The Vision of Summer Fruit

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Judgment

Amos saw a basket of summer fruit gathered, and ready to be eaten, which signified, that the people were ripe for judgment, that the year of God’s patience was drawing towards a conclusion (vv. 1-3). Like this fruit Israel was ripe forjudgment (v. 2). God had appointed a day of judgment for Samaria and when that day finally came, the sounds of worship in the temple would turn to wailing and bodies would be flung everywhere (v. 3). The reason for this devastation is given (vv. 4-6). These merchants were keeping the religious festivals, but not in spirit. They couldn’t wait for the holy days to be over so they could go back to making money. They were so interested in becoming rich that they would cheat and short-change the quality, even selling chaff as wheat.

The rich and powerful of the land were the most guilty of oppression, as well as the foremost in idolatry (vv. 7-10). The Lord says He will never forget any of their rebellious deeds (v. 7).  He continues by saying, the land shall tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who dwells in it (v. 8). He will cause the sun to go down at noon and will darken the earth in the broad daylight (v. 9). All of this will take place when He turns their feasts into mourning and all their songs into lamenting (v. 10).

Because God’s people had not listened to the warnings of the prophets, the Lord promised to send “a famine of hearing the words of the Lord” (vv. 11-14). While a lack of food can lead to disease and death, a famine of the Word can produce eternal consequences. Just like today, many looked everywhere for answers to life’s problems, except in Scripture. 

Application

God’s word is available to us today, so I must do all I can to help people know it before the time comes when it is eternally too late.

Amos 8:1-14 (English Standard Version)


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