Page 90 - Divinity_F5

Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools

visions which God revealed to him. In God said that He was using it to show that
the visions, God showed that he was His people are like a wall out of line. This
going to punish the Israelites using the meant that the Israelites had failed to live
five destructive visions. up to the requirement of the covenant
law. Amos did not plead with God as he
The vision of locusts (Amos 7:1-3): had done in the first two visions when he
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Amos saw God create a swarm of locusts saw this. God was unwilling to change
just after the king’s mowing, and the
grass started growing again. Amos saw His mind about punishing the Israelites
the locusts eat up every green thing in because they were like a crooked wall fit
the land. The vision symbolized disaster, for destruction. God promised to destroy
which was to befall the Israelites in the worshipping places and to bring the
terms of famine, leading to the death of Dynasty of King Jeroboam to an end.
many people. Amos pleaded with God, The vision of a basket of summer fruit
“Sovereign Lord, forgive your people, (Amos 8:1-4): Amos saw a basket of
how can they survive? They are so small
and weak”. The Lord changed his mind summer fruit at the end of the King’s
and said, “What you saw will not take harvest. This meant that the end had
place”. God, therefore, withdrew his come for the people of Israel, and God
punishment. would not change His mind. The vision
symbolized that people’s sins were
The vision of fire (Amos 7:4-6): Amos beyond the limit. It also meant it was the
saw God preparing to punish His people right time for God to punish them. The
with fire. The fire burnt up the great songs in the palace would become cries
ocean under the earth and started to burn of mourning because of the destruction.
up the land. The vision symbolized a
prolonged drought which would dry up There would be dead bodies everywhere,
all the water bodies and the land as a sign and the city would be filled with wailing
of destruction to all the Israelites. When because the dead bodies would be many.
Amos saw this vision, he pleaded with The vision of the destroyed altar (Amos
God, saying, “Stop, Sovereign Lord, 9:1-4): Amos saw God standing beside
how can your people survive? They are the altar. He commanded him to strike
so weak and small”. The Lord changed the tops of the temple columns so hard
His mind again and said, “this will not that the whole porch would shake. He
take place either”.
told him to break them off and let them
The vision of a plumb line (Amos 7:7- fall on the heads of the people. God
9): Amos saw God standing beside a promised to kill the rest of the people in
wall that had been built with the help of war, and no one would survive or escape.
a plumb line; he had a plumb line in His The vision symbolised the destruction
hand. He asked, “Amos, what do you of the temple and all the worshipers.
see?” Amos said, “A plumb line”. Then, The temple would no longer be God’s

Form Five Student’s Book 81