Amos 7

Amos’s three visions (vs. 1-9)—To indicate the coming destruction upon Samaria and the northern kingdom of Israel, the Lord shows Amos three visions. The first, in verses 1 and 2, is of locusts swarms “at the beginning of the late crop,” i.e., just as things were getting ripe. Of course, the locusts leave nothing, a picture of what God will do with Israel. However, the prophet intercedes: “O Lord God, forgive, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small” (v. 2). And the intercessory prayer succeeds. “So the Lord relented concerning this. ‘It shall not be,’ said the Lord” (v. 3). In the second vision, “the Lord God called for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the territory” (v. 4). But once again Amos interceded with the same prayer as before (v. 5), and the Lord yielded to his request: “’This also shall not be,’” said the Lord God” (v. 6). The third vision was of a man standing on a wall with a plumb line (v. 7). “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 not pass by them any more’” (v. 8). This time, Amos didn’t intercede, and accepted the Lord’s proclamation of doom (v. 9).

A personal interlude (vs. 10-17)—Those who proclaim the word of the Lord will always run into opposition, especially in a period of prosperity and pleasure. And it’s not too surprising, in Amos’s case, that the hostility came from the religious leaders. One of the priests of Bethel, named Amaziah, complained to King Jeroboam II: “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive from their own land’” (vs. 10-11). There was no real “conspiracy” on the prophet’s part; he was simply speaking what God told him. Jeroboam’s reaction is not noted, but Amaziah tried to run Amos off: “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread and prophesy” (v. 12). Quit prophesying against the king and his people (v. 13). Amaziah didn’t want to hear any more of what Amos had to say. Amos told him his simple story. He wasn’t a prophet or the son of a prophet, but just a simple pruner of sycamore trees (v.14). But the Lord came to him and said, “Go, prophesy to My people Israel,” (v. 15), and of course, Amos obeyed. And now, Amaziah, because you’ve tried to stop the Lord’s prophet from speaking His word, He has a special message just for you: “Your wife shall be a harlot in the city; your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword; your land shall be divided by survey line; you shall die in a defiled land; and Israel shall surely be led away captive from his own land” (v. 17). Trying to shut God’s preacher up accomplishes only two things: one, it makes God mad, and two, it doesn’t change His word. Smashing the barometer is not going to hold back the storm. The Lord’s word is true, regardless of whether people want to hear it or not. But, since the wicked can’t get at God, they often vent their rage on the one who delivers His message. That is as true today as it was in ancient times.

There is a traditional story that Amaziah beat Amos over the head with a club and the prophet staggered back to Judah and died. There is no Biblical or historical evidence for it, but it would certainly be in keeping with the way most of the Old Testament prophets were treated.

Two more quick thoughts in summary. Except for Amos’s prophecy, we don’t know what happened to Jeroboam II or Amaziah. He predicted a violent death for both, so even though we have no other information on the subject, we can be sure that’s what happened.