Chapter 1

(Verses 1 and 2) The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion , and utter His voice from Jerusalem ; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.

Thus Amos introduces himself and his message. He gives the time when this word was given to him by mentioning both the king of Judah and the king of Israel , as being kings when he received this. He further declares that it was two years before the great earthquake. This earthquake is also mentioned by Zechariah. It appears, from verse 2, that Amos, for some reason not here given, did not write this, but dictated it, and had someone else write it. For the writer says, “And he said,” Then he begins to give the message. This, of course, does not alter the truth of the prophecy. He declares that the LORD shall speak forth from Zion and Jerusalem with a such a loud voice that it will resemble a roar, probably, of a lion. And either the sound itself, or the message it carries will be so great that it will cause mourning in the habitations of the shepherds, and will wither the top of mount Carmel.

(Verses 3 through 5) Thus saith the LORD; for three transgressions of Damascus , and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: but I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad. I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden : and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.

Notice that Amos did not say, in the beginning, that all of his message was directed to Israel , but only that the things he saw concerned Israel . Although this first message, as well as several others that follow it, are of punishment that will be meted out to other cities and nations, they do concern Israel , in that Israel had been in league with these for mutual protection. But the messages are self explanatory in that respect. Damascus , the capitol of Syria , is to be punished because they have “threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.” That is they, instead of helping Israel , have inflicted great damage on Gilead, one of the cities of Israel . The LORD says that Damascus has not trespassed one time, but even to the fourth time. Therefore the punishment will not be turned aside, but will surely be executed upon them. It will be such that their palaces will be burned, their king taken away, and the people themselves carried away into captivity. And, indeed, all of this came to pass just as prophesied.

(Verses 6 through 8) Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them to Edom: but I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: and I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn Mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the LORD GOD.

Edom is another name for Esau, the brother of Jacob, or Israel . But as we see in the Genesis account of Jacob and Esau, there was bad blood between these two, just as there still is between their descendants. The country in which the descendants of Esau lived was called “ Edom .” And as Amos says Gaza had delivered Israel as captives to Edom . So for Gaza ’s transgressions the LORD determined to send punishment upon the palaces of Gaza , the inhabitants of Ashdod , one of Gaza ’s principal cities, and bring down their king, whose capitol city was Ashkelon . Not only so, but He also would destroy the remnant of the Philistines, who were the inhabitants of Gaza . This also history shows to have been accomplished just as declared. The present day Palestinians try to claim their descent from the ancient Philistines but can not prove this claim. Those who are recognized as having expertise in such matters declare that there are no modern descendants of the Philistines. The nearest modern people to that bloodline are said to be the Syrians. But even they can not make full claim to this. The modern Palestinians seem to be a group made up from individuals from the various bloodlines of the surrounding Arabic peoples. So the remnant of the Philistines did perish, just as the LORD declared that they would.

(Verses 9 and 10) Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom , and remembered not the brotherly covenant: but I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

Notice that the transgression of Tyrus ( Tyre ) is the same as that of Gaza . Because of their transgressions the LORD will cause a fire in Tyre that shall burn both the walls and the palaces, or fancy houses, that are therein. They had, evidently, made a covenant with Israel that they would defend each other as brothers. But when the showdown came, they broke that covenant, and to save themselves, betrayed Israel . True to His promise to Abraham, (Genesis 12:3) “And I will  bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee,” He declares this punishment upon  Tyre .

(Verses 11 and 12) Thus saith the LORD; for three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever: but I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Inasmuch as Edom (Esau) was the brother of Israel , (Jacob,) one would think that he should have been ready to help him. But instead showed no pity for him in his time of trouble, and even himself pursued him with the sword.. In fact, his anger and wrath against Israel has burned perpetually, even to the present day. Because of this the LORD declares that He will send “a fire,” or destruction, upon the cities of Edom . People today wonder why it seems impossible to make peace between the Jews and the Arabs. The answer lies in these two verses of the prophecy of Amos. The anger and wrath of Esau toward Jacob for tricking him out of his birthright has perpetuated his hatred among his descendants until the present day, so that no lasting peace can be made between them, until the Lord Jesus returns, and brings judgment upon the earth. Because of this hatred, anger, and wrath, the LORD declares that He will send punishment upon them.

(Verses 13 through 15) Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border: but I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: and their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together, saith the LORD.

Ammon was one of the sons of Lot the nephew of Abraham. So, surely better than this should have been expected of him. But when his descendants felt that they needed more room, they spared not the inhabitants of Gilead . Because of this the LORD pronounces upon their land a fire that shall “devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind.” Also their king and his princes shall go into captivity. This should make us fully aware that we cannot do evil without having to pay the price, whether here or hereafter.

(Verses 1 through 3) Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime: but I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet: and I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.

