Amos 7:1-17    Click here for Bible Verses

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Amos 7:1-17.  Let’s go!

Amos 7:1-6 (NIV) 
1  This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the second crop was coming up.
2  When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”
3  So the LORD relented. “This will not happen,” the LORD said.
4  This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land.
5  Then I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”
6  So the LORD relented. “This will not happen either,” the Sovereign LORD said.

On verses 1-6:  Amos sees two visions.  The first is of the Lord preparing to destroy Israel with a locust plague (v1-2).  The second is of the Lord preparing to destroy Israel with a fire (v4).  Upon seeing each vision Amos stands in the gap and cries out to God to have mercy on Israel (called Jacob), and God hears Amos’ prayer — “so the Lord relented” (v3, 6).  It’s a similar scene to when Abraham pleads for the city of Sodom in Genesis 18:16-33.

What can we learn from this?  Just as Israel was spared from a locust plague and a great forest fire because Amos stood in the gap and interceded, so we have been spared from the wrath of God against our sin because one greater than Amos stood in the gap and interceded on our behalf.  His name is Jesus.

Amos 7:7-9 (NIV) 
7  This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand.
8  And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
9  “The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.” 

On verses 7-9:  Amos sees a third vision, this time of the Lord standing by a wall with a plumb line, which is a line with a weight tied to one end and used for measuring.  In this case, the Lord’s plumb line is used for the purpose of measuring whether Israel should be punished or not.  The fact that the wall “had been built true to plumb” (v7) suggests that Israel is deserving of punishment and that the Lord would “spare them no longer” (v8).  In other words, despite Amos successfully interceding for Israel on two previous occasions in verses 1-6, there was now no stopping the Lord from bringing Israel down (v9).   The fact that God relented the first two times from destroying Israel but would eventually go on to judge and punish Israel speaks to three things:  (1) God’s patience with Israel; (2) Israel’s stubbornness in continuing to sin; and (3) God’s justice and His unrelenting wrath against sin.

What can we learn from this?  God is patient with those who continue to sin against Him, but He will not wait for them forever.  One day, when Jesus returns, God’s “plumb line”, so to speak, will be used to measure and on that day God will no longer wait to declare His judgment on those who continually reject Him.  

Amos 7:12-16 (NIV) 
12  Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.
13  Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”
14  Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.
15  But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
16  Now then, hear the word of the LORD…

On verses 10-17:  Here Amos is confronted by Amaziah, a priest who works in the idol worshiping centre at Bethel.  This was basically a head to head confrontation between Amos a servant of God and Amaziah a servant of Satan.  In front of King Jeroboam II Amaziah falsely accuses Amos of raising a conspiracy against the king in the capital city of Israel (v10) and prophesying about the king’s death and Israel’s exile (v11).  Amaziah tells Amos to get out of Bethel and to go back to land of Judah and “earn your bread there” (v12), implying that Amos is a profiteering prophet who makes false prophesies to earn a quick buck.  In a condescending and official-sounding tone, Amaziah tells Amos that he is not welcome in “the king’s sanctuary” at Bethel and in “the temple of the kingdom” (v13).  Amos stands his ground against Amaziah, remembers how God called him to speak on His behalf (v14-15), and continues to prophesy (v16-17).

What can we learn from this?  When the enemy tries to discourage you, discredit you and falsely accuse you, stand your ground, remember your God-given calling and keep hanging onto God’s Word.  You will be victorious in the end if you do.

Lord Jesus, thank You that when I was subject to God’s wrath, You stood in the gap for me, interceded for me and saved me.  Please strengthen me to stand my ground against the enemy and be victorious against him through Your power.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!