Luk Aotem Jehovah, Datwan wea Lukluk Gud Long Heart
“Luk aotem mi, and bae iu gohed for laef.”—AMOS 5:4.
1, 2. Taem Bible sei Jehovah “lukim heart,” wanem nao datwan minim?
JEHOVAH GOD talem profet Samuel disfala toktok: “Man hem lukim samting wea eye nomoa lukim; bat Jehovah, hem lukim heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) Long wanem wei nao Jehovah “lukim heart”?
2 Staka taem Bible iusim heart for piksarem fasin bilong man—olketa samting hem laekem, tingting, feeling and samting hem lovem. So taem Bible sei Jehovah lukim heart, datwan minim hem lukim wanem man really tingim and feelim, hem no lukim feis bilong man nomoa.
God Lukluk Gud Long Israel
3, 4. Olsem Amos 6:4-6 hem showimaot, wanem kaen living nao stap long kingdom bilong Israel?
3 Taem Datwan wea lukluk gud long heart hem lukluk long kingdom bilong Israel long taem bilong Amos, wanem nao Hem lukim? Amos 6:4-6 story abaotem olketa man wea “leidaon long olketa ivory chair and wea sleep long bed bilong olketa.” Olketa “kaikaim olketa sheep and olketa young man buluka from midolwan long olketa fat young buluka.” Olketa man hia “wakem for olketa seleva olketa instrument for singsing” and “drink from olketa dish wea fulap witim wine.”
4 Firstaem, luk olsem evriting hia luk gud nomoa. Olketa haos bilong rich pipol garem evriting, olketa enjoyim best kaikai and drink and tu, music from olketa best instrument for music. Olketa garem tu “olketa chair wea garem ivory design.” Olketa man for studyim oldfala samting faendem long Samaria, kapitol taon bilong kingdom bilong Israel, staka ivory karving wea luk naes tumas. (1 Kings 10:22) Maet pipol long there putim diswan long tebol and chair and long wall bilong haos tu.
5. Wanem nao mekem God no hapi long olketa Israelite long taem bilong Amos?
5 Waswe, Jehovah God hem no hapi from olketa Israelite garem gudfala living, enjoyim naes kaikai, drinkim gudfala wine, and lisin long music wea here naes? Nomoa! For tok stret, hem nao givim evri samting hia for man enjoyim. (1 Timothy 6:17) Samting wea mekem Jehovah no hapi nao hem rong samting wea pipol laekem, heart wea wicked, wei for no respectim God, and wei wea olketa no lovem olketa nara Israelite.
6. Long taem bilong Amos, olketa Israelite waswe long spiritual saed?
6 Olketa wea ‘leidaon long bed bilong olketa, kaikaim sheep, drinkim wine, and wakem instrument for singsing’ bae seke fogud. Jehovah askem olketa man hia disfala kwestin: “Waswe, iufala laek forgetim datfala day bilong trabol?” Olketa shud feel nogud long evriting wea gohed for happen long Israel, bat olketa “no warim bigfala trabol wea kasem Joseph.” (Amos 6:3-6) Nomata datfala nation garem rich living, God lukim hao Joseph—or Israel—hem insaed bigfala trabol long spiritual wei. Bat, pipol gohed nomoa long evriday living and nating warim datwan. Staka pipol distaem garem semkaen tingting. Maet olketa luksavve iumi stap insaed hardfala taem, bat sapos no eniting kasem olketa, olketa nating warim nogud samting wea kasem nara pipol and nating interest long olketa spiritual samting.
Israel—Gogo for Nogud
7. Sapos pipol bilong Israel no obeyim olketa warning bilong God, wanem nao bae happen?
7 Buk bilong Amos hem storyim nation wea gogo for nogud, nomata long aotsaed hem luk olsem hem garem gudfala living. From olketa no obeyim olketa warning bilong God and stretem tingting bilong olketa, Jehovah bae no protectim olketa from olketa enemy. Olketa bilong Assyria bae kam and aotem olketa from spesol ivory chair bilong olketa and tekem olketa go olsem prisoner. Olketa bae no enjoyim gudfala living nao!
