Exposition of Amos 4-9, Part 4 · Section 5 – Section 6
VERSE 7, 8.
Thus he shewed me, and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a Plumb-line, with a Plumb-line in his hand.
And the Lord said unto me, Amos what seest thou? and I said a Plumb-line. Then said the Lord, behold I will set up a Plumb-line in the midst of my People Israel, I will not again pass by them any more.
WEE are now come to the Third Vision, wherein the Lord sets forth the utter destruction of Israel, God had born long with their provocations, and waited long for their return, but since they were incorrigible and incurable, hee resolves now to make a final end with them, and to pass by and pardon them no more, but to destroy them by the Sword of Salmaneser King of Assyria; which is here typified by a Plumb-line. Where we have, 1. The Vision it self, vers. 7. 2. The explication of it, vers. 8, 9.
Thus he shewed me.
This is the usual Preface as before, vers. 1, 4.
And behold, Gnal ehomat anach, super murum perpendiculi.the Lord stood upon a wall made by a Plumb-line, or on the wall of a Plumb-line (it is an usual Hebraism) that is, the Lord stood on a perpendicular wall, such a one as was curiously made, and exactly squared by the Plummer.
The word Anach which signifies a Plumb-line, is variously rendred.
1 Some call it a Masons Truel (so the vulgar Latin) with which they build and parget walls,Trulla camentar…. for strength and elegancy; so God had been the strength and glory of Israel.
Stabat super murum adamantinum.2 The Septuagint, the Syriack, and the Arabick render it thus, I saw the Lord standing on an Adamantine wall, with an Adamant Stone in his hand; implying that God had been the firme defender of his people, and a wall of Adamant to them which no Hammer could break. Both these are truthes, but they have no foundation in the text.
3 The word Anach (which is used only in this text) genuinely signifies a Plumb-line, which Masons and Carpenters use for the keeping of their work straight and even. Thus Zerubbabel when he was to build the Temple, is said to have a Plummer, or Tin-stone in his hand, that is a Measuring-line, to which a weight of Tin, Stone, or Lead was tied, Zach. 4.10. hence it is called Lead, Metonymically, because a Plummet of Lead is usually tied to a Cord, or lines end to keep it straight. We read of a double use of the Plummet in Scripture:
1 For Building, and Rearing.
2 For Ruining, and Demolishing.
1 The Plummet is used in building, to make the Work proportionable to the Model; thus Metaphorically God himself is said to work by Rule and Line, Iob 38.5. Isa. 44.13. Ier. 31.39. Ezek. 47.3. Zach. 10.16, 21. by this the Mason and the Carpenter try the rectitude of the Structure, and what upon trial he findes to be right and regular, that he preserves; and what is irregular and exorbitant, inclining either too much to the right hand, or to the left, that he pulls down.
2 The Plummet is used in levelling and demolishing. When the Mason layes the Line to the Work, and findes upon trial any place to swell and belch out, that he demolisheth and pulls down; thus when the Lord threatned to ruine Edoms Country, he tells us, That he will stretch upon it the line of confusion; and the stone of emptiness, Isa. 34.11. that is, the Lord will measure it out for utter destruction, and perpetual ruine, so that it shall never be built, or be inhabited more. The like expression we find, Isa. 28.17. Lam. 2.8. and especially in the 2 King. 27.13. where the Lord threatning to destroy Ierusalem, tells them, That he will stretch over Jerusalem the Line of Samaria, and the Plummet of the house of Ahab; that is, I will deal with Ierusalem as I have dealt with Samaria, and with the house of Manasseh as with the house of Ahab; as I destroyed those for their sins, so will I destroy these. Thus the Lord stood upon the Wall with a Plumb-line in his hand, as ready to execute his just and righteous judgements upon Israel. This is an Embleme of Gods Mercy and Justice, who is the Master-builder of his Church.
1 It denotes his Mercy, in that he made this Church right and firme like a perpendicular wall, made exactly by Line and Rule, he had curiously built it, and as carefully defended it.
2 It is an Embleme of his Iustice, Ni…z…zab, stans, ad indicandum firm am stantis resolutionem.he stands upon the wall of his Church, continually trying and examining whether it continue right or not, bearing with its defects, untill like a wall quite bending and belching out, it can no more be mended, or set upright as it was at the first, for then he resolves to throw down all, Isa. 30.13.
This wall (by some) is made a Type of all the people of Israel, whom the Lord of old had built for a peculiar people to himself. These resembled a wall. For,
1 Walls cannot raise themselves, but are built by some skilful Architect; so this people of Israel did not raise themselves, but God of his owne free love and grace chose them for his owne peculiar, and exalted them above all the Nations of the world.
2 Walls have foundations; and so had this people many gracious Promises to build upon, which the Lord made to Abraham and his Seed, which they contemning came to ruine.
3 An Architect builds the walls by Line and Rule; so God did all for this People with the greatest judgement and exactnesse imaginable. They had all of the best, the best Church, the best Sate, the best Lawes, the best Rulers, and the most successful Judges and Kings. The Lord himself was for walls and bulwarks to them, he was Salvation round about them, and their glory in the midst of them; so great was his care and tendernesse over them, Isa. 26.1. & 60.18. Zach. 2.5. But since neither Mercies nor Judgements could mend them, the Lord resolves to forbear them no longer, but as he had built them up in mercy, so now he would ruine them in justice, and punish them exactly according to their demerits.
