Chapter 8

The Beginning of the End

1. A VISION OF SUMMER FRUIT (Amos 8:1-3 [1] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. [2] And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more. [3] And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.
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1. The Vision (Amos 8:1-2 [1] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. [2] And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
   See All...)
1. Its details (Amos 8:1-2 [1] Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. [2] And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
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1. The Lord shewed Amos a basket of summer fruit (Amos 8:1Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit.
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2. The Lord asked Amos what he saw (Amos 8:2And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
   See All...).  This is similar to the vision of the plumbline (Amos 7:8And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
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2. Its interpretation (Amos 8:2And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
   See All...; Jeremiah 8:20The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
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1. The end is come.
2. The Lord will not again pass by Israel.  This also matches the vision of the plumbline (Amos 7:8And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
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2. The Judgment (Amos 8:3And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.
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1. The songs of the temple shall be howlings.  Apparently the noises from the city will not be any better (Zephaniah 1:7-13 [7] Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. [8] And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. [9] In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. [10] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. [11] Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. [12] And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. [13] Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.
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2. There shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence (Job 40:4-5 [4] Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. [5] Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
   See All...; Psalm 39:9-13 [9] I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. [10] Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. [11] When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. [12] Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. [13] O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
   See All...; Isaiah 6:5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
   See All...; Amos 6:10And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.
   See All...; Habakkuk 2:20But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
   See All...; Zechariah 2:13Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
   See All...; Romans 3:19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
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2. THE PROMINENCE OF CAPITALISM (Amos 8:4-6 [4] Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, [5] Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? [6] That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
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1. The Downfall of the Poor (Amos 8:4Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
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1. The poor were being swallowed up.
2. The poor of the land were made to fail.
2. The Corrupt Business Men (Amos 8:5Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
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1. No fear of God (Nehemiah 13:15-22 [15] In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. [16] There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. [17] Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? [18] Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. [19] And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. [20] So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. [21] Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. [22] And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
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1. When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn?
2. When will the sabbath be gone, that we may set forth wheat?
2. No ethics in business practice
1. Smaller portions – “making the ephah small”
2. Higher prices – “the shekel great”
3. False weights – “falsifying the balances by deceit”
3. The Enslavement of Others (Amos 8:6That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
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1. The poor were bought for silver.
2. The needy were bought for a pair of shoes.
4. The Poorness of the Product (Amos 8:6That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
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1. The ephah was smaller (Amos 8:5Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
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2. The businessmen were selling the refuse of the wheat.
3. THE JUDGMENT OF GOD (Amos 8:7-14 [7] The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. [8] Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. [9] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: [10] And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. [11] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: [12] And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. [13] In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. [14] They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.
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1. Based upon His Memory (Amos 8:7The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.
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1. God will bring judgment because He will never forget any of their works.
2. This would lead us to believe that God will judge based on things that He remembers (Hebrews 6:10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
   See All...; Hebrews 10:17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
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2. A Time of Mourning (Amos 8:8-10 [8] Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. [9] And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: [10] And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
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1. The trembling of the land (Amos 8:8Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
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1. Judgment shall rise up as a flood.
2. The inhabitants will be cast out and drowned as by the flood of Egypt.
3. This lines up with the time before the kingdom.
1. Concerning the flood of Egypt, the people of God made it through safely and God drowned the Egyptians.  The people of God were preserved and left on the earth.
2. This would also line up with the days of Noah.  The enemies of God were drowned in the waters, while the people of God were preserved and left on the earth (Matthew 24:37-42 [37] But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [38] For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, [39] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [40] Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [41] Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [42] Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
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2. The day becomes darkness (Amos 8:9And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
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1. The sun will go down at noon (Isaiah 13:9-10 [9] Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. [10] For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
   See All...; Matthew 24:29-30 [29] Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: [30] And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
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2. The Lord will darken the earth in the clear day (Exodus 10:21-23 [21] And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. [22] And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: [23] They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
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3. Joy becomes mourning (Amos 8:10And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
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1. The feasts will be turned into mourning.
2. The songs will become lamentation.
3. The people will adorn sackcloth.
4. The people will shave their heads.
5. The people will mourn as for an only son (Jeremiah 6:26O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
   See All...; Zechariah 12:10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
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3. A Time of Famine (Amos 8:11-13 [11] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: [12] And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. [13] In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
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1. The author of the famine (Amos 8:11Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
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2. The type of famine (Amos 8:11Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
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1. Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water
2. A famine of hearing the words of the Lord
3. The severity of the famine (Amos 8:12-13 [12] And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. [13] In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
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1. They shall wander from sea to sea (Amos 8:12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
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2. They shall wander from the north to the east (Amos 8:12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
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3. They shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord (Amos 8:12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
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4. They shall not find it (Amos 8:12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
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5. The fair virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst (Amos 8:13In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
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4. Pagan Worship Destroyed (Amos 8:14They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.
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1. The pagan worship of the people of God
1. The pagan worship of Israel – “Thy god, O Dan, liveth.”
2. The pagan worship of Judah – “The manner of Beersheba liveth.”
2. The end of pagan worship
1. They shall fall.
2. They shall never rise up again.