We have already mentioned that Ammon was the son of Abraham’s nephew Lot . But so also was Moab . In addition to this, Esau, (or Edom ,) was the brother of Israel . Nevertheless Moab (that is, his descendants) had dishonored the king of  Edom by burning his bones into lime, thus showing utter disdain for him despite his being of near kin to them. So for this the LORD declares that He will send upon them a fire that shall destroy the palaces of their principal city. And He will cause the nation of Moab to die, or cease to exist; because He will cut off, or kill, their judges and all their princes. We do not even find Moab on the modern maps of the area. It was in part of the territory that is now Saudi Arabia . Having declared the punishment of the countries around Judah and Israel , the LORD turns His attention specifically to them.

(Verses 4 and 5) Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept His commandments, and their lies have caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: but I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

Notice that the LORD makes use of exactly the same phrase concerning Judah that He does concerning all the other nations He has mentioned, “For three transgressions of Judah , and for four.” Seemingly this would signify that Judah ’s sin is just as great as that of any of the other nations. Yet He does not threaten them with utter destruction, as He does the other nations. Certainly, this teaches emphatically the doctrine of God’s election of His people. In another place He has said that even if they do disobey His commandments, He will punish them, but He will not utterly take away from them His lovingkindness. This same promise holds true to his children, even in the gospel day.

(Verses 6 through 8) Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane My holy name: and they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge beside every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

This is indeed a terrible indictment against Israel . To us, it seems even worse than that laid against any of the other nations around, unless that against the children of Ammon might be considered as grave. There might be a slight reference in verse 6 to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, “They sold the righteous for silver.” However, since it is immediately connected to, “and the poor for a pair of shoes,” it may only be used to show what little regard they had for the righteous and the poor. Verse 7 declares that they are altogether profligate. Since the poor had no property other than the “dust of the earth on his head,” they would try to take that from him. And they would “turn aside the way of the meek.” That is, if he was in their way, they would push him aside to get to what they wanted. When we connect the last clause of verse 7 with verse 8, we see that not only had they given themselves over to fornication, but had sunk so low into it that a man and his father would go with the same woman, and this in “the house of their god,” Not the temple of God, but that of an idol. For they would commit this act while lying upon clothes that had been taken for a pledge, and laid down beside the altar until they were redeemed. One must keep in mind that many of the fertility cults of that area maintained prostitutes in their temples; and fornication was, at times, a part of their worship of the idol. Now without telling what punishment He is going to send upon them, the Lord sets forth to remind them of many of His wonderful works on their behalf, as well as their reaction to these favors, before He does pronounce the Punishment He will send.

(Verses 9 through 12) Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath. Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt , and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel ? saith the LORD. But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

Not only did the LORD deliver the children of Israel from the Egyptian bondage, lead them for forty years through the wilderness, and overthrow the Amorites in order to provide a land in which He would, and did, settle them; but He also raised up of their own sons and young men both Nazarites and prophets. The response of the Israelites was to give wine to the Nazarites, which broke the fundamental vow of the Nazarite. He was not to drink either wine or strong drink. And neither was he to even eat the fruit of the vine. As if this were not bad enough, they commanded the prophets to keep silence. In the remainder of this chapter the LORD will tell them what He is going to send upon them

(Verses 13 through 16) Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves. Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself: neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself. And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.

Since the Israelites have so completely given themselves over to evil after He has done so much for them, the LORD declares that He is burdened with their behavior as a cart is burdened when loaded with sheaves. And because of this He will take away all the ability of speed to escape, and bravery to fight that may have been in Israel . Therefore none shall escape. He does not say that He will utterly destroy them, but simply that they shall not escape the punishment that He will send upon them. They are still today laboring under that punishment. And they shall not be free of it until our Lord Jesus returns, and restores Israel as He has promised.

(Verses 1 through 8) Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? Shall one take up a snare, and have taken nothing at all? Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? Surely the LORD GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The LORD GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

Certainly this needs little explanation. The LORD reminds the children of Israel that they are the only nation of people that He has ever chosen as His own special nation. And He brought them up from the bondage of Egypt , and gave to them the land of Canaan . He even drove out the inhabitants of the land that were before them, that they might have a land of their own. He never gave such recognition to any other people on earth. And now because of their iniquities He will punish them. Then He asks a series of questions to impress upon them the seriousness of their situation. From any intelligent person, every question He asked could bring only a negative answer. Some may want to doubt that His last question should receive a negative answer. But there is no room for any other. The evil there mentioned is not moral evil, but calamity, plague, destruction, or similar evil. He certainly has power over all such. Now He declares that He will bring none of such things without first revealing His secret to His prophets. Verse 8 declares that “the lion has roared” and “the LORD has spoken.” So, as the Lion waits until he has taken his prey to roar, and he has now roared, Israel can know that they have already been taken, and the lion is ready to devour them. And since the LORD has spoken, none of His prophets can forbear to prophesy. The matter is completely established.

