Amos 7 (6)
Pray Psalm 73.13-15.
Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
Sing Psalm 73.13-15.
(Ellacombe: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna)
“Surely in vain have I kept pure my heart, or cleansed my hands!
What troubles daily I endure while thus with God I stand!”
But had I spoken thus I would Your children have betrayed.
When this at last I understood, my troubled soul obeyed.
Read Amos 7.1-17; meditate on verse 17.
Preparation
1. Who suffered because of Amaziah’s sin?
2. What would become of him?
Meditation
In Psalm 73, Asaph contemplated the wealthy wicked of Jerusalem. Everything seemed to be going just fine with them, and they seemed little concerned about offending God. Then (vv. 13, 14), jealousy began to rise in Asaph’s heart. He considered his own state—a priest with little personal property, no land, and days of serving others. He came to the point of crying out loud about the “injustice” of it all.
But then he caught himself, knowing that to complain or rail against the Lord would be sin, and not just a sin, but a betrayal of the people he was called to serve (v. 15).
We never sin alone. Our sins—even “private” ones and those we consider to be “harmless”—affect others because they affect us. Amaziah did not learn the lesson of Asaph, and he continued to sin against God, both by leading the people into idolatrous ways and by trying to get Amos deported or worse. His sins affected the entire nation, and to make that point, God brought his sins home to his wife and children. It’s likely that Amaziah loved his wife and children. Imagine the horror of seeing her reduced to prostitution by the ravages of the Assyrians. And his children slain by the sword. And he his neighbors marched along with an entire nation of captives, whose plight in no small part was the fault of Amaziah and his fellow priests, as well as the kings and judges of Israel.
The sins we commit and the sins we harbor are always, in the first instance, against the Lord of glory, who died for sinners such as we. You who love the Lord, hate evil (Ps. 97.10). Hate sin, and allow it no safe harbor in your soul, if not for your own sake, then for the sake of those whose lives will be affected by your sin.
Because we never sin alone.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
God uses the idea of a plumb line or survey line for good and for evil.
In the book of Amos, it is used for judgment, but in the book of Isaiah for blessing:
“Search from the book of the LORD, and read:
Not one of these shall fail; not one shall lack her mate.
For My mouth has commanded it, and His Sprit has gathered them.
He has cast the lot for them, and His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line.
They shall possess it forever; from generation to generation they shall dwell in it” (Is. 34.16, 17).
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Prov. 15.3).
“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD,
and He ponders all his paths” (Prov. 5.21).
God is ready to bless, but He is equally ready to judge.
And He keeps His eye on everyone.
Even as sinful as we are, we love our children; and we do not like it one little bit,
when someone is spiteful, scornful, mean, and unappreciative towards them.
God feels the same about His only begotten Son Jesus.
He does not like it, when people do not love, trust, and obey Him.
“Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way,
when His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Ps. 2.12).
When God gets out His plumb-surveying-measuring line we should take notice.
What happened to Amaziah and his family is an example worth noting.
“When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
but when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge” (Prov. 21.11).
“Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary;
rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge” (Prov. 19.25).
We can observe and become wise and discern knowledge; or we can ignore and be punished.
Our gracious and merciful God has warning stories scattered throughout all of Scripture
to guide us and help us make wise choices and decisions. He longs to bless (Matt. 7.24-27).
Why would we choose to go down the Amaziah path?
Who has the words of eternal life? (Jn. 6.68, 69)
Where would we prefer to live: in the Kingdom of God or of this world? (Gal. 5.19-21; Heb. 12.28)
What is not to like about being loving, thankful, and obedient children to God our heavenly Father, Jesus the Son and Savior, and the teaching and guiding Holy Spirit?
Amaziah fell on the wrong side of the line—that was his lesson.
Which side will we fall on?
Reflection
1. How does our sin necessarily affect others?
2. What are the keys to keeping on the right side of God’s “plumb line”?
3. Whom will you encourage today in their walk with and work for the Lord?
[H]e declares, that the sons and also the daughters of the ungodly priest would be slain by the enemies. It was indeed probable, that some also of the common people had suffered the same evils; but God no doubt punished the willfulness and madness of Amaziah for having dared to resist admonitions as well as threatening. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Amos 7.17
Pray Psalm 83.21-28.
Pray for yourself, that the Lord would reveal any lingering sin in your soul and cleanse you of it. Pray for any lost people you know, that God would convict them of their sin and draw them to Himself through Jesus.
Sing Psalm 83.21-28.
(Ellacombe: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna)
When my poor sad, embittered heart was pierced within by grace,
I saw how beastly was the part I chose before Your face.
But I am ever with You, LORD, You hold me by the hand,
and guide me daily by Your Word; in glory I e’er shall stand.
Then what have I in heav’n above but You, my God and Lord?
And on this earth what shall I love besides You and Your Word?
My flesh and heart shall surely fail, and death my soul release;
Your strength for me will e’er avail and grant eternal peace.
Then let them perish who depart from You and from Your Word.
All those unfaithful in their heart You shall destroy, O LORD!
But as for me, Your nearness, LORD, is where I e’er will dwell!
I hide myself within Your Word, Your wondrous works to tell.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
