Justice: A Study in AmosSample

What does it say?

The Lord relented after showing Amos visions of judgment by locusts and fire. In a third vision, God set a plumb line in Israel, saying, “I will spare them no longer.”

What does it mean?

A plumb line is a simple but timeless builder’s tool. By tying a weight to the end of a string, a builder can make sure that a wall under construction is straight and “true to plumb.” It can also indicate whether a building has settled unevenly into the ground and needs repair or demolition. God’s Law was like a plumb line – the perfect standard upon which the nation of Israel had been built. Israel’s faithfulness to God was now lacking compared to His righteous requirements. The Lord, their Builder, would have to tear down what had become crooked.

How should I respond?

The world has many ways of misleading us about determining right from wrong. You may believe your life is pleasing to God compared to your current culture. However, God’s measure of right and wrong is clearly explained in the Bible and does not change with time or depend on our circumstances. We should compare our lives only to God’s perfect, righteous standard. In what area of your life have you allowed the world’s standards to influence your thinking or behavior? When God’s Word is the only standard you measure, your life will be “true to plumb.”