Commentaries:
These are signs of a “ripe” society, indicating profound instability. When an earthquake strikes, a person feels profoundly unstable because he is not sure if the building will collapse and kill him. A similar type of instability occurs when society is rocked by crime, violence, immorality, and injustice. Amos describes the insecurity, bitterness, and death that result from failing to hold to God's absolute standards.
Within living memory, most Americans could leave their houses unlocked. But when society became unstable, they had to start locking their doors. Until the middle of the last century, Americans infrequently read about violence on the streets. Now society is so unstable that violence fills the news reports, and this constant source of worry produces more instability.
In such a nation, all kinds of unstable factors constantly increase as everyone runs here and there in confusion. The confusion results from the lack of absolute standards of what is right and wrong, moral and immoral, ethical and unethical. Thus, everybody does his own thing. Violence, divorce, deviance, suicide, and mental illness increase. We see this in our societies every day.
John W. Ritenbaugh and Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Prepare to Meet Your God! (Part Seven): The Prophesied Blow Falls
Start Your Day with Scripture
Begin each morning with God's Word — the Berean delivers a daily verse and insightful commentary to spark reflection and growth.
Join 135,000+ fellow believers on this journey.
