amos, olketa no fraet for gohed talemaot gud nius. Iumi garem responsibility for warnim pipol abaotem judgment bilong Jehovah wea bae kam. Wanem nao insaed datfala judgment? Next article bae ansarem disfala kwestin.

Hao Nao Bae Iu Ansa?

• Wanem nao gohed for happen taem Amos fulfillim assignment wea God givim long hem?

• Olsem Amos, iumi shud preach abaotem wanem?

• Wanem kaen tingting nao iumi shud garem taem iumi duim preaching waka?

• Why nao olketa wea againstim iumi no fit for stopem waka bilong iumi for preach?

[Piksa long page 10]

God chusim Amos, man for mekem hol long olketa fig, for duim waka bilong Hem

[Olketa Piksa long page 13]

Olsem Amos, waswe, iu no fraet for talemaot message bilong Jehovah?