Amo 7:1 | KingComments | STEP | With this chapter begins a new section in the prophecy. So far Amos has passed on what he has heard from the LORD. Now he is going to speak about what the LORD has shown him. In this section, chapter 7:1-9:19, we have five visions: three in Amos 7, one in Amos 8 and one in Amos 9. In these visions we encounter three seasons: in the first vision we have spring, in the second the summer and in the fourth the autumn. This is how it has been with the people. It is now in the autumn of its history. What Amos sees in the visions connects to Amos 3 ( cf. ). In the visions 1, 2, 3 and 5 Amos sees the LORD Himself. The three visions in Amos 7 probably refer to the three invasions of Assyria in the land of Israel. The first raid takes place under Pul, where Assyria withdraws after Menahem has paid a fortune in taxes, which has ruined the land ( ). The second invasion is when the same Pul, the king of Assyria, also called Tiglath-Pileser, invades Israel in the days of Pekah, takes possession of several cities and deports the inhabitants, but spares most of the land ( ). At the third invasion, the final deportation of the ten tribes by Shalmaneser to Assyria takes place ( ). Visions 1 and 2 belong together because these visions are another discipline which God does not exercise after intercession. Visions 3 and 4 also belong together. It is no longer about discipline, but about no longer saving the people. The people will perish in the way shown in the fifth vision. That is a vision in which Amos sees the LORD Himself. It is not clear whether the people have noticed anything of the impending disasters shown in visions 1 and 2. In any case, they get the background information that these disasters are judgments of God, but that they have been averted on the basis of the prayer of His servant. The Lord Jesus is the perfect Intercessor. God has had patience for a long time. More than once He has been on the verge of judging Israel. The intercession of the prophet, that is the Spirit of Christ who works in the prophet, has stopped the scourge. But now the judgment is inevitable. The LORD stands with the plumb line in His hand and nothing can bring Him back from the execution of the judgment. The LORD shows Amos, and also us, what he is going to do. The question is: Do we have an eye for it, do we also see it ( )? Amos sees it and it brings him to intercession. God shows Amos what He is doing. He forms a locusts-swarm, not just as creatures, but as instruments of His wrath ( ). We can see a picture of the Assyrians in these locusts. In Joel 1-2 we also find the transition from the literal locusts in Joel 1 to the Assyrian army in Joel 2. Joel calls this army “His army”, i.e. the army of the LORD ( ). The locusts are formed to eat the spring crop. The first grass that came up and was already cut went to the royal stables. The Israelite kings seem to have claimed the right to take the first cut of the grass for their own stables (cf. ). What reappears after this mowing is the spring crop. This serves as food for the livestock of the population. A plague of locusts that devours this spring crop causes an outright disaster, a famine for humans and animals. We can make the following application of the mowing and the spring crop. Mowing the grass refers to life being cut off. The Lord Jesus must mow grass in our lives, that is, He must take away the flowers we cherish, our experiences of which we are proud. After mowing, the spring crop appears. It is said that the most beautiful and juiciest grass grows where it is mowed most often. There is no fear of God as great as that which follows a repeated mowing by God. When our health, friends, money, and favorable circumstances are repeatedly taken from us, often afterwards the most beautiful times of love, prayer, and devotion arise. We are allowed to know: when the grass is mowed, after that, the spring crop emerges. In the mowing and the spring crop we can see another picture. The mowing is a picture of the lost glory due to the invasions of enemies, but after that, glory arises again. And yet in the end that new glory is in danger of being lost again, as has happened in the history of Israel.

‏ Amos 7:1

Introduction

With this chapter begins a new section in the prophecy. So far Amos has passed on what he has heard from the LORD. Now he is going to speak about what the LORD has shown him. In this section, chapter 7:1-9:19, we have five visions: three in Amos 7, one in Amos 8 and one in Amos 9. In these visions we encounter three seasons: in the first vision we have spring, in the second the summer and in the fourth the autumn. This is how it has been with the people. It is now in the autumn of its history.

What Amos sees in the visions connects to Amos 3 (Amos 3:7 cf. Gen 18:17 ; 23). In the visions 1, 2, 3 and 5 Amos sees the LORD Himself. The three visions in Amos 7 probably refer to the three invasions of Assyria in the land of Israel. The first raid takes place under Pul, where Assyria withdraws after Menahem has paid a fortune in taxes, which has ruined the land (2Kgs 15:16-21). The second invasion is when the same Pul, the king of Assyria, also called Tiglath-Pileser, invades Israel in the days of Pekah, takes possession of several cities and deports the inhabitants, but spares most of the land (2Kgs 15:29). At the third invasion, the final deportation of the ten tribes by Shalmaneser to Assyria takes place (2Kgs 17:6 ; 22-23).

Visions 1 and 2 belong together because these visions are another discipline which God does not exercise after intercession. Visions 3 and 4 also belong together. It is no longer about discipline, but about no longer saving the people. The people will perish in the way shown in the fifth vision. That is a vision in which Amos sees the LORD Himself.

It is not clear whether the people have noticed anything of the impending disasters shown in visions 1 and 2. In any case, they get the background information that these disasters are judgments of God, but that they have been averted on the basis of the prayer of His servant. The Lord Jesus is the perfect Intercessor.

God has had patience for a long time. More than once He has been on the verge of judging Israel. The intercession of the prophet, that is the Spirit of Christ who works in the prophet, has stopped the scourge. But now the judgment is inevitable. The LORD stands with the plumb line in His hand and nothing can bring Him back from the execution of the judgment.

Mowing and Spring Crop

The LORD shows Amos, and also us, what he is going to do. The question is: Do we have an eye for it, do we also see it (Amos 3:7)? Amos sees it and it brings him to intercession. God shows Amos what He is doing. He forms a locusts-swarm, not just as creatures, but as instruments of His wrath (Jer 8:11a). We can see a picture of the Assyrians in these locusts. In Joel 1-2 we also find the transition from the literal locusts in Joel 1 to the Assyrian army in Joel 2. Joel calls this army “His army”, i.e. the army of the LORD (Joel 2:11).

The locusts are formed to eat the spring crop. The first grass that came up and was already cut went to the royal stables. The Israelite kings seem to have claimed the right to take the first cut of the grass for their own stables (cf. 1Kgs 18:5). What reappears after this mowing is the spring crop. This serves as food for the livestock of the population. A plague of locusts that devours this spring crop causes an outright disaster, a famine for humans and animals.

We can make the following application of the mowing and the spring crop. Mowing the grass refers to life being cut off. The Lord Jesus must mow grass in our lives, that is, He must take away the flowers we cherish, our experiences of which we are proud. After mowing, the spring crop appears. It is said that the most beautiful and juiciest grass grows where it is mowed most often. There is no fear of God as great as that which follows a repeated mowing by God.

When our health, friends, money, and favorable circumstances are repeatedly taken from us, often afterwards the most beautiful times of love, prayer, and devotion arise. We are allowed to know: when the grass is mowed, after that, the spring crop emerges.

In the mowing and the spring crop we can see another picture. The mowing is a picture of the lost glory due to the invasions of enemies, but after that, glory arises again. And yet in the end that new glory is in danger of being lost again, as has happened in the history of Israel.