OBSERVATIONS.
1 Though the Lord bear long with the Sins of a People, yet he will not alwayes bear.
Though the Prayers of his People may keep off Judgements for a time, yet the Sins of a People may be so great, that the Lord will hear no more prayers for them, Ier. 15.1. Ezek. 14.16, 18, 20. and therefore the Prophet here seeing this People were incurable, and Gods determination fully set to destroy them for their Idolatry and Apostacy, he forbears any further interceding for them, quietly acquiescing in the righteous Judgements of God upon them. There is a time when the Lord will shew a People no more favour, Ier. 16.13. an evil day, an only and extreme evil day, in which the Lord forbids Prayer, Ier. 7.11, 14. and restraines a spirit of prayer, and relenting from his people, Ezek. 24.23. Dan: 9.13.
2 Gods Iudgements upon wicked men are just and righteous.
They are all exactly framed as it were by line and measure, Dan. 5.27. Justice is essential to God, he may as soon cease to be God, as cease to be just; hence he is called, the righteous Iudge, Gen. 18.25. and the just Lord, who will doe no iniquity, Zeph. 3.5. he is just in and of himself, and just in his Lawes, just in his Decrees, just in the execution of those Decrees, just in the Government of the World, just in his Rewards, and just in his Judgements; he is not only righteous in some, but in all his wayes, Psal. 145.17.
Doe not then fret or murmure at his Dispensations towards thee or thine, his Judgements may be secret, but they are alwayes just; whatever therefore God doth to thee or thine, yet say with David, Righteous is the Lord, and just are his Iudgements, Psa. 119.117. and with Hezekiah, when he was told that he must lose all, Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken, Isa. 39.8.
We should then imitate God, as he is just and righteous in all his wayes, so should we be also in our degree; doing all exactly, according to the square and rule of Gods VVord. As we must be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful; so we must be just, as he is just; though we cannot be so by way of Equality, yet by way of Analogy and Similitude we must be so. Let us be just in our rewards, just in our punishments, just in our weights, words, and works, &c. that so God may delight in us; for the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse, Psalm 11.7.
VERSE 8.
And the Lord said unto me, Amos what seest them? and I said, a Plumb-line. Then said the Lord, behold I will set a Plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel, I will not again pass by them any more.
THe Lord comes now to threaten not a punishment, (as formerly) but a total destruction of this impenitent People; and therefore this Vision is not barely propounded, but by a Dialogue is so clearly expounded, that he who runs may read it. The better to quicken both Prophet and People to attention, the Lord begins with a question, Amos what seest thou? The Prophet could more easily discerne the meaning of the two former Visions, viz. that of the Locusts, and of the Fire; but God standing upon a wall with a Plumb-line in his hand, was harder to understand, and therefore the Lord goes on to explaine it to the Prophet.
I will set a Plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; that is, I will now actually execute my Justice on them, which I have hitherto suspended in passing by their misdeeds; as I have formerly built them up by Line and Level, so will I now make an utter destruction of them, and will lay them in the dust. I have examined their works and wayes by the Rule and square of my Word, and I finde them so exceeding irregular, that I can no longer forbear them, neither will I passe by them, or pardon them any more. This latter clause is exegetical, and expounds the former; I have spared them twice already, but now I will make a final end with them; I will spend no more admonitions or corrections in vaine upon them, but I will deal with them as men use to doe with ruinous houses, whose breaches grow wider and worse every day than other, they pull them down, and lay them in the duft.
Lo o…iph gnod gnabor lo, non adjiciam ultra Praeterire eum.I will not again passe by them any more.
That is, I will shew them no more mercy, I will pardon them no longer; I have long winkt at their Sins, and let them goe unpunisht; but I will doe so no longer, I will surely and severely punish them for all together, as it follows in the next verse. The like expression we have, Amos 8.2. & Prov. 19.11. It is the glory of a man to passe by an offence;See Amos 8.2. that is, to spare a man that hath offended, and not to punish him, or take revenge on him. So Micah 7.18.
OBSERVATIONS.
1 Our rising and our ruining comes from God.
He builds us by Rule, and if we swerve from the Rule, he will set up the Plumb-line and ruine us by Rule. All our times both of rising and falling are in Gods hands, Psal. 31.15. our adversity and prosperity is not casual, but providential. As the Lord gives, so it is he that takes too, Iob 1.21. it is he that sent the Locusts and the Fire, and now the Plumb-line of utter destruction upon this people.
2 Gods Iudgements usually are gradual.
As mens sins are gradual, and rise to their maximum quod sic, to the highest ascent by degrees, so doe Gods Judgements. The judgement of the Locusts was sad, that of Fire was worse, but now comes the fatal Plumb-line and ends them. God doth not presently punish men so soon as ever they sin, but his patience waits, and allots men space to repent, Rom. 2.4, 5. & Revel. 2.21. which they abusing, God at last reckons with Sinners for all together; as we see in the Amorites, the old World, Sodom, and Ierusalem.