Tag: Amos 7:12-17
God’s plumb line of Truth!
Scripture reading for September 13: Amos 6-7
“This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. The the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.“ Amos 7:7-8
Amos had received a series of visions from the Sovereign Lord about the coming judgment on the nation. The first vision concerned a swarm of locusts stripping the land clean. (Amos 7:1-3) Amos interceded for the nation and the Lord relented. The second vision concerned a judgment by fire on the nation and Amos again interceded and the Lord relented. Prayer by one man can make a difference! We must never stop praying and believing in faith even when God warns us of coming disaster!
In the third vision God had a plumb line and was standing by a wall that was built true to plumb. Being plumb simply means perfectly perpendicular. A plumb line is a line of string with a pointed weight on the bottom. It is held up near the wall and shows clearly if the wall is plumb or not. If the wall is not plumb, it is leaning and may topple. The more out of plumb, the more the wall is in danger of collapse.
In this vision, the wall that was built true to plumb was the nation of Israel. God had “squared” them away and put His law as a plumb line in their midst to keep them straight. The people, however, refused to love God and obey His law. He was their Builder and Maker and lived in their midst. He sent prophets to drop the plumb line into the lives of His people and show them that their wall was out of whack! Amos had been sent to warn them of their complacency and materialism. (Amos 6:1, 4-6) They were living lives of luxury but had forgotten the God who had formed them and blessed them to be His holy people!
Amos got the left foot of fellowship by King Amaziah. He was told not to speak any more in Israel but to go back to Judah where he came from. (Amos 7:12-13) (Plumb lines were not welcome!) God used prophets to bring a revival and repentance that would bring restoration. If the message was rejected, the wall would fall. (Amos 7:16-17)
How is the wall of your life? Is the plumb line of God’s truth being dropped regularly alongside of it? Are you listening, reading, and heeding the plumb line of God’s Word? Today is a good day to straighten up and make the necessary changes!