8. Wanem nao mekem Israel kamap nogud long spiritual wei?
8 Hao nao nation bilong Israel kamap nogud olsem? Diswan start long 997 B.C.E., taem Rehoboam, son bilong King Solomon start for rul and tenfala tribe bilong Israel separate from tufala tribe bilong Judah and Benjamin. Firstfala king bilong kingdom bilong Israel hem Jeroboam I, “Son bilong Nebat.” (1 Kings 11:26) Jeroboam mekem pipol wea hem rulim for agree hao hem hard tumas for go long Jerusalem for worshipim Jehovah. Bat really, hem no warim spiritual saed bilong pipol hia. Hem warim nomoa position bilong hem. (1 Kings 12:26) Jeroboam hem wari bikos sapos olketa Israelite go long temple long Jerusalem evri year for celebratem olketa festival bilong Jehovah, gogo bae olketa laek stap anda kingdom bilong Judah and no Israel. From hem no laekem diswan for happen, Jeroboam putim wanfala young gold buluka long Dan and narawan long Bethel. Dastawe, wei for worshipim young buluka hem kamap religion bilong olketa long Israel.—2 Chronicles 11:13-15.
9, 10. (a) Wanem kaen festival bilong religion nao King Jeroboam I hem arrangem? (b) Hao nao God ting long olketa festival long Israel long taem bilong King Jeroboam II?
9 Jeroboam trae for mekem datfala niu religion kamap samting wea pipol fit for respectim. Hem arrangem olketa celebration bilong religion wea klosap semsem witim olketa festival long Jerusalem. Long 1 Kings 12:32 hem sei: “Jeroboam gohed for mekem festival long mek-eit month long mek-fiftin day long datfala month, olsem festival long Judah, for hem savve mekem olketa offering antap long altar wea hem wakem long Bethel.”
10 Jehovah nating appruvim olketa festival hia bilong giaman religion. Thru long Amos hem barava talem datwan klia winim wan handred year bihaen, long taem wea Jeroboam II hem rul. Hem kamap king long kingdom bilong Israel long samting olsem 844 B.C.E. (Amos 1:1) Long Amos 5:21-24, God hem sei: “Mi heitim, and mi rejectim olketa festival bilong iufala, and mi bae no enjoyim smel bilong olketa hipap bilong iufala. Bat sapos iufala offerim long mi olketa full bone offering, nomata olketa gift offering bilong iufala tu mi bae no hapi long olketa, and mi bae no lukluk long olketa communion sakrifaes bilong olketa fat young animal bilong iufala. Tekem awe from mi singsing bilong iufala wea noise; and naesfala saond bilong music long olketa string instrument mi bae no herem. And letem justice gohed olsem olketa wata, and raeteous fasin olsem river wea ran olowe.”
Olketa Samting wea Semsem Distaem
11, 12. Wanem nao olketa samting wea semsem long worship wea kamap long Israel bifor and long Christendom?
11 Tru nao, Jehovah lukluk gud long heart bilong olketa wea join insaed long olketa festival bilong Israel and hem rejectim celebration hia and olketa sakrifaes tu. Datwan semsem tu distaem, God rejectim olketa heathen celebration bilong Christendom, olsem Christmas and Easter. For olketa wea worshipim Jehovah, no eni wei stap for raeteous fasin join witim fasin for brekem law, or laet join witim darkness.—2 Corinthians 6:14-16.
12 Worship wea olketa long Christendom duim and wei for worshipim olketa buluka wea olketa Israelite duim hem semsem long samfala nara wei tu. Nomata samfala wea sei olketa Christian and acceptim truth long Bible, trufala love for God no muvim olketa long Christendom for worshipim hem. Sapos trufala love nao muvim olketa, Christendom bae strong for worshipim Jehovah “witim spirit and truth,” bikos datkaen worship nao Jehovah hapi long hem. (John 4:24) And tu, Christendom no “letem justice gohed olsem olketa wata, and raeteous fasin olsem river wea ran olowe.” Bat, hem evritaem sei man no evritaem need for followim olketa standard bilong Jehovah saed long fasin. Christendom letem fornication and olketa nara barava nogud sin for gohed and appruvim tu olketa homosexual for marit!
“Lovem Gud Samting”
13. Why nao iumi need for obeyim toktok bilong Amos 5:15?
13 Jehovah sei olsem long evriwan wea laek tumas for worshipim hem long stretfala wei: “Heitim nogud samting, and lovem gud samting.” (Amos 5:15) Love and heit, tufala hia strongfala feeling wea kamaot from tokpiksa heart bilong iumi. From heart savve trikim man, iumi mas waka hard for protectim. (Proverbs 4:23; Jeremiah 17:9) Sapos iumi letem heart bilong iumi for mekem grow wei for laekem rong samting, iumi bae start for lovem nogud samting and heitim gud samting. And sapos iumi letem samting wea heart laekem leadim iumi for sin evritaem, diswan bae no mekem God hapi nomata iumi barava strong for servem hem. Dastawe iumi mas prea long God for helpem iumi “heitim nogud samting, and lovem gud samting.”
