“And the LORD said to me, 'Amos, what do you see?' And I said, 'A plumb line.' Then the Lord said: 'Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.'” (Amos 7.8).
If you are over forty, you may realize the significance of the plumb line. The younger generation would recognize more sophisticated tools such as laser levels, theodolites, and the like. However, the principles that make such tools useful, whether ancient like the plumb line or of a more modern genre, are unchanging. In any discipline which demands that certain absolutes like plumb and level be known, these principles are unchanging and ultra-important. In situations where plumb (absolute vertical) must be known, the plumb line is the end of all controversy. A carpenter's level may be in error, a theodolite may be calibrated in error, and laser levels must be adjusted to a known frame of reference. However, the plumb line is as constant as gravity itself. As surely as gravity pulls an object toward the center of the earth, just that surely will the plumb line be accurate.
God was not going to set up a literal plumb line. Rather, He was going to set up a moral and spiritual basis against which Israel could and would be judged. This “moral compass” could not be wrong; it would the the absolute standard against which all human actions could be rightly judged. This plumb line was synonymous with the word of God. Just like a literal plumb line is unwavering in its accuracy, so the word of God is constant in enlightening those who hear it regarding what it takes to be morally right and pleasing to God. It needs no outside calibration and there is no other standard to which the word of God needs to adjusted or set. It is an absolute among absolutes. It is the standard against which all other standards ought to be calibrated!
Now let's consider some implications of God's simple declaration to Amos. First, there is the fact that there is a standard of absolute right and wrong. Contrary to what we may hear in our culture, some things are always right, and some things are always wrong. The setting up of a plumb line implies this to be the case. Secondly, God was personally going to set up the plumb line. For a period of time, God had allowed Israel to control their own destiny by making their own choices. However, that time of grace was coming to an end. God's patience had worn thin and He saw that it was necessary to force His people to pay the price for their sins. Thirdly, this entire scenario demonstrates that God always opts to act on behalf of the larger good. While it might not be good to see the physical suffering that Israel's punishment would bring, that was a better option that allowing them to proceed down the path of rebellion that they were following. Like a good parent, God weighed the pain that was to follow due to Israel's lack of reverence and chose the path that was best for everyone concerned.
In these brief thoughts we have captured the difference between those who trust god and those who do not. For those of us who believe, we know that God will always act in a way that will bring about the most ultimate good. We also know that we do not have the wisdom to chose that path! We are mortal; He is immortal. When we are willing to admit that we are not the standard, we take the first step toward discovering what/who the real standard is. God not only has the right to judge, we ought to be thankful that He will and not a human being with all our limitations and flaws.
The plumb line is a simple and yet effective picture of God's constant character and righteousness!
Questions:
1. Why is a plumb line a reliable tool in establishing a vertical line of reference?
2. Why is God's word a reliable tool in determining right and wrong?
3. What “right” does God have to judge mankind? Is His impending judgment due to His love for humanity, his wish to see suffering, or some other motive?
4. How can we know that His judgments are fair? What evidence is there that this is the case?