(Verses 9 through 11) Publish in the palaces at Ashdod , and in the palaces in the land of Egypt , and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria , and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Therefore thus saith the LORD GOD; An adversary there shall be even round about in the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

Now the LORD turns again to Gaza and Egypt . Ashdod was the principal city of Gaza . So He calls for His word to be published, or proclaimed in the palaces of Ashdod and in the land of Egypt . They are called to gather themselves together upon the mountains of Samaria that they may view the great tumults that are to take place, and see the oppressed that are in the land. Samaria was one of the principal cities of Israel . So what is said in verses 10 and 11 must be concerning Israel . They have so long strayed away from God that “they know not to do right.” ( This reminds us of what our Lord Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well. “Ye worship ye know not what.”) They had become so entangled with idols that they did not know what they were worshipping. Jeroboam I had long ago made two golden calves, and set them up for the Israelites to worship instead of going to the temple at Jerusalem to worship the LORD. Now they had so far deteriorated that they did not even know how to do right. They did not know what right is. They were so given to violence and robbery that their palaces and their homes were full of such. Because of this, the LORD was about to send upon them an adversary who would destroy their palaces, and cause all their strength to leave them. They would be helpless.

(Verses 12 through 15) Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch. Hear ye, and testify it in the house of Jacob, saith the LORD GOD, the God of hosts, That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.

This is the word the LORD has declared against Israel . There will be such destruction  that only a small remnant shall be saved; just as when a lion has taken a sheep from the flock, and the shepherd gets to him too late to save anything , except, perhaps, two legs, or an ear. The remaining children of Israel will be so few that those remaining in Samaria may be taken out in the corner of a bed, and those remaining in Damascus may be taken out in a couch.. The LORD will not only cut off the people, but He will also break down the altars at Beth-el, one of the cities noted for its idolatry. Neither rich nor poor shall escape. He will destroy the winter house, the summer house, and all the great houses. Nothing shall be left.

(Verses 1 through 3) Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. The LORD GOD hath sworn by His holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that He will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. And ye shall go out at the breaches, every (cow at that which is) before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.

The words in italics, in verse 3, either were not in the Hebrew Language from which this was translated, or were unintelligible to the translators. So, in keeping with the metaphor in verse 1, they supplied them thus. The LORD addressed this to “Ye kine (cattle) of Bashan,” signifying that the children of Israel had no more judgment, or intelligence, than cattle. Yet they were oppressing the poor, crushing the needy, and even trying to set themselves above their masters, demanding that their masters serve them. This, of course, shows no judgment at all. But the days of their arrogance are numbered. The LORD has sworn by His holiness, and therefore there is no possibility of its failure, that the days of their captivity are soon to come. Then, just as cattle are led away, so shall they be taken away  It was not unusual for conquerors to lead their captives away with hooks in their noses. This is exactly what they can expect. Their children shall be led away with fishhooks. Then they, like cattle, shall be led through the breaches, or broken down walls upon which they had depended for protection. They will be at the mercy of their captors.

(Verses 4 and 5) Come to Beth-el, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgressions; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years: and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel , saith the LORD GOD.

This declaration is very similar to the first part of Rev. 22:11. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still.”  Since this is what they like so well, and have been so accustomed to doing, it will do them no good to try to change now. The punishment is already set, and it cannot be set aside by their trying to change, in fear of it. The LORD GOD has declared it; and thus it shall be.

(Verses 6 through 11) And I have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith the LORD.. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and not to rain upon another city: and one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith the LORD. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet ye have not returned unto Me, saith the LORD. I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt : your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet ye have not returned unto Me, saith the LORD. I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah , and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto Me, saith the LORD.

This is a short summary of some of the chastisements the LORD has already sent upon Israel for their sins. Yet, for all these, they have made no move to return to Him. Lest we become exalted in our minds, and think that we are better than they, let us think of all the wonderful blessings He has given us, as a nation. A good thing to do is to make a written list of all the great blessings we can think of that He has bestowed upon this nation, from the landing of the first settlers on the shores of the Atlantic until now. Then make a list of all the transgressions we, as a nation have committed against Him, especially in the past sixty years, including, but not limited to, our trying to drive Him completely out of our schools, and all other public affairs, our legalizing the murder of unborn children, etc. Then consider the chastisements He has sent upon us, such as allowing wars, fires, and floods to come upon us. Then honestly consider this question. Have we made any effort to return to the principles upon which this nation was founded? The sad truth is that, although some individuals may have returned to the LORD, the nation has made no effort to return to Him. Where, then, do we stand?

(Verses 12 and 13) Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy GOD, O Israel. For, lo, He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is His thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The GOD of hosts, is His name.