14, 15. (a) Long Israel, hu nao olketa wea duim gud samting, bat hao nao samfala deal witim olketa? (b) Long wanem wei nao iumi savve encouragem olketa wea insaed full-taem service distaem?
14 No evri Israelite duim nogud samting. Example nao Hosea and Amos wea “lovem gud samting” and faithful for servem God olsem profet. Samfala narawan mekem promis for garem living olsem Nazirite. Long taem olketa stap olsem Nazirite, olketa no drinkim or kaikaim eniting wea garem grape insaed, main wan nao wine. (Numbers 6:1-4) Hao nao olketa nara Israelite ting long olketa man hia wea duim gud samting? Ansa wea bae mekem man sapraes hem showimaot wei wea datfala nation barava nogud long spiritual wei. Amos 2:12 hem sei: “Iufala gohed for givim olketa Nazirite wine for drinkim, and long olketa profet iufala givim disfala komand: ‘Iufala mas no talem profesi.’”
15 Taem olketa lukim faithful example bilong olketa Nazarite and olketa profet, olketa Israelite hia shud feel shame and changem wei bilong olketa. Olketa nating duim datwan bat long wei wea no showimaot love olketa trae for stopem olketa loyal wan for givim glory long God. Iumi mas no encouragem olketa pioneer, missionary, traveling overseer, or olketa long Bethel for stop from full-taem service and garem living olsem olketa narawan. Bat, iumi barava hapi for encouragem olketa for gohed long gudfala waka wea olketa duim!
16. Why nao olketa Israelite garem gudfala spiritual living long taem bilong Moses winim long taem bilong Amos?
16 Nomata staka Israelite long taem bilong Amos garem staka material samting, olketa “no rich long saed bilong God.” (Luke 12:13-21) For 40 year olketa laen dadi bilong olketa kaikaim nomoa manna long wilderness. Olketa no kaikaim buluka and leidaon long olketa ivory chair. Nomata olsem, Moses talem disfala tru toktok long olketa: “God bilong iu Jehovah blessim iu long evri waka iu duim. . . . Long foti year hia God bilong iu Jehovah stap witim iu. Iu kasem evriting wea iu needim.” (Deuteronomy 2:7) Tru nao, long wilderness olketa Israelite garem evriting wea olketa needim. Main important samting, God lovem, protectim, and blessim olketa!
17. Why nao Jehovah leadim olketa Israelite go long Promis Land?
17 Jehovah talem moa long olketa Israelite wea stap long taem bilong Amos hao hem tekem kam olketa laen dadi bilong olketa long Promis Land. And hem helpem olketa tu for finisim evri enemy bilong olketa. (Amos 2:9, 10) Bat why nao God leadim olketa Israelite aot from Egypt go long land wea hem promis for givim long olketa? Waswe, hem tekem olketa kamaot mekem olketa savve garem rich living and rejectim Creator bilong olketa? Nomoa! Hem duim olsem for mekem olketa savve worshipim hem olsem pipol wea free and wea klin long spiritual wei. Bat olketa insaed kingdom bilong Israel no heitim nogud samting and lovem gud samting. Olketa worshipim olketa idol, no Jehovah God. Datwan hem barava nogud tumas!
Olketa Mas Ansa Long Jehovah
18. Why nao Jehovah mekem iumi kamap free long spiritual wei?
18 God bae deal witim barava nogud fasin bilong olketa Israelite hia. Hem talem stret tingting bilong hem taem hem sei: “Mi bae mekem iufala givim ansa for evri rong wea iufala duim.” (Amos 3:2) Toktok hia shud mekem iumi ting raonem wei wea iumiseleva kamap free from wei for slave long Egypt bilong distaem—disfala wicked world. Jehovah no mekem iumi kamap free long spiritual wei mekem iumi savve aftarem olketa selfish goal bilong iumiseleva. Hem duim diswan mekem iumi savve praisem hem olsem pipol wea free and wea worship long klin wei. And iumi evriwan bae givim ansa for wei wea iumi iusim freedom hia wea iumi kasem from God.—Romans 14:12.
