judgment. The first was that of an earthquake (v. 8) carried on by unauthorized priests, was an abomina-
Amos 8—9 darkness, no nourishment for the soul, no direction for making decisions, no protection from the lies of the enemy. The people would stagger like drunks from place to place, always hoping to find food and drink for their bodies and spiritual sustenance for their souls.
They trampled on the poor and needy and robbed them of the little they possessed (Amos 8:4), an indictment that Amos had often brought against the people (2:6–7; 4:1; 5:11–12). When they did business, the merchants used inaccurate measurements so they could rob their customers. The law demanded that they use accurate weights and measures (Lev. 19:35–36; Deut. 25:13–16), but they cared only for making as much money as possible.
The Prophet Affirms (9:1–15) In this final chapter of the book, the prophet Amos shares four affirmations from the heart of the Lord— three of which deal with judgment and the fourth with mercy.
Added to their deception was their desecration of the Sabbath and the religious holy days. The worship of God interrupted their business, and they didn't like it! You might expect Gentile merchants to ignore the holy days (Neh. 13:15–22), but certainly not the Jewish merchants. The poor were unable to pay for the necessities of life and had to go into servitude to care for their families, and the merchants would have them arrested for the least little offense, even their inability to pay for a pair of shoes.
"I will strike!" (v. 1). In a vision, Amos saw the Lord standing by an altar and announcing that the worshippers would be slain because the building would be destroyed and fall upon them. This was probably not the temple in Jerusalem because Amos was sent to the northern kingdom of Israel; and when the Babylonians destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, it was by fire (Jer. 52:12–13). This may have been the king's royal chapel in Bethel, although we don't know what kind of building that was. God's warning in Amos 3:13–15 seems to parallel this vision, describing what the Assyrian army would do when it entered the land.
These evil vendors would not only alter their weights and measures and inflate their prices, but they would also cheapen their products by mixing the sweepings of the threshing floor with the grain. You didn't get pure grain; you got the chaff as well. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Tim. 6:10 niv).
The altar was the place of sacrifice and the atonement, but God refused to accept their sacrifices and forgive their sins (5:21–23). Their man-made religion, carried on by unauthorized priests, was an abomination to the Lord; and He would now destroy it.
How the end is coming (vv. 7–14). The prophet used four pictures to describe the terror of the coming judgment. The first was that of an earthquake (v. 8) with the land heaving like the rising waters of the Nile River. (The Nile rose about twenty-five feet during its annual flooding stage.) Even the land would shudder because of the people's sins. Earlier Amos referred to an earthquake (1:1), but we aren't sure whether it was the fulfillment of this prophecy.
5. The ruined temple—9:1–10
"I will search!" (vv. 2–4). Any idolatrous worshipper who tried to escape would be tracked down and slain. Though they run down into sheol, the realm of the dead, God would search them out; and if they could reach heaven, there would be no protection there. They couldn't hide from God on the highest mountain or in the depths of the sea (see Ps. 139:7–12). Even if they were taken captive to a foreign land, He would find them and judge them. His eye would be upon them for judgment, not for blessing (33:18; 34:15; Rev. 6:12–17). "I will destroy!" (vv. 5–10). Nine times in the book, Amos calls God "the Lord of hosts," that is, "the Lord of the armies of heaven and earth." A. W. Tozer correctly says, "The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him."3 The people of Israel created their gods in their own image and held such a low view of Jehovah that they thought He would approve of their sinful ways.
God would also visit them with darkness (Amos 8:9), perhaps an eclipse. (There was one in 763 BC.) The day of the Lord will be a day of darkness (Isa. 13:9–10; Joel 2:30–31). The third picture is that of a funeral (Amos 8:10), with all their joyful feasts turned into mourning and wailing. Instead of being dressed elegantly and going to banquets or concerts, the people would wear sackcloth and join in mourning. Parents would mourn greatly if an only son died because that would mean the end of the family name and line. But God's judgment would mean the end of a nation.