Because of all the transgressions of Israel, and because when He chastised them they did not return unto Him, the LORD declares that He will now bring upon them all the destruction and captivity He has, in the preceding chapter, and the early part of the present one, pronounced upon them. Because He is ready to bring this upon them, He calls upon them to “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” That is, there is no escape. For  The LORD, The God of hosts, is the One, Who has spoken.

(Verses 1 through3) Hear ye the word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel . The virgin of Israel has fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. For thus saith the LORD GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.

It seems that many, as they consider verse 2, want to use it as proof that the LORD has forever cast off Israel . If this one verse were all the message contained one might be excused for such thinking. But such is not the case; and this is proven by verse three, as well as by many other passages of scripture that deal with the same subject. As verse 1 tells us, this whole message is a lamentation against (or for) Israel) A lamentation is either a speech or a song expressing sorrow for something that either has taken place, or is about to take place. The latter is the present consideration. It is given in the present tense, as if the event had already come to pass, although, actually, it is yet to come. In this prophecy the LORD declares, “The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.” Total destruction is to come upon Israel , so that she “shall no more rise.” This sounds as if she is forever doomed. But such is not the case. She shall never be able to rise by her own power. And presently there is none to raise her up. We shall find later that, at His appointed time, the LORD shall raise her up, and glorify her. That is His purpose in reserving a remnant, even though it may be only a tenth of the present population. Where there were a thousand in the city as they went out, there shall be only a hundred when they are restored.  A village from which a hundred go out, will only have ten to return. But, as is always His manner of working, the LORD shall reserve a remnant. And today we can see a part of that remnant, just as He has declared.

(Verses 4 through 6) For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel , Seek ye Me, and ye shall live: but seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought. Seek ye the LORD, and ye shall live; lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el.

Since all of this is determined against Israel , one might think it too late to do anything about it. But the LORD still holds forth to Israel a promise: “But seek ye Me, and ye shall live.” He even repeats this same promise in verse 6: “Seek ye the LORD, and ye shall live.” Thus we see that it is never too late for the LORD. No matter what the situation, or how dark the time, it is never too late to seek the LORD. As the Apostle Paul told the Athenians, “That they should seek the LORD, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.” So everyone who feels a desire to do so should seek the LORD. Jesus has told us, “He that asketh receiveth, he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Surely then if Israel shall seek the LORD, they shall live. But they are commanded to not go to Gilgal, Beth-el, or Beer-sheba. Since these places had been centers for idol worship, they were to be destroyed. Therefore the people who wanted to seek the LORD should avoid them. They are warned that if they do not seek Him, a fire may break out in the house of Joseph, one of the tribes of Israel , and devour it. And there is nothing in Beth-el that can quench this fire.

(Verses 7 through 10) Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning, and maketh the day dark with the night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: the LORD is His name: that strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

This is only the beginning of an address to those “who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth.” In verse 10 He further describes them, saying, “They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.” So it seems that these are very evil characters. Yet the LORD directs them to “Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning, and maketh the day dark with the night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth.” He further declares to them that the name of Him, Who does these, is The LORD. Not only does He do these things, but there is more. He strengthens those who have already been overcome in battle, so that they are able to lay siege to the fortress of the strong, the very ones who had already overcome them. He calls upon these evil ones to seek this great and wonderful Being, signifying that His promise to them will be the same as that already given; “Ye shall live.” Some will immediately say, “But such characters as that cannot seek the LORD, unless He draws them to Himself.” One must keep in mind that their ability is not under consideration here. What is under consideration is that to those who do seek the LORD, He has promised, “Ye shall live.” And that is as far as the matter should be carried.

(Verses 11 through 14) Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards,, but ye shall not drink wine of them. For I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

Thus the LORD continues to remind these wicked ones what they are doing. Notice should be taken that these evil deeds are not something they have done, but have now quit. Instead, they are ongoing actions. They tread upon the poor, or, as we would say, “They run over the poor.” And they take from the poor “burdens of wheat,” or indeed, whatever else he may have that is of any value. We have often heard the expression “take the bread out of his mouth.” That is exactly what this means. And when we couple this with the other evils the LORD has already charged against them, we are brought to the conclusion that these, who are thus addressed, must be wicked ones indeed. The LORD declares that their houses of hewn stone and their pleasant vineyards shall not be enjoyed by them; for He knows their manifold transgressions and their mighty sins.  Without, at this point, uttering any threat against them, the declaration that He knows these things carries also the promise that He will punish the evildoers. He then mentions also that they afflict the just, take bribes, and deny the poor his right in the gate. “In the gate,” is an expression that may have lost its significance to us, unless we are acquainted with their manner of governing their cities and villages. Although, in general, the country was ruled by the king and his laws, the city or village government was under the system of the elders. In the gate of the city is where they had their seats as the governing council. So for something to be done in the gate was, to them, the same as what is done in the courts is to us. So these evil ones were denying the poor his right in the court. “Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.” That is, when the LORD shall bring punishment upon these wicked ones, the prudent will take it in silence. For they will know that it is brought on by the sins of these evil ones.

