The 5 Visions of Amos (Amos 7:1—9:10)

God’s judgments are unstoppable. He may suspend them temporarily; but eventually, the ax will fall, as it did on the northern kingdom of Israel.
Amos provided a picture of divine judgment to induce national repentance. Chapters 7 through 9:10 in the book of Amos record five prophetic visions of judgment against the northern kingdom of Israel, employing the terms Lord GOD and My People Israel to show that what was taking place was the nation’s divine prosecution based on its special covenantal contract with YHWH, its Sovereign to whom the Israelites had uniquely pledged themselves.

The visions conform to the prescribed “cursings” (divine discipline) the nation had legally agreed to accept if it disobeyed the Lord (Lev. 26:21–25; Dt. 28:15–68) regarding (in this case) idolatry and social injustice. Each vision moves the verdict to its inevitable sentencing, yet with the ultimate promise of national restoration (Amos 9:11–15).

Visions 1 and 2: Economic Judgment (7:1–6)
In Amos’s first two visions (vv. 1–4), the prophet saw a locust hoard devouring the crops (Dt. 28:42; cf. Joel 1:1–7), followed by a scorching heatwave (symbolic of fiery wrath) drying up the fields and water sources, including underground water reservoirs (Dt. 32:22).

These impending, unstoppable judgments of economic devastation could annihilate the nation. Understanding God’s eternal promise to His people (4:31; Jer. 30:11), Amos interceded as Moses did on Mount Sinai (Ex. 32:11–14), asking God, “Forgive [Hebrew, selach-na’], I pray!” (Amos 7:2) and “cease [Hebrew, chadal-na’], I pray!” (v. 5). In his appeal, the prophet declared, “Oh that Jacob may stand, for he is small!” (vv. 2, 5), implying Israel’s weakness to survive.

At Bethel, where Amos preached, God had promised not to leave Jacob but, rather, to care for him until He accomplished what He promised (Gen. 28:15). Under King Jeroboam II, Bethel became an idolatrous worship center with a golden calf (1 Ki. 12:25–33), as at Mount Sinai (Ex. 32:1–10). Moses’ appeal on the Israelites’ behalf resulted in God postponing judgment, as the Lord “relented” (Hebrew, nicham; Amos 7:6) or “changed His mind” (NASB).

This term merely means God did not do at that time what He threatened to do. God’s character is immutable. It never changes; otherwise, His promises would have no guarantee of fulfillment. The delay was merely a temporary stay of execution. Divine justice required that the nation’s covenant violation eventually be punished.

Jesus’ intercessory prayer on the cross (“forgive them,” Lk. 23:34; cf. Acts 3:17) likewise prevented national Israel’s immediate judgment (which came in AD 70 via the Romans) and the Gentile nations’ judgment, which will come in the future Tribulation (Rev. 11:18; 14:7; 18:10; 19:11–15).

Vision 3: Religious Judgment (Amos 7:7–9)
The third prophetic vision was of a wall of tin, with the announcement, “I am setting [a wall of tin]¹ in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore” (v. 8).

The word for “tin,” used only here in the Old Testament, sounds like the Hebrew word for “moaning” and therefore is a play on words to describe the disobedient nation’s agony after its idolatrous sanctuaries on the pagan high places (Hos. 4:13) were desolated. It prepares the reader for other terms in Amos 8:3 and 10 that describe the nation’s grief.

The tin wall represented Assyria’s military might (cf. Jer. 1:18; 15:20; Ezek. 4:3), which God would use to punish the Israelites (Lev. 26:30–32; Dt. 28:49, 52), destroying those who had followed Jeroboam’s ritual abominations (Amos 7:10–17). Israel was so far out of alignment with God’s covenant that He would tear the nation down—with “tin” soldiers.²

These first three visions all picture judgment by foreign invaders, whether natural (locusts, fire) or human (military), that would bring devastation to the land and exile from it (vv. 11, 17), in accordance with the Mosaic Covenant’s stipulations. The first two prophecies declared the certainty of judgment; the third, joined by the following two visions (8:1–14; 9:1–10), announced the judgment’s imminency.

Vision 4: Ripened Judgment (8:1–14)
In this vision, Amos saw a basket of “summer fruit” (Hebrew, qayis; 8:1). It portrayed Israel’s condition as “ripe” for judgment.

Like fruit that does not last long when gathered at the end of the harvest season, so the northern kingdom would not last long before its inevitable punishment. As ripe fruit left unconsumed will rot quickly, so the people—who had become rotten in their conduct and treatment of one another (vv. 4–6)—would rot away (see “dead bodies” in verse 3) and be thrown out (exiled) because of their deeds (vv. 7–14).

God had given Israel numerous commands about showing mercy and providing relief to the poor and needy (Lev. 19:9; 23:22; Dt. 15:7–11; cf. Ps. 72:12–13). However, in their greed for profit, businessmen exploited (put in debt) the needy and poor (Amos 8:4–6). “Shall the land not tremble for this?” God asked (v. 8). The inhabitants would be overcome with waves of terror and destruction like the rising and falling of the Nile River (v. 8).

