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Amos 7

17 verses

TL;DR

Amos 7 records divine visions of judgment against Israel, the prophet’s warnings of exile and destruction, and a confrontation with the priest Amaziah who rebukes him, yet Amos remains committed to proclaim God’s message.

Summary

In the first part of the chapter, God shows Amos visions of grasshoppers, fire, and a plumbline, each symbolizing impending judgment upon Israel. Amos repeatedly declares that God will not spare Israel, even after the people beg for mercy. The prophet then warns that the high places of Isaac will be desolate, the sanctuaries destroyed, and that the house of Jeroboam will be struck by the sword. Amaziah, a priest of Bethel, accuses Amos of conspiracy and orders him to leave Bethel and prophesy only in Judah. Amos responds that he is not a prophet by birth but was chosen by God to deliver the warning, and God confirms that Israel will be exiled and its people slain. The chapter ends with a dramatic pronouncement that Amos’s own family will suffer, and that Israel’s captivity is inevitable. This passage illustrates God’s use of prophetic imagery to convey judgment, the prophet’s resistance to political pressure, and the certainty of divine justice.

Outline
  1. 1. Divine visions of judgment (grasshopper, fire, plumbline)
  2. 2. Prophetic warnings of exile, sword, and desolation of Israel and Jeroboam
  3. 3. Amaziah’s rebuke and Amos’s defense, culminating in God’s final pronouncement of doom
Themes
divine judgmentprophetic authorityIsrael’s disobedience and impending exile
Keywords
prophecyjudgmentexileswordplumblineIsraelJeroboamAmaziahBethelLord
People
AmosLord GodJacobJeroboamAmaziah
Places
IsraelBethelJudahhigh places of Isaac
Things
grasshopperfireplumblineswordhigh placessanctuariesexilecaptivity
Key Verses
  • Amos 7:3: God declares His decision not to spare Israel, setting the tone of judgment.
  • Amos 7:9: It details the desolation of Israel’s religious sites and the threat of a sword.
  • Amos 7:12: Amaziah’s rebuke highlights the political tension surrounding Amos’s ministry.
Questions
  • What does the plumbline symbolize in the context of God’s judgment?
  • Why does God say “I have repented for this” in relation to Israel’s fate?
  • How does Amos’s background as a herdsman influence his prophetic message?
  • In what ways does Amaziah’s rebuke reflect the political climate of Israel at the time?
  • What is the significance of the repeated warnings about the high places of Isaac?
Sentiment

mixed
contains both condemnation of Israel and a warning of impending judgment, as well as a note of prophetic resolve