Scripture Reading : Amos 7:1-8:14
Theme : Visions of Destruction
- Visions of Destruction (7:1-9). God shows Amos three visions of Israel’s imminent destruction. For the first two visions, Amos pleads for mercy and God relents. But for the third vision, God did not relent. The plumb line symbolizes a standard of measurement. The Israelites have failed to measure up to God’s covenantal faithfulness. They have rejected Him and continues to spurn him. Therefore, God will not be patient with them (never again pass by them), but will judge them.
- Visions Confronted (7:10-17). When Amaziah, priest of the sanctuary at Bethel, heard Amos’ prophetic judgment on Israel, he informed the king, Jeroboam, and forced Amos to stop and return to Judah. Because Amaziah continues to rebel against God and to defile God’s house, God will defile him. His children will die and his wife will become a prostitute. He himself will be exiled to an unclean land and be defiled.
- Vision of Summer Fruit (8:1-3). The Jews love puns and rhymes. It is a literary device used to sear God’s truth into their heads. The Hebrew word for summer fruit sounds similar to the word end. This vision reinforces the certainty and inevitability of God’s judgment on Israel through the Assyrian exile.
- Vision Described (8:4-14). The utter destruction of Israel is based on its spiritual adultery and subsequent social evils. God’s judgment will come like a flood like the flooding of the Nile. There will also be another judgment, which is the lack of God’s word. There will be a famine for God’s truth, which can nourish the soul.
Praying the Scripture
- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10). Those who are rebelling against God need to fear God’s judgment on their sins in order to be saved. Although the fear of punishment alone cannot frighten people into heaven, it serves as a catalyst to true faith by leading people to see the glorious grace of Jesus and take refuge under Him. Let us pray that non-believers would fear the Lord and be convicted of sin, judgment and righteousness by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).
- Because we know our ultimate destiny is in the glorious heaven, we can suffer for Christ in this life, knowing that our rewards will be great in heaven (Matt. 5:10-12). We can be like Amos who boldly proclaimed the truth of God’s word in the face of opposition. May God give us this boldness in proclaiming the gospel.
经文：阿摩司书7:1-8:14
主题：遭毁灭的异象
- 遭毁灭的异象（7:1-9）。神赐阿摩司的三个异象都是关于以色列即将面临的毁灭。在前两个异象中，阿摩司求神怜悯，神也应允了，但在第三个异象中，神并不做让步。准绳象征的是衡量的标准。以色列人达不到与神立约时为信实所定的标准。他们拒绝神，还继续藐视祂。因此，神也不会对他们宽厚（我必不再宽恕他们），乃要审判他们。
- 对抗异象（7:10-17）。当伯特利殿中的祭司亚玛谢听到阿摩司对以色列所下的审判预言后，他通知了耶罗波安王，并强制要阿摩司停止说话，回到犹大。由于亚玛谢继续违背神，继续玷污神的殿，所以神要毁灭他。他的孩子会死，妻子也将成为妓女。他自己将被放流至污秽之地，自己被玷污。
- 夏果的预言（8:1-3）。犹太人喜爱双关语和韵文。神便使用这个文学体裁将祂的真理钻入他们的脑海里。“夏果”的希伯来文发音与“末期”接近。这个异象强调了神必然审判以色列，藉着亚述将他们放流。
- 形容异象（8:4-14）。以色列是因着她的属灵奸淫及随后的社会败坏才会遭彻底的毁灭。神的审判将如同尼罗河的涨起，像洪水般临到。此外，以色列还面临另一个审判，即缺乏神的话。这地不会有能滋养灵魂的神之道。
用经文祷告
- 敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端（箴9:10）。凡悖逆神的需要惧怕神对他们罪行的审判，才能得救。虽然惩罚所产生的惧怕不能吓着人进入天堂，但它能作信心的催化剂，引导人看见耶稣荣耀的恩典，依偎在祂的膀臂下。让我们祷告非信徒能敬畏耶和华，而圣灵能在他们的心里定罪，定审判，也定下公义（约16:8）。
- 由于我们晓得自己最后的终点是荣耀的天堂，我们今世能为基督受苦，深知在天上的赏赐是大的（太5:10-12）。我们能像阿摩司一样，在面对抵抗时仍能大胆宣扬神道中的真理。愿神能赐我们这等胆量去传福音。
