The Apostasy is Prophesied

Today I read Amos 8 where the Lord tells Amos that He will send a famine of the word of God.  Or in other words, there would be an apostasy, which we know came to pass.  I have often wondered why it was necessary for there to be an apostasy.  Why couldn't the church have endured?  I know there is the obvious answer that God said it would happen so it had to happen, but why did God prophesy it?  Was it really so inevitable?  Looking back on everything now I see how it happened so slowly and gradually, line by line, piece by piece.  But with continuing revelation, couldn't the original apostles have held it together and made sure the church was strong?  There is the other aspect that the people of the world weren't ready.  It was a very different place back then.  Were the people of the world ready to go to the law of the Gospel?  I'm not sure.  I know that it is one of those things that I look forward to asking God about what I see Him.  I can't wait for all the knowledge of what really happened through out history.  It will be awesome!  Until tomorrow.