SCRIPTURE: AMOS 8
A BASKET OF RIPE FRUIT (vs. 1-14)
God showed Amos a basket of ripe fruit signifying that the time is ripe for the people of Israel. God will no longer spare them.
SINS OF ISRAEL:
- They trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land. (v. 4)
- They skimped the measure, increased the price and cheated with dishonest scales. (v. 5)
- They bought the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. (v. 6a)
- They sold the sweepings with the wheat. (v. 6b)
GOD’S JUDGMENT:
- The land will tremble and all who live in it will mourn. (v. 8a)
- The whole land will rise like the Nile. It will be stirred up and then sink like the river of Egypt. (v. 8b)
- The sun will go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. (v. 9)
- Their religious feasts will turn into mourning and all their singing into weeping. (v. 10a)
- They will wear sackcloth and shave their heads. (v. 10b)
- Their time will be like mourning for an only son ending like a bitter day. (v. 10c)
- There will be famine through the land, not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. (v. 411)
- Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. (v. 12a)
- The lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst (v. 12b)
- Those who swear by the shame of Samaria, O Dan, or god of Beersheba will fall and never to rise again. (v. 14)
THOUGHTS:
This vision is a clear message that Israel is ripe for judgment. As farmers cut off ripe fruits, God will cut off Israel. The wealthy were after making money. They exploited the poor, short changing the quantity, reduced the quality of products and increased the prices. The upcoming judgment will comprise: earthquake (v. 8), eclipse (v.9), funeral (v. 10), and a famine (v. 11). God took away His word from His people and leave them go hungry.