Emphasis Preaching Journal

Our text points out the difference which existed between civil religion and true religion. Amaziah orders Amos to stop preaching and to go home to Judah. The high priest tells him that the temple is really the sanctuary of the king, and he cannot speak against him there.

In our modern world we have seen times when there has been a conflict between the ideals of God and the ideas of a national leader. The most striking example of this in recent months has been the selfish aims of Saddam Hussein and some of the principles found in the Islamic faith. Television programs showed the national leader in prayer in the mosque at various times prior to the outbreak of war, yet many of his actions were contrary to the principles of the faith he supposedly upheld. He saw no problem with killing thousands of Kurds with gas warfare, and apparently had no problem with the many atrocities committed against some of the citizens of Kuwait. We do not know if there were religious leaders within his country who disagreed with him publicly, but if there were he probably had them eliminated.

If the nation is to move forward for the good of its people, the leader must follow the principles of God. We have been fortunate to see this in the life of some recent U.S. presidents.
-- Dessem