Establish justice in the gate.
bIt may be that the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
The Day of the Lord
“There shall be wailing in all streets,
And they shall say in all the highways,
‘Alas! Alas!’
They shall call the farmer to mourning,
aAnd skillful lamenters to wailing.
For what good is bthe day of the Lord to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
And a bear met him!
Or as though he went into the house,
Leaned his hand on the wall,
And a serpent bit him!
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?
| << Amos 5:16 | Amos 5:18 >> |
What Does Amos 5:17 Mean?
Amos 5:16-17
The farmer, accustomed to facing all the vagaries and insecurities of nature, like flooding and drought, is less likely to cry and mourn. The professional mourners, who cry at the drop of a hat, typify the other extreme. In their grief and despair, people will wander from one place to another looking for water, food, stability, hope, an organized city, or a functioning society. All they will find is anarchy. Will God be walking beside them? No, He inspired Amos to say, He would walk right through them!
Amos is not argumentative with them; he is not trying to prove anything to them anymore. He merely shows them what the Day of the Lord will be like. He paints a vivid, stark picture of the horrors in their future to make them evaluate the present state of their relationship with God.
John W. Ritenbaugh and Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Prepare to Meet Your God! (Part Seven): The Prophesied Blow Falls
Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Amos 5:17:
| << Amos 5:16 | Amos 5:18 >> |
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