(Verses 14 through 17) Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the GOD of hosts , shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD GOD of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. Therefore the LORD, the GOD of hosts, the LORD, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! Alas! And they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skillful of lamentation to wailing. And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD.

Even to these wicked ones, the LORD still commands, “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live.” Again we emphasize that the matter of the ability, or the inability of these to turn from their evil ways, and seek the LORD has not been introduced by either the LORD, or the prophet. Therefore it is of no profit for us to introduce such. The promise of being spared to live is given to those who do turn and seek Him. But those who do not seek Him shall surely be brought to a time of terrible wailing and lamentation. For the LORD Himself shall pass through (or among) them.

(Verses 18 through 20) Woe unto you that desire the Day of the LORD! To what end is it for you? The Day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the Day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it.

We must keep in mind that the LORD is here speaking to people whom He describes as being so wicked that He is about to send a terrible destruction upon them. So to them He says, “Woe unto you that desire the Day of the LORD.” Sometimes “the Day of the LORD” means the time of temporal judgment, while at others it means the Day of Final Judgment; but it always means the Day of Judgment. Therefore to those upon whom it is to come, there is nothing pleasant or desirable about it. It is about to come upon these wicked ones to whom the LORD has been speaking. In this case it is a day of destruction to their cities and captivity to them. So, to what end would they desire it. It is the direst woe to them. Then He gives a description of “The Day of the LORD” that will always fit it, whether it is a day of temporal judgment, or The Day of Eternal judgment. That description is so clear that it permits no explanation. To those, upon whom it comes, “The Day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not The Day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it.?” Sometimes, we hear someone say, “I wish the Lord would hurry up, and bring judgment upon this world.” Usually those who say such, have no idea of what the bringing of judgment upon this world really means. While it is true that the Apostle Paul has told us that those who trust in Jesus are to “rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ,” those who now have such a great desire for that terrible day are not showing very much evidence of their being with the saints while the Lord Jesus is meting out this vengeance. That day might be darkness unto them also. If so, How great is that darkness going to be? So, “Woe unto you that desire the Day of the LORD.”

(Verses 21 through 24) I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings, and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down like waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

This seems so clear that one wonders if more comment upon it is needed. Perhaps, what we need to do is to judge ourselves, and determine whether, or not this may be a description of us, as the LORD looks upon us today. Have we reached the place that we think we have to follow exactly the sane ritual all the time, and every time we meet together for church service? And have we so far drifted away from the Lord that our efforts to serve Him have become nothing but ritual, and really have no spirituality about them. If so, we can be sure that the LORD is not pleased with our offerings. Certainly we do not offer burnt sacrifices as the people did in the days of the prophet, Amos. But the Apostle Paul tells us, in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” A living sacrifice is a sacrifice that is continuously offered; not one that is offered once a week, or once a month. Remember that there are six days in the week beside Sunday. Are we making our bodies an offering to God every day, wherever we may have to be? If not, we are not making them living sacrifices. If we are not thus serving the Lord, surely, our offerings are no more pleasing to Him than were theirs. The only way we can make “judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream,” is to keep His judgment in mind so that we will follow His commandments every day, and thus do righteousness instead of evil. Of course, we can’t be perfect; but read what the Apostle Paul says in the latter part of Romans 7. If we are striving to do the commandments of our Lord, even though we fall short, we are judged as serving with our mind the law of God, though with the flesh, the law of sin.

(Verses 25 through 27) Have ye offered unto Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel ? But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus , saith the LORD, Whose name is The LORD of hosts.

The LORD’S question to Israel , “Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty tears, O house of Israel ?” seems to, in the context in which it is used, carry more the idea that they did not do this in sincerity, but rather in pretense, while at the same time they took special care of the images they made for themselves, and considered their god. In short, while they tried to claim the protection of the LORD, they were not to be governed by His laws, which forbade the worship of other gods. Because of this, this same God, Whom they have scorned, is about to send upon them a proper penalty. “Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus , saith the LORD, Whose name is The LORD of hosts.”

