Amos 6 & 7 Death, Destruction and Defeat

 

Amos 6 & 7– Death, Destruction and Defeat.

 

Israel was guilty of complacency born of false confidence, trusting the military leaders and not the Lord. The people were also guilty of self-indulgence and unconcern for hurting persons of the land. After all, the day of judgment was far away! Or was it?

 

God appointed three judgments for them: death, destruction, and defeat. The banqueters would become corpses, and the great houses would be left in ruins. The leaders boasted of their recent victories, but Assyria would bring defeat.

 

Horses cannot safely run on the rocky cliffs, and oxen cannot plow there. But Israel was not as smart as the animals, for she was attempting the impossible: trying to escape judgment by disobeying the Lord. “We are an exception to the rule!” was the confident boast, but the people did not escape. Their sins found them out.

 

Because Israel relied too much on its military strength and too little on God, they would lose the cities they had overtaken.

 

Amos 7 Visions of the Locusts

 

After the first vision, Amos prays to God to forgive the people. After the second Vision, Amos is so overwhelmed by the coming destruction that he asks the Lord to cease from judgment.

 

Just one person’s prayers can make a difference; the Lord relented, agreeing to spare a remnant because of Amos’ prayer.

 

In the vision of the plumb line, Israel is portrayed as a misaligned wall that is leaning and ready to fall over.

 

Amos’ confrontation with Amaziah, priest of Bethel, leaves no doubt in his mind about God’s purpose in judging Israel.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

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Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible