Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.
And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord.
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Then said I, O Lord God, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God.
Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
Then Amaziah the priest of Beth–el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
But prophesy not again any more at Beth–el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
Amos 7 focuses on visions of impending judgment, a prophet's desperate plea for mercy, and the clash between divine warning and human resistance. This chapter reveals God's patience, the power of intercession, and the tragic consequences of rejecting prophetic voices. It's a powerful reminder of God's justice tempered with mercy, and the critical importance of heeding His warnings. The chapter falls into three distinct sections, each revealing a facet of God's character and Israel's spiritual state.
Visions of Judgment and a Plea for Mercy (Amos 7:1-6)
The Lord reveals to Amos a series of visions depicting devastating judgments upon Israel. First, a swarm of locusts threatens to devour the land's produce (Amos 7:1). Then, a consuming fire looms (Amos 7:4). These visions paint a grim picture of the consequences of Israel's sins.
However, what follows is remarkable. Amos, seeing the potential devastation, doesn't stand idly by. Instead, he intercedes on behalf of his people, pleading with God to forgive Jacob, acknowledging their weakness and vulnerability: “How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” (Amos 7:2, 5). This echoes Abraham's intercession for Sodom (Genesis 18:16-33), highlighting the role of a righteous individual in averting judgment.
In response to Amos’s heartfelt prayers, the Lord relents (Amos 7:3, 6). This demonstrates God's willingness to show mercy and compassion when confronted with genuine repentance and intercession. It underscores the power of prayer and God's “slow to anger” nature (Psalm 103:8). God, in his grace, shares his plans with Amos, a kingdom man, demonstrating a relationship of intimacy and partnership in his divine purpose.
The Plumb Line: A Measure of Israel's Deviation (Amos 7:7-9)
God presents Amos with a third vision: a plumb line (Amos 7:7). A plumb line, a tool used to ensure vertical straightness in construction, symbolizes God's standard of righteousness. The Lord declares, "I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel" (Amos 7:8). This signifies that God is measuring Israel against His perfect standard, and the result is far from satisfactory.
The plumb line reveals that Israel is "crooked," deviating from God's righteous path. Their persistent idolatry, rampant injustice, pervasive lying, and deep disloyalty have reached a breaking point. God declares, "I will no longer spare them" (Amos 7:8). The repeated warnings have been ignored, and judgment is now inevitable. This third "strike" signifies the exhaustion of God's patience, not because He is quick-tempered, but because Israel has repeatedly refused to turn from their wicked ways.
Rejection of the Prophet and a Word of Judgment (Amos 7:10-17)
Instead of heeding Amos's warnings and repenting, Israel, in its crookedness, actively resists the message. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, reports to King Jeroboam that Amos is conspiring against him (Amos 7:10). This highlights the common human tendency to reject uncomfortable truths, especially when they challenge established power structures.
Amaziah, acting under the king's implicit authority, commands Amos to cease prophesying in Israel and return to Judah (Amos 7:12-13, 16). He attempts to discredit Amos by questioning his authority and motives, urging him to take his prophecies elsewhere.
However, Amos remains steadfast. He clarifies that he was not a professional prophet but a shepherd and a tender of sycamore figs until God called him to prophesy to Israel: "Go, prophesy to my people Israel" (Amos 7:15). This emphasizes the divine origin of his message and his unwavering commitment to God's call. Like the apostles who declared, "We must obey God rather than human beings!" (Acts 5:29), Amos prioritizes obedience to God above human approval or threats.
Amos then delivers a powerful pronouncement of judgment upon Amaziah and Israel (Amos 7:17). He prophesies that Amaziah will die in a pagan land, and Israel will certainly be exiled. This serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's word and persecuting His messengers. Amos's unwavering commitment to God's message, even in the face of opposition, serves as an example for believers today.
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.
And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord.
Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.
Then said I, O Lord God, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God.
Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
Then Amaziah the priest of Beth–el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
But prophesy not again any more at Beth–el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.
Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
Amos 7 focuses on visions of impending judgment, a prophet's desperate plea for mercy, and the clash between divine warning and human resistance. This chapter reveals God's patience, the power of intercession, and the tragic consequences of rejecting prophetic voices. It's a powerful reminder of God's justice tempered with mercy, and the critical importance of heeding His warnings. The chapter falls into three distinct sections, each revealing a facet of God's character and Israel's spiritual state.
Visions of Judgment and a Plea for Mercy (Amos 7:1-6)
The Lord reveals to Amos a series of visions depicting devastating judgments upon Israel. First, a swarm of locusts threatens to devour the land's produce (Amos 7:1). Then, a consuming fire looms (Amos 7:4). These visions paint a grim picture of the consequences of Israel's sins.
However, what follows is remarkable. Amos, seeing the potential devastation, doesn't stand idly by. Instead, he intercedes on behalf of his people, pleading with God to forgive Jacob, acknowledging their weakness and vulnerability: “How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” (Amos 7:2, 5). This echoes Abraham's intercession for Sodom (Genesis 18:16-33), highlighting the role of a righteous individual in averting judgment.
In response to Amos’s heartfelt prayers, the Lord relents (Amos 7:3, 6). This demonstrates God's willingness to show mercy and compassion when confronted with genuine repentance and intercession. It underscores the power of prayer and God's “slow to anger” nature (Psalm 103:8). God, in his grace, shares his plans with Amos, a kingdom man, demonstrating a relationship of intimacy and partnership in his divine purpose.
The Plumb Line: A Measure of Israel's Deviation (Amos 7:7-9)
God presents Amos with a third vision: a plumb line (Amos 7:7). A plumb line, a tool used to ensure vertical straightness in construction, symbolizes God's standard of righteousness. The Lord declares, "I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel" (Amos 7:8). This signifies that God is measuring Israel against His perfect standard, and the result is far from satisfactory.
The plumb line reveals that Israel is "crooked," deviating from God's righteous path. Their persistent idolatry, rampant injustice, pervasive lying, and deep disloyalty have reached a breaking point. God declares, "I will no longer spare them" (Amos 7:8). The repeated warnings have been ignored, and judgment is now inevitable. This third "strike" signifies the exhaustion of God's patience, not because He is quick-tempered, but because Israel has repeatedly refused to turn from their wicked ways.
Rejection of the Prophet and a Word of Judgment (Amos 7:10-17)
Instead of heeding Amos's warnings and repenting, Israel, in its crookedness, actively resists the message. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, reports to King Jeroboam that Amos is conspiring against him (Amos 7:10). This highlights the common human tendency to reject uncomfortable truths, especially when they challenge established power structures.
Amaziah, acting under the king's implicit authority, commands Amos to cease prophesying in Israel and return to Judah (Amos 7:12-13, 16). He attempts to discredit Amos by questioning his authority and motives, urging him to take his prophecies elsewhere.
However, Amos remains steadfast. He clarifies that he was not a professional prophet but a shepherd and a tender of sycamore figs until God called him to prophesy to Israel: "Go, prophesy to my people Israel" (Amos 7:15). This emphasizes the divine origin of his message and his unwavering commitment to God's call. Like the apostles who declared, "We must obey God rather than human beings!" (Acts 5:29), Amos prioritizes obedience to God above human approval or threats.
Amos then delivers a powerful pronouncement of judgment upon Amaziah and Israel (Amos 7:17). He prophesies that Amaziah will die in a pagan land, and Israel will certainly be exiled. This serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's word and persecuting His messengers. Amos's unwavering commitment to God's message, even in the face of opposition, serves as an example for believers today.