Amos 7 -- Old Testament -- Gospel Daily

Amos

Chapter 7

Amos's Visions and Opposition from the Priest

The LORD shows Amos visions of coming judgment. First, grasshoppers form in the beginning of the latter growth, but when Amos intercedes for small Jacob, the LORD repents and says it shall not be. Second, the LORD calls to contend by fire that devours the great deep, but again Amos intercedes and the LORD repents. Third, the LORD stands upon a wall made by a plumbline with a plumbline in his hand, declaring he will set a plumbline in the midst of Israel and will not again pass by them. The high places of Isaac and sanctuaries of Israel shall be desolate, and he will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword. Amaziah, the priest of Beth-el, tells Amos to flee to Judah and prophesy there, not at Beth-el, the king's chapel and court. Amos responds that he was no prophet nor prophet's son, but a herdman and gatherer of sycomore fruit, called by the LORD to prophesy to Israel.

Divine visionsIntercessionPlumbline judgmentProphetic calling

¹Thus 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.

²And 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.

³The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.

⁴Thus 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.

⁵Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

⁶The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

⁷Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

⁸And 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:

⁹And 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.

¹⁰Then 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.

¹¹For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

¹²Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

¹³But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

¹⁴Then 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:

¹⁵And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

¹⁶Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

¹⁷Therefore 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.