They also would experience a celestial warning of impending, divine judgment: “I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in broad daylight” (v. 9)—possibly the solar eclipse of June 763 BC.³

Finally, these people, who once declared as a nation, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Ex. 19:8; cf. 24:7), will be cut off from God’s word in the Assyrian exile (Amos 8:11). They who called in vain for their false idols to rescue them will fall (in God’s judgment) “and never rise again” (v. 14). Verse 14 refers to God’s utter removal of the sinful northern kingdom from His program for national Israel (cf. 9:8).

Vision 5: Final Judgment (9:1–10)
Amos’s final vision was of the Lord standing beside “the altar” (v. 1), probably at Bethel, where the priest Amaziah ordered the prophet to cease prophesying (7:10–17). Now it is the Lord, not Amos, who prophesied, indicating He alone stood in judgment over the nation: “Strike the doorposts, that the thresholds may shake, and break them on the heads of them all. I will slay the last of them with the sword” (9:1).

God would strike the pillar capitals supporting the idolatrous temple’s roof and shake its foundations to bring it down. The inclusiveness of this collapse may refer to the complete ruin of the false, syncretistic religion of the northern kingdom, leaving no refuge spiritually or physically (9:2–4). Such will be the experience of the earth-dwellers (unbelievers) in the future Tribulation (Rev. 6:16).

This time, the Lord would not relent because He set His eyes on the northern kingdom for destruction: “‘I will destroy it from the face of the earth; yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,’ says the LORD” (Amos 9:8). Though descendants from the 10 northern tribes of Israel would regather in the land after the Babylonian exile, they would exist within the restored Kingdom of Judah.

Lessons from Amos’s Visions
Deuteronomy 15:7 commands the Israelites to provide for the poor (not through government welfare but, rather, through work opportunities: Lev. 19:9–10; Dt. 24:19–21; cf. Ruth 2:2, 7, 14–17; Prov. 3:27–28). The righteous demonstrated their hearts for the Lord by their obedience.

Caring for others was also a Messianic concern, for the Messiah’s credentials include caring for the deprived and dispossessed (Isa. 61:1). Jesus did so (Mt. 11:2–6) and made it a test of faith for the Gentiles at their national judgment at the beginning of the future Messianic era (25:31–45).

Although God treated His covenant nation Israel differently from the Gentiles (Amos 3:2–3), the Israelites were intended to be a “light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:6),⁴ especially in demonstrating God’s principles of true worship and social justice. Every nation is accountable to God for maintaining ethical standards and social equality.

God judged the Canaanites (Amorites) for their iniquities, which included such social abuses as infanticide (Gen. 15:16). In the New Testament, the church is instructed not to show favoritism (1 Cor. 11:22; Jas. 2:1–10) and to care for the poor (1 Cor. 16:1; Jas. 1:27; 5:1–6). God will judge both the church and the nations that violate these inherent principles of divine design as well as divine decree (Rom. 1:18–32; 1 Pet. 4:15–19). This is a challenge for the Christian community, which often isolates itself from an unbelieving society and culture (Jas. 1:27; 2:1–10; 5:4–8; 1 Jn. 3:17).

Amos’s visions emphasize God’s rule over Israel’s history and focus on its violations of idolatry and social injustice. As God weighs our moral, social, and spiritual conduct, let us take the warning of divine judgment seriously and pray for our respective nations to live justly in His sight.

ENDNOTES

1. 1. 1. The Hebrew word anak was formerly mistranslated in many English versions as “plumb line.” However, its closest cognate is the Akkadian anaku, which can only refer to the metal “tin.” For an explanation by a Hebrew grammarian, see William L. Holladay, “Once More, ‘Anak’ = ‘Tin’ (Amos 7:7–8),” Short Notes in Vetus Testamentum (Leiden: Brill, January 1, 1970), 492–95.
      2. Tom Constable, “Amos 7:7,” Expository Notes on the Bible. Accessed at (bibleportal.com).
      3. Some have attempted to interpret this verse as prophetic of the day of Jesus’ death (see Mt. 27:45; Mk. 15:33; Lk. 23:44). But the context requires it refer to the approaching Assyrian invasion. However, as imagery of divine action, the pattern should have been recognized at the crucifixion as God’s response to the Messiah’s rejection and a warning of the near (Roman) judgment (see Mt. 27:54; Mk. 15:39).
      4. Although this prophecy was ultimately fulfilled by Messiah for the nation, it was God’s intent for Israel to show His ways to the nations (Gen. 12:3), a destiny the Jewish people will fulfill in the Millennium (Isa. 2:3).

Dr. Randall Price is a well-known author and world-renowned archaeologist. He is also the founder and president of World of the Bible Ministries (worldofthebible.com).