Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryAmos 7

Visions of Judgment and the Power of Prayer This section describes how God gave the prophet Amos visions about coming judgment on Israel. God showed Amos two disasters that could happen—an invasion of locusts and a consuming fire. Each time, Amos prayed and asked God to forgive the people. God listened to Amos’s prayers and decided not to send those disasters. But in the third vision, God showed Amos a plumb line, which meant that God was going to measure Israel by His standard and bring judgment for their sins. These visions teach us about God’s patience, the seriousness of sin, and the importance of intercessory prayer.v. 1: Amos saw a vision from God: He saw God forming a swarm of locusts, ready to eat up the crops after the king’s first harvest. The locusts would destroy the grass of the land, which would bring famine and hardship to the people. This vision was a warning that God could send disaster because of Israel’s sins.

v. 2: When Amos saw the locusts eating all the crops, he prayed to God and begged for mercy. He said, “O Lord God, please forgive! How can Jacob (Israel) survive? He is so small.” Amos was asking God to spare the people, recognizing that they were weak and would not be able to handle such a disaster.

v. 3: God listened to Amos’s prayer and decided not to send the locusts. The Lord said, “It shall not be.” This shows that God is compassionate and willing to forgive when someone prays sincerely for others.

v. 4: Then God showed Amos another vision: the Lord called for judgment by fire. The fire was so intense that it dried up the great deep (the water under the earth) and began to burn the land. This vision represented a severe judgment that could destroy much of Israel.

v. 5: Again, Amos prayed and pleaded with God, saying, “O Lord God, please stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small.” Amos was interceding for his people, showing his love and concern for them.

v. 6: God listened to Amos’s prayer again and decided not to send the fire. The Lord said, “This also shall not be.” This teaches us that honest prayer can have a powerful effect, even when God is angry at sin.

v. 7: God showed Amos a third vision: He saw the Lord standing by a wall with a plumb line in His hand. A plumb line is a tool used to see if a wall is straight. God was measuring Israel to see if they were living up to His standards. This meant that God was going to judge Israel according to His truth and righteousness.

v. 8: The Lord explained to Amos that He was setting a plumb line among His people Israel and would not pass by them anymore. God had been patient and given them many chances, but now He was going to judge their sins. The time for warnings was over, and punishment was coming.

v. 9: God said that the high places of Isaac (places of idol worship) would be destroyed, and the sanctuaries of Israel would be ruined. God also said He would attack the house of Jeroboam (the king’s family) with the sword. This meant that both the religious centers and the royal family would face God’s judgment because of their sins.In summary, these visions show that God is merciful and listens to prayer, but there is a limit to His patience. Persistent sin will eventually bring judgment, and God will use His standard to judge His people. Amos’s prayers make a difference, but the people must also repent and return to God.

Amaziah Opposes Amos at Bethel This section describes how Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, reacts to the preaching of Amos. Amaziah tries to stop Amos from prophesying against Israel because his messages threaten the king and the nation’s religious system. The passage shows the conflict between true prophets and those who serve their own interests rather than God. Amos is faithful to God’s call, even when faced with opposition and threats. The section highlights the courage needed to speak God’s truth and the consequences of rejecting God’s warnings.v. 10: 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. Amaziah, the main priest at Bethel, sends a message to King Jeroboam. He accuses Amos of plotting against the king, saying his prophecies are too hard for the people to hear. Amaziah wants to make Amos look like a dangerous enemy, not just a prophet warning the people .

v. 11: For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Amaziah reports the content of Amos’s message: Amos has said that King Jeroboam will die by violence, and that Israel will be taken away as captives. Amaziah uses this to make Amos seem like a threat to the king’s authority and to scare people .

v. 12: Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: Amaziah tells Amos to leave the northern kingdom and go back to Judah (the southern kingdom). He insults Amos by calling him a “seer,” and suggests that Amos is only prophesying for money. Amaziah wants Amos to go away and stop causing trouble in Israel .

v. 13: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court. Amaziah orders Amos not to prophesy at Bethel anymore, because Bethel is the main religious center for the king. He sees Bethel as belonging to the king, not to God, and wants to protect the government and the false religion from Amos’s words .

v. 14: 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 sycomore fruit: Amos replies that he was not a professional prophet or from a family of prophets. He was a simple shepherd and farmer. He did not choose this job; God called him directly .

v. 15: And the Lord

v. 16: Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord

v. 17: Therefore thus saith the Lord