From Amos 6-9
Amos is shown a series of visions. In today’s passage the LORD shows him a wall and uses a plumb line to check if it is to standard. The sections that do not measure up will come under judgment.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
Amos has been pronouncing judgments on Israel. In today’s passage we look at some of the visions Amos was given. Visions about what will happen to Israel.
7 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings. 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said,
“O Lord GOD, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!”
3 The LORD relented concerning this: “It shall not be,” said the LORD. (Amos 7.1-3)
The LORD forms an army of locusts. This army of locusts will be sent to the latter growth. This is the remainder of the crop that provides the future foundation of the next years. If it is eaten then there will be none the next year.
The king takes his share of the crop (‘kings mowings’) then the locusts will devour the rest.
When Amos sees what happens he intercedes on Israel’s behalf.
Israel may think she is strong, but Amos knows the truth. Before the LORD and the nations around them they are quite weak.
He pleads for forgiveness on the basis that Israel will not withstand the judgment being so small a nation. The LORD listens to Amos’ prayer and relents.
Then the LORD shows Amos another vision. A vision of fire.
4 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said,
“O Lord GOD, please cease! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!”
6 The LORD relented concerning this: “This also shall not be,” said the Lord GOD. (Amos 7.4-6)
The fire is so intense it devours the waters (‘deep’) and the land. There will be no escape and there will be nothing left.
This judgment is worse than the first.
Again Amos pleads for mercy on Israel’s behalf. He asks the LORD to stop, calling attention to the pitiful size of Israel. Again the LORD listens to him and relents.
Then Amos is given a third vision.
7 This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.”
Then the Lord said, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them; 9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” (Amos 7.7-9)
The plumb line is what builders use to work out if their work is even and perpendicular. The wall was originally built using the plumb line. But it seems the wall has fallen into decay. How is it now? The LORD will test it using a plumb line again. Israel will be tested against the law they are obligated to obey.
Some will be spared and others will come under judgment.
The LORD will never pass by them again. The expression brings to mind the Passover in Exodus where the LORD passed by Israel and judged Egypt and their gods. The expression is also used in Amos 8.2 and Micah 7.18 regarding forgiveness.
Israel will come under judgment. The high places of Israel (‘Isaac’) and its sanctuaries of worship will be destroyed. The house of Jeroboam, the one who initially led them into foreign worship, will face the sword. Violence and death.
Amos is silent.
Story of Israel
“It was obvious from the Lord’s next statement what he meant; he had set a clear standard for God’s people—the law which he had given to them all those years ago at Sinai. Because of their false worship and unjust behaviour they were ‘out of true’; they had not been building their lives, and the life of their nation, in strict accordance with God’s Word. This had been the repeated message of Amos right from the beginning; the people had deviated from the straight and narrow of God’s law, and now they were going to have to suffer for it.
Amazingly, in giving this illustration of their sinful behaviour, God calls Israel ‘my people’. This is the first time in the book of Amos that God calls them this, but even so he says that he will spare them no longer. He was to tell the people of Judah that, after they had been taken into the captivity of Babylon, he would gather them in his arms and bring them back to their land (Isa. 56:8). But the people of Israel would be spared no longer.” (Bentley, M., 2006. Opening up Amos, Leominster: Day One Publications.)
Story of Jesus
In the gospel Jesus uses the concepts of light and darkness to draw a distinction between those who are condemned and those who will be spared.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (Jn 3.16-21)
If Jesus held a plumb line against your life, how would you stand? Is there anything you need to repent of?
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2016. All Rights Reserved.