19. Olsem Amos 4:4, 5 hem talem, wanem nao staka Israelite lovem?
19 Sorre tumas, staka long Israel ting nating long barava strong message wea Amos talem. Long Amos 4:4, 5, datfala profet talemaot hao olketa barava stap nogud long spiritual wei: “Kam, iufala pipol, long Bethel and duim sin. Long Gilgal evritaem duim sin, . . . from hem nao wei iufala lovem, O olketa son bilong Israel.” Olketa Israelite no mekem grow wei for laekem olketa stretfala samting. Olketa no protectim heart bilong olketa. Samting wea kamaot from datwan nao staka long olketa lovem nogud samting and heitim gud samting. Olketa wea bighed for worshipim young buluka hia nating change. Jehovah bae askem ansa from olketa, and olketa bae bighed go kasem taem olketa dae!
20. Wanem nao man mas duim for followim samting wea Amos 5:4 hem talem?
20 Iumi savve minim hao hem no isi for eniwan long datfala taem for stap faithful long Jehovah. Iumi olketa Christian distaem, olketa wea young or olo, barava minim hao hem no isi for iumi difren from pipol long world. Nomata olsem, wei for lovem God and feeling for laek mekem hem hapi hem muvim samfala Israelite for worship long stretfala wei. Long Amos 5:4, Jehovah hem givim disfala naes invitation long olketa: “Luk aotem mi, and bae iu gohed for laef.” Distaem tu, God showimaot mercy long olketa wea repent and luk aotem hem taem olketa kasem stretfala savve insaed Bible and duim will bilong hem. Hem no isi for duim diswan, bat man wea duim bae kasem laef olowe.—John 17:3.
Stap Gud Nomata Olketa Narawan Hangre Long Spiritual Wei
21. Olketa wea no insaed long tru worship bae hangre long wanem wei?
21 Wanem nao bae happen long olketa wea no sapotim tru worship? Barava nogud hangre—spiritual hangre! “Olketa day bae kam,” hem nao samting wea Sovereign Lord Jehovah hem talem, “and mi bae mekem wanfala bigfala hangre kamap long disfala land, wanfala bigfala hangre, no for bred, and wanfala wei for thirsty, no for wata, bat for herem olketa toktok bilong Jehovah.” (Amos 8:11) Christendom hem kasem kaen spiritual hangre olsem. Bat staka wea garem gudfala heart lukim gudfala spiritual living bilong pipol bilong God and kam insaed long organization bilong Jehovah. Disfala toktok bilong Jehovah showimaot wei wea living bilong Christendom and living bilong olketa tru Christian distaem hem difren tumas: “Olketa servant bilong mi bae kaikai, bat iufala bae hangre. Olketa servant bilong mi bae drink, bat iufala bae thirsty. Olketa servant bilong mi bae hapi, bat iufala bae feel nogud.”—Isaiah 65:13.
22. Why nao iumi shud hapi?
22 From iumi olketa servant bilong Jehovah, waswe, iumi wanwan barava tinghae long olketa spiritual samting and olketa blessing wea iumi kasem? Taem iumi studyim Bible and olketa Christian pablikeson, attendim olketa meeting, assembly, and convention, iumi barava laek for singaot witim hapi from heart bilong iumi feel hapi. Iumi hapi long kliafala wei wea iumi minim Word bilong God, wea insaed diswan tu hem profesi bilong Amos.
23. Olketa wea givim glory long God kasem wanem?
23 Profesi bilong Amos garem wanfala message bilong hope for evri Christian wea lovem God and laek for givim glory long hem. Nomata wanem kaen living iumi garem or wanem test iumi feisim insaed world distaem wea fulap long trabol, iumi wea lovem God kasem olketa blessing bilong God and best spiritual kaikai. (Proverbs 10:22; Matthew 24:45-47) Dastawe God wea givim evriting for helpem iumi fit for kasem full praise. So iumi evriwan disaed strong for praisem hem for olowe. Datwan bae nambawan privilege bilong iumi sapos iumi luk aotem Jehovah, Datwan wea lukluk gud insaed heart.
Hao Nao Bae Iu Ansa?
• Wanem nao olketa samting wea happen long Israel long taem bilong Amos?
• Olketa samting wea happen long kingdom bilong Israel hem semsem witim wanem distaem?
• Wanem spiritual hangre nao stap distaem, bat hu nao olketa wea no hangre?
[Olketa Piksa long page 21]
Staka Israelite wea garem rich living no rich long spiritual wei
[Piksa long page 23]
Encouragem olketa wea insaed full-taem service for gohed long gudfala waka wea olketa duim
[Olketa Piksa long page 24, 25]
Pipol bilong Jehovah wea hapi no hangre long spiritual wei