Amos 7:8-10 KJV
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 any more:
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.
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel 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.
It is so often remarkable what people will remember and what they will forget. Twice previous to this, Amos had prayed and God had repented to destroy or judge Israel:
Amos 7:2-3 KJV
And it came to pass, that when 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.
Amos 7:5-6 KJV
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.
But when Amos gave the message of the plumbline, Amaziah took offense and said Amos was out to get Israel.
A preacher's heart, as is the Lord's is never to "get" anybody. The desire is always for the good of people. But good can only eventually happen when people repent of their sins and turn from them to the Lord. That requires, first that they are warned (that is the preacher's task) and secondly that they be chastened (which is God's place). Israel will eventually be brought into an eternal fellowship with Almighty God. Unfortunately, multitudes of souls will be suffering in eternal hell because they did not turn when they were warned.
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 any more:
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.
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel 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.
It is so often remarkable what people will remember and what they will forget. Twice previous to this, Amos had prayed and God had repented to destroy or judge Israel:
Amos 7:2-3 KJV
And it came to pass, that when 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.
Amos 7:5-6 KJV
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.
But when Amos gave the message of the plumbline, Amaziah took offense and said Amos was out to get Israel.
A preacher's heart, as is the Lord's is never to "get" anybody. The desire is always for the good of people. But good can only eventually happen when people repent of their sins and turn from them to the Lord. That requires, first that they are warned (that is the preacher's task) and secondly that they be chastened (which is God's place). Israel will eventually be brought into an eternal fellowship with Almighty God. Unfortunately, multitudes of souls will be suffering in eternal hell because they did not turn when they were warned.
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