July 12, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Amos 6 - The opening line of this chapter speaks of God's anger against Israel's attitude of complacency when all around them is wickedness and unrighteousness.  They sing idle songs and drink wine "from bowls" verses 5.6.  They rejoice over nothing, which is the meaning of the words, "Lo Debar" in verse 13.

Amos 7 - God shows two ways He could bring judgment against Israel in verse 1-6, that of a swarm of locusts to strip the land bare, or the judgment of fire to consume everything.  Amos cries for God to withhold those forms of judgment.  Instead, God speaks of a man with a plumb line, figurative of God's examination of how Israel measures up to God's idea of real worship.  Amaziah, a priest, sends a complaint to Jeroboam about Amos' preaching.  Amos defends his ministry by saying he started out as a sheep breeder and a picker of sycamore fruit.  He only started preaching when God told him to do so, verse 15.

Amos 8 - Amos sees a basket of summer fruit, which speaks of Israel's impending captivity, verses 2 and 12.  They would also experience another kind of famine in the land, that of not hearing God's word anymore, verse. 11.

Amos 9 - The first half of this chapter speaks of the ultimate dispersion Israel would experience soon.  But then, in verses 11-15 God speaks of  restoration of Israel in the land and the joyful experience of harvesters still harvesting when the planters are beginning to sow their seeds!  God will settle them in their land, permanently.