The Plumb Line

Our text today is comes from a fella named Amos. His book is found in the minor prophet section of the OT.

Minor, by the way, doesnt mean that he is less important than the major prophets, such as Isiah, Eziekial, daniel; but rather refers to the amount of words that are used. For instance, if my wife and I were both prophets of old, she would be categorized as a major prophet because she would have enough words to fill a book the size of Isahas with 66 chapters. I would be more like Obadiah with only 21 verses total.

We see in ch1:1 that Amos was a shepherd. Ch7:14 reveals that he is a farmer as well and NOT a professional prophet and was never trained to be one. His style of language is kind raw to… like what you might expect from a rancher that’s been working cattle all day. Check out chapter 4:1. He tells it like it is, and when he has a vision from God, he relays the message straight to the point.

The setting is about 760BC and once again, Israel has fallen out of line with God. No one is surprised right? So God gives a number of messages to Amos and tells him to share it to the people.

Today I want to focus on 3 particular visions that the Lord gave Amos. They are found in chapter 7.

Amos 7:1-6

Locusts. Grasshoppers. Eat the screen out of your windows.

Fire. devoured everything, so hot even dries out the sea!

Lets give some attention to the dialog in these first 2 visions. God is preparing to… and Amos says “O Sovern LORD” please forgive us, please don’t do it… The Lord says okay...

Amos seems to have a pretty good relationship with God here. Two times he accepted Amos’ pleading.

But watch what happens in the third vision.

Amos 7:7-9

Notice that the first two times Amos was the one to talk first. He had the vision, then he interceded for Israel, asking God to relent.

But the 3rd time God spoke first. This time He was the one with a question. (Illustrate) “what do you see?”

Plumb line- Plumb Bob. An instrument that shows…

I made this one on an old manual lathe at B&W...

Builders of old would have considered this tool one of the most import in their box. A wall must be built straight, if not, it wont last long. Walls are one of the most prevalent archaeological features that we find from biblical history. Walls are important. They have been keeping people safe from the weather, thieves, and apposing military forces for thousands of years. And to work they must be built right. Use a plumb line.

God tells Amos, “I will use a plumb line! I will test my people.”

What is the Plumb line? It’s Gods standard, it’s His word, His commands, His desire for His people… BTW that includes us.

When God began, Adam and Eve were made to the standard of the plumbline. Then they sinned and became crooked.

How does Israel hold up when put to the plumb line test? Not so good. Their sins, shrines, pagan temples, they don’t follow that straight vertical line. God could no longer ignore this behavior. He brought judgement on Israel through the Assyrians.

This judgement would bring about the covenant curses of disobedience found in deu 28.

Deuteronomy 28:45–48 NLT

“If you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and to obey the commands and decrees he has given you, all these curses will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants forever. If you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The Lord will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until he has destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28:65–67 NLT

There among those nations you will find no peace or place to rest. And the Lord will cause your heart to tremble, your eyesight to fail, and your soul to despair. Your life will constantly hang in the balance. You will live night and day in fear, unsure if you will survive. In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were night!’ And in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’ For you will be terrified by the awful horrors you see around you.

The Israelites experienced this judgment around 600 BC. Shortly after this God does not bring anymore prophets for around 400 years. He was silent.

Why should we care about this today?

How do you hold up when put to the plumb line test?

How do I hold up when put to the plumb line test? Not so good...... Praise Jesus/

When we turn away from God, fall short of measuring up to his commands, we can experience :

confusion & frustration, defeat and rejection, poverty & bondage. Go home and read all of Deu 28 to gain a fuller understanding of the curses of dissobediance.

But don’t despair, in the same chapter God lays out the blessings for obedience as well.

We’ve already established that we are unable to meed Gods plumb line standard. I know it seems hopeless, why try? Sounds like we should be destroyed because of our unworthiness. But let me direct your attention to Deu 28:46 where God says these horrible things will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants for ever.

Deuteronomy 28:46 NLT

These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants forever.

God did not completely destroy, because he refers to descendants. His intention has never been to completely destroy because He is faithful to His word. He promised in the very beginning to Adam and Eve to send a savior. He reconfirmed this promised to Abraham, to Isaac, to David, and to Simeon.

This Messiah, Jesus Christ is the reason we are not completely destroyed.

Its true, we still don’t measure up on our own. When we accept Jesus, He intercedes for us. And then we begin the process of sanctification. This is growing in our faith in God, becoming more like Jesus.

Ephesians 4:13 NLT

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Jesus lived a life that met Gods plumb line. He died and was resurrected so that you and I could meet the plumb line test.

Romans 8:33–35 NLT

Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

Romans 8:37 NLT

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.