Had Jeroboam himself been a wicked man like King Ahab, Amos, no doubt,
would have disregarded the threat against his life and would have
confronted the king in his palace, as Elijah confronted Ahab in
Naboth's vineyard. Jeroboam, as ruler, however, did not oppress or
mistreat the people. Being an old man, resting on the laurels of his
great victories and knowing from his friends and counselors and the
size of the royal treasury that his empire was rich and the people
peaceful, Jeroboam probably had no idea of the corruption and
injustice that was rampant in the land. He would have laughed at the
thought of it.

Besides, and this was the important thing with Amos, it would have
been folly for him to sacrifice his life at this time. To die a martyr
for a cause is a noble and beautiful thing--if martyrdom will in any
way advance this cause. To have confronted Jeroboam or to have
remained in Bethel would have meant certain death--and, to die then
would have meant an end to the crusade that he was just beginning
against the oppression of the poor, the denial of justice, the
unrighteousness in business dealings and the misunderstanding of God
and His worship: it would have meant an end to his set purpose to warn
Israel against Assyria, the enemy approaching from the North, and
against the inability to meet this enemy, because of the immorality
that was weakening the nation.

He had plenty of time to think this over as he wended his way
mournfully out of the busy and joyful thoroughfares of Bethel to his
quiet, though beloved Tekoah.

Amos found to his great joy that he did not now stand alone. Many who