20160116 Saturday, January 16 2016
Amos 07: A House Upon The Rock

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"That Rock was Christ ... Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock"

The Messiah often used familiar things in His teachings. The true Christian Holy Days are agricultural in that way, to symbolize and prophesy the harvest of salvation (see the Fact Finder question below).

As a builder (see also Why Was Jesus A Carpenter? and Who Was The Carpenter That Built The Cross?), He also used solid foundations and quality workmanship in His teachings about what it takes to get to the harvest of salvation.

An example of both together:

"7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it [see Strait And Straight].

7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. [see Iniquity In History And Prophecy]

7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:13-27 KJV)

The people of the Kingdom of Israel, who themselves were prophetic in purpose (see Israel's Neighborhood Roots) were given the foundation that was not only rock-solid, but Christ Himself i.e. "10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 KJV). But they chose, like so many Christian-professing people ever since, to ignore their sure foundation and instead build upon the shifting sands anti-Biblical error and self-made religions that surely result in a fall.

"7:1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings. 7:2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

7:3 The LORD repented for this:

It shall not be, saith the LORD.

7:4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part. 7:5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

7:6 The LORD repented for this:

This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

7:7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. 7:8 And 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:

7:9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

7:10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. 7:11 For thus Amos saith,

Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

7:12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: 7:13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. 7:16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD:

Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

7:17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land." (Amos 7:1-17 KJV)

Fact Finder: How and why is salvation like a series of harvests?
See The True Christian Holy Days and The Harvests Of Salvation; also Let Both Grow Together Until The Harvest