Chapter 6

(Verses 1 through 6) Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? Or their border greater than your border? Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the stall; that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David; that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

This message is to “them that are at ease in Zion ,” not just to those, who are enjoying life in Zion , although they might be so doing. The primary consideration is that they are not grieved because of “the affliction of Joseph.” This is not the affliction Joseph suffered at the hands of his brethren when they sold him into Egypt , nor even of that which he suffered at the hands of the Egyptians. Rather, it is that affliction which the LORD has determined to send, and has declared upon Joseph (or Israel ) for their sins. Often the prophets use one tribe as representative of all Israel in the messages they declare to them. They are instructed to go to various places to observe what the LORD has done to others. The whole project seems to be for the purpose of calling attention to the fact that one is no better than another before God. He is able to do as He will with any one, or all. So whatsoever He has declared, even that He is fully able to do. It is therefore no longer time to “be at ease,” but rather time to be greatly concerned about the great affliction He has declared against Israel . “Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near.” These are the ones to whom this warning is given. In their minds, they push aside the day of this judgment, thinking that if they will just ignore it, it will not come upon them. And they cause the seat, or center of violence to come near, by the very fact that they ignore the warning the LORD has so graciously given them. This reminds me very much of the present condition in the church. Not too long ago, I heard a preacher in the pulpit of a Primitive Baptist church, read an excerpt from the book of Revelation, and immediately say, “You can forget about that. It will never take place.” I certainly do not know where he got his information. But one thing is absolutely true. He did not get it from the word of God. That is exactly the attitude these Israelites had about the warning the LORD gave them. They “lie upon beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of stall.” Their only concern is to take life easy, and engage in continual feasting. They “chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David.” Although there is nothing wrong with inventing musical instruments, there seems to be a great deal wrong with their purpose in so doing. David does indeed write of many musical instruments which he used in worshipping the LORD, many of them of his own invention. But these are inventing them “to themselves,” that is, for their own entertainment. Yet they make the claim, “We are only doing as David did,” which is evidently not true. He was always striving to worship and serve the LORD. Then they “drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.” They are not satisfied to be moderate in their drinking as would people of sound judgment, but they must drink their wine in bowls. That is, they must engage in great orgies of drinking. But they have no time to be concerned about the affliction that is coming upon them, “the affliction of Joseph.”

(Verses 7 through 11) Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. The Lord GOD hath sworn by Himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein. And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, they shall die. And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? And he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the LORD. For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and He will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

Since these have been so engrossed in their own feasting, and have no concern for the affliction that is coming upon them, they will be the first to be taken away in the captivity that is decreed. This is not just something the prophet has imagined, but something that is so fully determined that the LORD has even taken an oath, by Himself, since there is no greater, that He hates “the excellency of Jacob” and his palaces; and therefore He will “deliver up the city with all that is therein.” This is not a declaration that He will deliver the city from destruction, but that He will deliver it TO DESTRUCTION. He declares that if there should be as many as ten men left in a house, they shall die. There is no safety for them. If they are not taken captive, they will still be killed. Should a man be found dead, and his uncle come to take the body out for burning (cremation,) that uncle will inquire of those he may see if there are still any more alive in this family. The answer he will receive is a negative. And he will immediately order the one who has told him to be quiet; for they are not any more to make mention of the name of the LORD. For this whole episode is commanded of the LORD, and He will have no respect for one above another, but will “smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.” That is, He will destroy all houses, both great, and small, alike.

(Verses 12 through 14) Shall horses run upon the rock? Will one plow there with oxen? For ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: ye which rejoice in a thing of naught, which say, Have we not taken to ourselves horns by our own strength? But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of the wilderness.

When horses are left to choose their own place to run, they are wise enough to choose a good grassy place rather than a rock. And when one goes forth to plow with oxen, he will not choose a rock for his place of operation. This is because of the natural wisdom that the LORD has provided, not only for men, but even for horses. Yet these men are so devoid of wisdom that they have “turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock. Without any great amount of explanation this matter becomes crystal clear when we remember that gall is about the most bitter thing that is known, and hemlock is a deadly poison. These men have so perverted judgment that their decrees are to those upon whom they have imposed them as bitter as gall. And what they consider the fruit of their righteousness is as the poison hemlock itself. These are the ones who have rejoiced in “a thing of naught,” that is, vanity, and are boasting of the great power they have obtained by their own strength. But they are about to find all of this to be in vain. Because the LORD will raise up against them a nation that will afflict the entire nation, “from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of the wilderness.” No part of the nation shall escape.

(Verses 1 through 3) Thus 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. And it came to pass after 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. The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.

Here the LORD showed Amos a vision of grasshoppers prepared of the LORD to completely eat out all the fresh growth of grass after the mowing had all been done. This would have left no sustenance for cattle or horses, thus causing great suffering upon Israel . So Amos prayed that Jacob might be spared from this plague. And the LORD agreed that He would not bring this upon them.

(Verses 4 through 6) Thus 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. Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech Thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

The LORD showed Amos another vision. In this vision there was a great fire, even so great that it devoured the great deep (or outer space) and began to devour “a part,” evidently a part of the earth, as well as the deep. Amos prayed that this also might be set aside. In both this, and his former prayer, he made no mention of any merit on the part of Israel for which they should be saved. His only plea was that Israel is so small, or weak, that they could not survive this type of punishment. “By whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.” So in both instances the LORD declares that these judgments will not be. But the next judgment is one which He has determined to send. And it shall not be turned aside.

