Jonah Albrecht

July 14th, 2024

8th Sunday after Pentecost

Amos 7:7-15

In Christ, You Stand on God’s Plumbline

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. 8 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; 9 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.” 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said, “‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'” 12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.” 14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ (Amos 7:7-15 ESV)

Grace and Peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

In the Name of Jesus, by whom we stand justified before God Almighty, dear fellow redeemed:

Have you ever seen those people standing on the curb by the road, holding up signs that say something like, “THE END IS NEAR! REPENT NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!” It seems like you run into “street preachers” like these almost everywhere you go. I can’t help but wonder what other people think when they drive by. Of course, you and I know that they are at least partially right, though their presentation might not be the most accurate portrayal of the Gospel. I’m sure most think, “Those religious nuts. They are so annoying.” To some extent you might agree, but, on the other hand, you know that they are trying to reach people from falling into judgment. Unfortunately, whether it is sign-wielding street preachers, or churches like ours, the world has a similar outlook to the warnings in God’s Word. It is as if they are barreling down the road towards a bridge that is out and they call us crazy for warning them of the danger.

This attitude, not just toward you, or the church, but towards God is nothing new. Even in the days of Amos, this sort of reaction was commonplace. And he was preaching to God’s chosen people! The book of Amos is full of warnings from God. In fact, right before our text we have recorded, “This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings. 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, “O Lord GOD, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” 3 The LORD relented concerning this: “It shall not be,” said the LORD. 4 This is what the Lord GOD showed me: behold, the Lord GOD was calling for a judgment by fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said, “O Lord GOD, please cease! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” 6 The LORD relented concerning this: “This also shall not be,” said the Lord GOD.”

Two times the Lord declared judgment upon His people for their rebellion. Two times Amos interceded, and two times the Lord relented. The people had plenty of time and opportunity to receive God’s grace and forgiveness. And yet, they rejected Him.

Unlike his contemporary, Isaiah, Amos was sent to the house of Israel in the northern kingdom. There, the high priest was located in Bethel and his name was Amaziah. Of all the people in that kingdom, he should have been the one to heed the words of Amos. He should have heard the warning from the world and understood how badly the people had ran their morality into the ground.

Here is what Amaziah saw: He saw a country that was flourishing. Their country’s borders had expanded to what they were at the time of Solomon, the height of Israel’s power. The nation was wealthy, again, like the days of Solomon. By his eyes, the nation was not doing anything wrong. If they were, God would not allow them to be blessed as they were.

Here is what Amaziah turned a blind eye to: The wealthy elite and ruling class were exploiting the poor and the vulnerable, engaging in social injustices, corruption, and oppression. The people were indulging in idolatry, greed, and immorality, neglecting the commandments of God and failing to uphold justice and righteousness in their society.

What did Amaziah do when Amos came with the hammer of God’s Law and condemnation? “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.” Sounds a lot like, “You religious nut, get out of here! We don’t have time for you!”

Embellishing in their sinfulness, Israel was barreling down the road towards a bridge that was out and snubbed their noses at any warning signs. This is why the Lord says, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them; 9 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 vision of the plumbline is one that resonates throughout time. Everyone knows how important it is to build straight. Without a straight line to build with, you could not trust the structural integrity of that building. Much less when it comes to the fortifications against an invading army! To this day, plumblines are used to find that standard of straightness. God uses the plumbline as a picture of His Law – the standard of righteousness that is expected of every person. Matched up to this standard, there is no redeeming quality to be found in Israel. They are a wall full of cracks, fit to tumble at any moment. The Lord will bring that destruction. Not long after the days of Amos, The Assyrian Empire would wipe its way through Israel and carry them into exile, never to return as a nation.

