Today we hear the last of Amos’s prophecy and we meet the prophet Isaiah.
The Lord gives Amos 5 visions. When He shows Amos the first 2, locusts and fire, Amos intercedes for the people and God relents. The 3rd vision is a plumb line which symbolizes God’s straight law and ways in contrast to the crooked ways of the people. The Lord expects His people to line up with His Word and His ways.
Well, the people of Israel didn’t mind Amos’s prophesies when he was hitting up all the other nations, but they are not too happy about what he has to say about them. Amaziah the priest tells Amos to flee to the land of Judah. But Amos responds that he is doing what the Lord told him to do.
So Amos tells them about the 4th vision being a basket of fruit which means the time is right for Israel’s judgement. The 5th and final vision is God at the altar which illustrates that no one will escape God’s sovereign judgment unless they repent. God is still working His plan to send our Savior. Although He is going to bring judgment upon the sinful nation, He always leaves a remnant. “I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob”.
Amos speaks of a time to come where there will be silence from God’s Word (the Silent Era). ““Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord”.” Later in the Story, the prophet Malachi will prophesy of the silence coming to an end when the Lord will send John the Baptist who is a prophet like Elijah. (Malachi 4:5) The silence will be broken approximately 400 years after the Return Era when an angel of the Lord will tell the priest Zacharias that he is going to have a son and that boy will grow up to be John the Baptist. (Luke 1:13) In the Gospel Era, Luke will say about John the Baptist, “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah…to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17) A people ready for the coming Son of God, Jesus Christ! But first, let’s meet Isaiah.
Isaiah sees a vision from the Lord which overwhelms him with God’s holiness and his own sinfulness. A seraphim angel touches Isaiah’s lips with coal, washing him from his sin. Now Isaiah is standing clean before the Lord so when the Lord asks who He shall send to warn the disobedient people of Judah, Isaiah says “Here am I! Send me!”.
Tomorrow the Lord also sends in the prophet Micah to warn His people of judgment. So keep reading.
(Amos 7:1-9:15, 2 Kings 14:28-29, 2 Kings 15:8-29, 6-7, 2 Chronicles 26:22-23, Isaiah 6:1-13)
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Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 