(Verses 7 through 9) Thus He shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in His hand. And 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 anymore: and 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.

A plumbline properly set up is absolutely vertical, and is used for determining whether or not a wall is built exactly vertical, or if it may lean in one direction or another. Just so, a plumbline set up by the LORD among His people will indicate with positive certainty just how upright they are. Thus the LORD declares that He will establish such a plumbline in the midst of His people Israel . Heretofore He has permitted them to get by with not being perfectly upright. But He declares that He will not again pass by them any more. They shall be called to measure up. To bring this about, He declares that their high places and sanctuaries, the places they have set aside for worshipping their idols, shall be laid waste. And He will bring a sword against the “house of Jeroboam,” Since Jeroboam was the one who led Israel to break away from Judah , Israel is considered “the house of Jeroboam” although technically the royal family may have made several changes since that day. So the sword is the punishment decreed for Israel . Also the name of the king at the time of this prophecy was Jeroboam, although not the original leader of the revolt.

(Verses 10 through 13) Then 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. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah , and there eat bread, and prophesy there: but prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.

Although the name, “Beth-el,” means “ The House of the LORD,” the Beth-el here mentioned has no reference to the temple of GOD , which was at Jerusalem . It may, indeed, be the place Jacob named Beth-el, in Genesis 28:12. But it had long been the place where Israel worshipped one of the golden calves and other idols. This Amaziah was a priest, not of GOD, but of the idols of Beth-el. Accordingly, he went to king Jeroboam, and charged this conspiracy against Amos. Then he went again to Amos, and warned him to leave Israel and return to Judah lest he be put to death by the king. For Beth-el was the very center of the king’s court. It was his chapel. So surely he would not permit such prophecy there against him as Amos was declaring.

(Verses 14 and 15) Then 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 sycamore fruit: and the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel.

Since Amos was not following a family tradition, but had been called and sent by the LORD, not to prophesy to anyone wherever he might find him, but to the LORD’S people Israel. Amaziah’s advice, or warning, to him was utterly foolish. He could only prophesy where, and to whom he was sent of the LORD.

(Verses 16 and 17) Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel , and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore 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.

Since Amaziah has commanded Amos to desist from prophesying to Israel , and the LORD has specifically called him to prophesy to Israel , he says that because Amaziah has tried to stop his prophesying, Amaziah must hear the word of the LORD. And the message now given is even stronger than it has been heretofore. When he says, “Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city,” it does not follow that she will do so because she might be inclined that way already. But since his sons and daughters are to be slain with the sword, and he is himself to be brought to ruin, and death in a polluted land, she will be left with no support at all. In such a condition it was not at all unusual for a woman to turn to prostitution simply as an act of survival. Not only was this to be the fate of Amaziah, together with his children and his wife, but also “ Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.” The punishment of Israel was completely settled. It would be as decreed, and nothing could change it.

Chapter 8

(Verses 1 through 3) Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. And He said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said a basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon My people Israel ; I will not again pass by them any more. And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.

Those who are always looking for more significance in a picture than that which is authorized can very easily become entangled in this “basket of summer fruit.” We have heard many strange ideas projected with this as a basis. If there were nothing mentioned except the basket of fruit, it might serve as a foundation for many thoughts. It could represent the beginning of the harvest of the fruits; it could be taken from about the middle of the crop; or it could be the end of the harvest. But we are not given lea way for developing such various ideas. The LORD says that it means that “The end is come upon My people Israel ; I will not pass by them again any more.” That is, there is no more time allotted them for repentance. The time of this judgment is at hand, and it will be meted out to them exactly as the LORD has decreed. One thing we need to guard against is the idea that, “The end is come upon My people Israel ” means that the LORD is forever through with them, and will never restore them. Such an idea would completely deny everything from Chapter 9, verse 8, through the remainder of this prophecy. What it does mean is that God has determined to send judgment upon Israel for her sins. In the day of that judgment, all joy will depart from Israel . Even the songs of the temple shall be turned into “howlings,” or terrible wailings. There shall be so many dead bodies in every place that those left alive will merely cast them out without any mourning or memorials for them. It will be done in silence.

(Verses 4 through 7) Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath that, we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances with deceit? That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

Little can be said that will any further explain this passage. It simply sets forth just how corrupt these people had become. They were doing everything possible to destroy the poor and needy. The new moons were considered as special days of worship. But they always wanted them to be pushed aside so that they could continue their unlawful commerce. They wanted smaller than legal measures, and larger than legal shekels for selling their products. They would even set the balances so that instead of weighing correctly, they would weigh in their favor. They even devised ways to sell the refuse of the wheat. They were corrupt in all their ways. So the LORD declares upon His oath, that He will not forget any of their works.