Before we go on rejoicing under the presumption that the “bad guy” got what was coming to him. . .we must also match up our own lives to the very same plumbline. How have you measured up to the standard of God’s perfect righteousness? If a prophet were to come to you and say, “REPENT NOW! BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!” what would your reaction be? It is easy to lean back and say you would listen. But what if it becomes personal. What happens when you are confronted with a sin you do not want to deal with? Whether it is the rampant epidemic of pornography, or cheating on the time clock at work, lying, betrayal, slander, gossip, blasphemy. Need I go on? We often point the finger; call out sin when we see it all around us. Yet, all too often I fail to look at my own heart. I turn God away when it comes to being confronted with my sin.

The method of David with Bathsheba, the method of Peter in his denial, the method of Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and his sons, that is the method within my own heart and yours too. It is the mode of operation of every single person that has been corrupted by sin. If God were to send Amos today, my sin would keep me off of God’s plumbline. I am crooked, weak, broken; I am a sinner.

For Israel, that plumbline was not moving. It was set by God and by it, God would judge the nation. And yet, God in His mercy did not immediately destroy Israel. Approximately 30 years after Amos, the Assyrians invaded and destroyed Israel. That meant they had 30 years to heed the Word of the Lord, repent of their sins, and be saved.

God has set His plumbline among us today. So also, He has not yet destroyed America, nor the world. God in His abundant mercy has provided us all with a time of grace in which we are to repent of our sins, and be delivered from eternal destruction. The problem is, like Israel, we are so far off the plumbline of righteousness that it is impossible for any of us line up accordingly. Again, we see the abundant love of God and His endless mercy.

Knowing that we were destined to a life of sinful indulgence, God stepped into history. He set a plumbline amongst His people. Not just the standard of His Law, but the very personification of His holiness. The writer of the Hebrews talks this way of Jesus in the 1st chapter, “3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

When Jesus came to this earth by the Virgin Mary, He was true Man. At the same time, the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily (Col. 2:9). This is imperative. It means that not a single time did Jesus deviate from that plumbline God had set. He aligned perfectly with God’s righteousness, because He Himself is righteous. It is more than a man doing good things, or preaching good-sounding words. God accomplished this for you, for your sins and mine. Jesus being true God means that His death on the cross, His blood shed for sin, was enough to cover the sins of the whole world.

What do you notice about the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16? It does not say, “For God so loved Jonah…or put in your own name.” It says, For God so loved the world. There is a reason for this and what follows is simple: Are you in the world? Then God loved you so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son to die for you. You don’t have to wonder if you are to be included, or if only some of your sins are covered, God answers those questions for you. in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Cor. 5:19).

What does this all mean concerning God’s plumbline of righteousness and the judgment that comes with it? You are saved. Through faith in Jesus as your Savior, you have no need to fear God’s judgment because you stand on God’s plumbline. Jesus’ righteousness has become your righteousness. He is your divine Mediator before God.

Imagine it like a courtroom setting. You are on trial and God is the judge. God setting His plumbline down is the condemning evidence that proves your guilt beyond any doubt whatsoever. As He is getting ready to sentence you for life, in steps Jesus. He proclaims for all to hear: “I have taken your place. Take my innocence and I will take your punishment.”

That is what Jesus did for you on the cross. He took your punishment, gave you His righteousness and now you stand before God an innocent child of God. When the final day of Judgment comes, you, me, and all who place their trust in Jesus will stand on God’s plumbline, unable to be accused of any sin because Jesus took it all away.

Quite the relief, isn’t it? But what about those who, like Amaziah, scorn the proclamation of God’s Word like the plague? Take note from Amos, “14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”

Amos was just like you and me. He did not enter his profession by choice, he was the furthest from being a qualified prophet. He was there because that is what the Lord called him to do. The Lord called Him to be His messenger of the Law and of the Gospel so that His people might be delivered from destruction. God has called you in the same way. Man, woman, child, nurse, accountant, retired, or whatever your vocation is; He has called all of us to proclaim His saving message to those around us. Will we be met with scorn and disgust? Sure. But even they cannot tear you away from standing on God’s plumbline in Christ. Amen.