the visions

Reading for this Sunday: Amos 6-8


Amos 6 tells of the lifestyle of Israel - one of opulence, self-indulgence, pride, pleasure-seeking, security, and superiority. Amos points to expensive furniture, elegant dining, entertaining, drinking, and wearing expensive perfumes. In Amos 6:6, the most shocking pronouncement is that Israel doesn't care - they're not grieved over their own ruin (Joseph = Israel here).

God is judging the people because of 2 sins: injustice (6:12) and pride (6:13). They have suppressed the helpless and have found pride in their military achievements - ascribing their great accomplishments to their own work, not God's work through them.

Amos describes 5 visions. We'll look at the first 4.

Vision of Locusts (Amos 7:1-3)

Locusts were and image understood to represent God's judgment. In Amos 7:2-3, Amos intercedes on behalf of Israel, pleading with God. Verse 3 is interesting. Here, God relents/repents. This is an emotional response that tells of God's deep connection with Israel.

Vision of Fire (Amos 7:4-6)

Again, judgment is seen through a vison. Like the first vision, Amos pleads with God and God cancels the planned judgment.

Vision of the Plumb Line (Amos 7:7-14)

The plumb line was used in construction to make buildings truly vertical. In this section, Amos does not plead to God, and God does not back away from the judgment.

We looked at Amos 7:10-17 in our first week together. Basically: the priest at Bethel told the king that Amos is stirring up trouble, and should be sent back to his home in Judah. Amos persists and says that God told him to prophesy to Israel.

Vision of Basket of Fruit (Amos 8:1-14)

Here, Israel is pictured as a basket of summer fruit. It is addressed to the wealthy - those who do not think of the needy and who are not living out the covenant agreements in community with others. Judgment is pronounced. There will be an earthquake, a famine, and silence from God (vs. 12).

The first two visions concerned the common people. The third was speaking to the royal house of King Jeroboam. The fourth addressed the rich and powerful. All are visions of dying.

* What do these passages say to us about our lifestyles? Do our material possessions lessen our dependence on God?

* How do we intercede on behalf of others, just like Amos did after seeing the first 2 visions?