Finally, the judgment would be like a famine (vv. 11–14), not only of literal food but also of spiritual nourishment. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4 nkjv; see Deut. 8:3). In times of crisis, people turn to the Lord for some word of guidance or encouragement; but for Israel, no word would come. "We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be" (Ps. 74:9 niv). What a tragedy to have plenty of "religion" but no word from the Lord! That means no light in the
Amos reminded them of the greatness of the God they thought they were worshipping. He is the God of creation, who can melt the earth with a touch and make the land rise and fall like the swelling of the Nile River. He controls the heavens, the earth, and the seas, and no one can stay His hand.
Jehovah is the God of history, who showed His great power by delivering the Jews from the bondage of Egypt (v. 7). He claimed them for His own people. Yet
Amos 9 that, in spite of their unbelief, their God will be faithful to keep His covenant promises.
they turned against Him and went their own way. Therefore, He will have to treat the Jews (His special people) as He treats the Gentiles! The exodus from Egypt will be looked upon like any migration of a people from one place to another, for the people of Israel gave up their national distinctives when they abandoned the worship of the true God.
Notes
1 The Bible often uses concepts to describe divine actions or emotions, such as God resting (Gen. 2:2), grieving (6:6), clapping His hands (Ezek. 21:17), laughing (Ps. 2:4), and writing (Ex. 31:18). When God "relents" ("repents" kjv), it doesn't mean that He made a mistake and has to change His mind. Rather, it means that He maintains His intentions but changes His way of working. A good illustration is found in Jeremiah 18:1–17. 2 Of course, the temple was in Jerusalem, but Amos is referring to the places of worship in Israel, such as the king's chapel. Since the word translated "temple" can also be translated "palace" (2 Kings 20:18), the prophet may have been referring to the banquets of the king. 3 A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1961), 11. 4 James quoted Amos 9:11 during the Jerusalem conference when the leaders discussed the matter of the place of the Gentiles in the church (Acts 15). The question was, "Must a Gentile become a Jew in order to become a Christian?" But note that James did not say that Amos 9:11 was fulfilled by the Gentiles' coming into the church, but that the prophets (plural) agreed with the Gentiles' being a part of the church (Acts 15:13–18). After all, if believing Gentiles are one day going to be a part of the messianic kingdom (David's dynasty restored), why can't they be a part of the church today? Why should they be forced to become Jewish proselytes in order to become Christians? However, some interpret Amos 9:11 and the words of James to mean that the church is the "tabernacle of David" so that the Old Testament prophecies about the kingdom are now fulfilled in the church. How the church is like David's kingdom "as in the days of old" is difficult to understand, and the references to Edom (Amos 9:12) and the fruitfulness of the land (vv. 13–15) are also difficult to apply to the church.
But He is always the God of mercy (vv. 8–10), who will keep His covenant with Abraham and his descendants and not destroy the nation. The nations would be sifted, and the sinners punished, but not one of His true worshippers would be lost. It's always the believing remnant that God watches over so that they might fulfill His will on the earth. The self-confident sinners, who don't expect to be punished, are the ones who will be slain by the sword (v. 10).
"I will restore!" (vv. 11–15). In contrast to God's destroying the Israelite house of false worship, God will raise up the "hut" of David, thereby assuring a bright future for the people of Israel and Judah. Like a rickety shack, David's dynasty was about to collapse. From the Babylonian captivity to this present hour, there has been no Davidic king ruling over the Jews; and though a Jewish nation has been restored, they have no king, priest, temple, or sacrifice.
B.A vision of the glorious kingdom—9:11–15
But one day, the Lord will restore, repair, and rebuild the dynasty of David and establish the kingdom He promised. When Jesus Christ comes again, the breach between Israel and Judah will be healed, and there will be one nation submitted to one king. God will bless the land and the people, and His people shall live in peace and security.4 It will be a time of peace and prosperity to the glory of the Lord.
Amos ends his prophecy with the wonderful promise that Israel shall be planted, protected, and never again pulled up from her land "says the Lord your God." Your God! What a great encouragement for the Jews to know