71 Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold , He was forming a locust-swarm when the spring crop began to sprout . And behold , the spring crop was after the king's mowing . 2 And it came about, when it had finished eating the vegetation of the land , that I said , " Lord GOD , please pardon ! How can Jacob stand , For he is small ?" 3 The Lord changed His mind about this . "It shall not be," said the Lord . 4 Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold , the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by fire , and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farm land . 5 Then I said , " Lord GOD , please stop ! How can Jacob stand , for he is small ?" 6 The Lord changed His mind about this . "This too shall not be," said the Lord GOD . 7 Thus He showed me, and behold , the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand . 8 The Lord said to me, " What do you see , Amos ?" And I said , "A plumb line ." Then the Lord said , "Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel . I will spare them no longer e . 9 "The high places of Isaac will be desolated And the sanctuaries of Israel laid waste . Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Amos 7:1-9
Commentary on Amos 7:1-9
(Read Amos 7:1-9)
God bears long, but he will not bear always with a provoking people. The remembrance of the mercies we formerly received, like the produce of the earth of the former growth, should make us submissive to the will of God, when we meet with disappointments in the latter growth. The Lord has many ways of humbling a sinful nation. Whatever trouble we are under, we should be most earnest with God for the forgiveness of sin. Sin will soon make a great people small. What will become of Israel, if the hand that should raise him be stretched out against him? See the power of prayer. See what a blessing praying people are to a land. See how ready, how swift God is to show mercy; how he waits to be gracious. Israel was a wall, a strong wall, which God himself reared as a defence to his sanctuary. The Lord now seems to stand upon this wall. He measures it; it appears to be a bowing, bulging wall. Thus God would bring the people of Israel to the trial, would discover their wickedness; and the time will come, when those who have been spared often, shall be spared no longer. But the Lord still calls Israel his people. The repeated prayer and success of the prophet should lead us to seek the Saviour.