The Plumbline

Bible Study

The Plumline

Amos 7:7-9 ESV

In this section of Chapter 7 we are told about things Amos saw in a vision. God was showing Amos what was to come. Amos would not have known when but he would have been certain it would come to pass.

In Amos 7:7-9 we are told, “This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them; the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

The plumbline Amos spoke of was a straight line used to make sure the wall was straight.

A carpenter used a plumbline in 750 B.C. to make sure the wall of a house was straight.

It could also be used for making cabinets. We remember that Joseph, husband of Mary and Jesus would have used a plumbline.

God showed Amos that He was setting a plumbline between God and Israel and he said he would not pass by them. In other words, from that point in time going forward everything would change.

After the time of Jeroboam their places of worship will change.the swarms of locusts mentioned before were also a sign that things were changing.

Amother major change comes from the mention of Isaac, Son of Abraham in reference to the covenant. With each generation the character of the people (that generation) brought their own variety to their generation. We are the same today. We still name each generation today.

With this new generation God announced He will rise against them. He will never pass by them again. The implication is that He will rise against the house of Jereboam because the plumbline of Israel is crooked (not straight).

Those are interesting comparisons for Israel with the plumbline. We are reminded what we see is not always what God sees. Our viewpoint is limited, but what God sees has no limits.

Our ability to love is limited, but God’s love is not. Our only hope to survive and survive well is found in God. We must cling to the source of life because only God can see when the plumbline is crooked. No matter how hard we try to do life on our own, we will not succeed when we do not stay connected to the source of life.

That’s what Israel forgot.

They thought they could do it on their own but as soon ad they tried their plumbline started to buckle. The real problem is that when we do not continuously stay connected to the source we will not realize where we got off- track.

Every minute of everyday whenever we remember (by the grace of the Holy Spirit) to connect, we must turn and surrender our burden to God. THAT is what Israel forgot.  They forgot to check the plumbline.

Deborah acrazyjourney.com