7
Warning Through Visions
1 Thus the Lord Goᴅ showed me [a vision], and behold, He was forming a swarm of locusts when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s mowing.
2 And when the locusts had finished eating the plants of the land, then I said,
“O Lord Goᴅ, please forgive!
How can Jacob stand,
For he is so small [that he cannot endure this]?”
3 The Loʀᴅ revoked this sentence.
“It shall not take place,” said the Loʀᴅ.
4 Thus the Lord Goᴅ showed me, and behold, the Lord Goᴅ called for punishment with fire, and it devoured the great deep [underground sources of water] and began to consume the land.
5 Then I said,
“O Lord Goᴅ, please stop!
How can Jacob stand,
For he is so small [that he cannot endure this]?”
6 The Loʀᴅ revoked this sentence.
“This also shall not be,” said the Lord Goᴅ.
7 Thus He showed me [a vision], and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand [to determine if the wall was straight or if it needed to be destroyed]. [2 Kin 21:13; Is 34:11]
8 The Loʀᴅ 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 [as a standard]
Among My people Israel [showing the defectiveness of the nation, requiring judgment].
I shall not spare them any longer. [The door of mercy is shut.]
9 “And the [idolatrous] high places of Isaac (Israel) will be devastated and deserted,
And the sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins.
Then I shall rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword [and destroy the monarchy].”
Amos Accused, Answers
10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel [site of the golden calf shrine], sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. [1 Kin 12:31, 32]
11 For in this way Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’ ”
12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, run for your life [from Israel] to the land of Judah [your own country] and eat bread and live as a prophet there!
13 But do not prophesy any longer at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal residence.” [Luke 10:10-12]
14 Then Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet [by profession], nor am I a prophet’s son; I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs.
15 But the Loʀᴅ took me as I followed the flock and the Loʀᴅ said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
16 Now therefore, listen to the word of the Loʀᴅ: You say, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you speak against the house of Isaac.’
17 Therefore, thus says the Loʀᴅ, ‘Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city [when the Assyrians capture Samaria] and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided by a measuring line; you yourself shall die in an unclean and defiled [pagan] land, and Israel shall certainly go from its land into exile.’ ”