(Verses 8 through 11) Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? And it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt . And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: and I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation:; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

Having reminded Israel of the terrible sins of which they were guilty, the LORD asks, “Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein?” Surely these sins are great enough that there must be sufficient punishment given to cause all to fear, even to make the very land to tremble. So this affliction and devastation shall come upon Israel as a flood, drowning the whole land and its inhabitants, as did the flood at the Red Sea the Egyptians. It shall destroy the sinners of Israel . It will be as if the sun went down at noon , leaving what should have been a clear day completely dark. All songs and mirth shall be turned to the greatest of sorrow and mourning, as if each one of the inhabitants had lost an only son. It will be an extremely bitter day. Some may think that this “as the mourning of an only son” refers to the time when the Jews shall be made to realize that they have rejected the Christ, and are thus brought to repentance and conversion. However, that seems to be in a totally different context. This has to do with the sending of Israel into captivity, while that concerns the restoration of Israel .

(Verses 11 through 14) Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east,  they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. They that swear by the sin of Samaria , and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and the manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.

Israel had been well acquainted with famines, both from hunger for food and thirst for water. But the famine that the LORD said He would send upon them was not of these things. It would be a total lack of hearing the word of the LORD. During the time of this famine “they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.” This is a very adequate description of Israel from the destruction of the temple in 70 AD to the present. And it is yet to continue for a while. How long? None but God Himself knows the answer to that question. They are indeed seeking “the righteousness of the law.” But they are not seeking it by faith. The Apostle Paul has told us that. And it agrees fully with the present text. During this time even the “fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.” He doesn’t say that they die of thirst, but simply that they are suffering from it. Even now Israel is not utterly cut off from faith. There are still among Israel those to whom the LORD does give faith. But the remnant is so small that they often feel faint indeed. But among them are still those rebellious ones who “swear by the sin of Samaria , and say, ‘Thy god, O Dan, liveth;’ and ‘The manner of Beer-sheba liveth.’” The famine will go on until these “shall fall, and never rise up again.”

Chapter 9

(Verses 1 through 4) I saw the LORD standing upon the altar: and He said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. Though they dig into hell, thence shall Mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from My sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them: and though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

Since the altar is the place at which the LORD is to be worshipped, it is highly significant that it is upon the altar that the LORD stands to make this declaration. For He is to be worshipped as much for His judgment and justice as for His grace and mercy. The first thing the LORD does is to command that the lintel of the door be struck with such force that even the door posts shall shake. Then He commands someone to “cut them in the head, all of them.” Those to be cut in the head are, without doubt, the same ones of whom He has spoken in the last verse of the previous chapter. Now He says, “And I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.” Then He names various places where one might imagine that he could escape from the LORD, and shows the complete futility of such thinking. There is positively no place one could go and escape from Him. Even though they will be taken captive by their enemies, they shall still have to face death by the sword. There just is no escape. Not only so, but wherever they may be, and in whatever condition, He says, “I will set Mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.” Keep always in mind that this is the message He is addressing to the sinners of Israel . In spite of all this, He will still maintain a remnant according to His own grace.

(Verses 5 through 7) And the Lord GOD of hosts is He that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt . It is He that buildeth His stories in the heaven, and hath founded His troop in the earth; He that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is His name. Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto Me, O children of Israel ? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt ? And the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?

Here the LORD identifies Himself by some of the great works He has done, showing that He has all power over all the earth. Then He reminds Israel that He could just as easily have chosen the Egyptians as Israel   for His own special people. Or, for that matter, He could have chosen the Philistines or the Syrians. It was He Who brought them all together. So the only pre-eminence that Israel could possibly have is that given them by the LORD Himself. So they are not of themselves great enough to disobey His commandments and escape punishment.

(Verses 8 through 10) Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD. For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

Notice carefully the wording of verse 8. “’Behold the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,’ saith the LORD. There are many today that claim that the LORD has forever destroyed the kingdom of Israel , and will never again restore it. Nevertheless He declares that although He will destroy the sinful kingdom from off the face of the earth, He will not utterly destroy the house of Israel . That this “house of Israel ” is the national kingdom of Israel , and not the gospel church as many try to claim, is fully supported by the remainder of this chapter. He declares that He will sift Israel among the nations as corn is sifted in a sieve; but in all of that, not a single grain of the corn shall fall to the ground. That is, not a single one shall be lost of His remnant of grace. But “All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, which say, ‘The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.’”

(Verses 11 through 15) In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by My name, saith the LORD That doeth this. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of My people of Israel , and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

It seems impossible to make this any clearer. The LORD has declared that He will again restore Israel , rebuild their waste places, and give them possession of “the remnant of Edom , and of all the heathen which are called by My name.” This is not the promise of a man, but of the great GOD of both heaven and earth. It can not fail, but must come to pass just as He has declared. Our prayer is that He will see fit to convert the doubters.