1947 Bible Studies - page 99

SYMBOLICAL VISIONS; RESTORATION.

97

The basket of summer fruits which the prophet saw in the fourth vision, telling of the end of summer, was indicative of the end which was to come upon Israel.  In the accomplishing of this a great transformation would take place.

Their songs would be changed into howlings, and their feasts into mourning, and God’s judgment would ensure that the guilty would be punished for their sins.

In the fifth and final vision, in which alone he saw the LORD, the word goes forth for the descent of the actual judgment. " Smite the chapiters. " For the sinners of His people there would be no escape. Although they might think to do so by going with the captives into Assyria, yet because of God’s word which cannot fail of its fulfilment, the sword would slay them.

They failed to realise the greatness of the One who was speaking concerning judgment. His might could be seen in the works of creation and He had before revealed Himself as a God of judgment when He flooded the earth with waters.

He had also shown His power to be able to transport a nation from one country to another as it pleased Him. Their own history proved this. He had brought up Israel from the land of Egypt; the Philistines from Caphtor (cp. Deuteronomy 2. 23); and the Syrians from Kir. As to the possibility of God being able to carry them to Assyria the evidence was before their eyes. As to the certainty of this being done the word of God had been spoken by His prophets. Israel would be scattered among the nations yet not utterly destroyed, for unto this same people, because of His early promise unto Abraham, God shall extend James Bowman.

blessing.

From Hamilton, Ontario. --Amos spoke truly of Israel when he said, " Ye put far away the evil day. " As it was in the days of Noah, God’s " Spirit shall not always strive with man, " so in this portion, God’s pleadings, which had been disregarded, have ceased and the time of judgment has come. Amos knew the dread reality of what these visions symbolized and he sought to cast the people on the mercy of God, as David had once said, " Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great. " Hence we hear Amos beseeching God on behalf of Jacob merely because " He is small. " Amos is an outstanding example of the possession of the great essential, whether one be trained in the school of the prophets, or be called from the farm, store, or work bench, that is, of being filled with the Spirit of God. In judgment they will be tested by the plumbline.

God had given them instruction by His word how they were to build as a nation.

When He chose them for His peculiar people, He desired that they might come up to His expectation, " as a wall built by the plumbline, " but in this they had failed and theirs was a broken wall, with no separation from the other nations.

God in like manner has a plan for us. Paul could say, " I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. "

It must have been difficult for God to utter the words in chapter 8. 2, "The end is come upon My people Israel. " The summer and harvest were past, the fruit had been picked; the gloom of winter and desolation lay ahead, perhaps God’s thoughts went back to the time of the first passover in Egypt, and the many times since, that He had passed by them in judgment, but now the end is come.

However, we are reminded of the words of the psalmist in Psalm 103. 8-9, " Jehovah is full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, " etc., and so we read in chapter 9. 8-9, " I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob. " The day of restoration is fast approaching when Israel as a nation will enjoy abundant life, and God calls them " My people Israel, " " I will bring again My people and will plant them. " This is the work of the LORD. We find Israel at work too. " They shall build and inhabit, they shall plant and drink, they shall make gardens and eat, " from which we learn that blessing and fruit come as we labour for Him.

As we look back to Solomon’s day we see a people enjoying for a season a time of blessing from Jehovah in a reign of peace, but as we look to the future we see all this and more, for we see One of whom the words are true, " a greater A. Todd, P. Thomas.

than Solomon is here. "