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God's Plumb Line
by Steve Troxel (Steve's bio)
[Note: If you'd like to read more from Steve, be sure to visit God's Daily Word.]
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Amos was a shepherd when God called him to preach to the northern kingdom of Israel. God's people had badly strayed; for more than one hundred and fifty years, the northern kingdom had worshipped by their own set of rules and had even begun to worship other gods. Amos was sent to reveal their sin and call the people to repentance. He warned they must return to God with all their heart or face certain judgement.
The people did not listen to Amos' plea. They continued to live outside God's will and were guided by their own evil desires. God's judgement came thirty years after the end of Amos' ministry as He allowed the Assyrian army to march through the northern kingdom and bring complete destruction in 722 BC.
Amos 7:7-8
"This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. Then the Lord said, 'Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.'"
Building a wall seems relatively easy - we simply stack one brick on top of another until the proper height and width is achieved. But without a reference line, it's nearly impossible to determine when the wall is straight. Without a true standard as a guide, our well-intended efforts produce a jagged mess which will ultimately crumble and fall. A plumb line is simply a string with a weight on one end; but for thousands of years, it has been used by builders as a guide - as a standard of truth.
God used a plumb line to show that the people of Israel had once been true, but had now built their lives without a reference. God had established clear guidelines and preserved them within His Word; He was now bringing judgements according to His unchanging standard: "I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line," (Isaiah 28:17). God's standard has not changed. He is calling us to a life of pure devotion and will one day judge all that wavers from the truth.
Our lives require a reference to call us back when we depart from God's path. This reference must be straight and true; this reference must be unchanging; this reference must be the Word of God! When we build on the foundation of Christ and determine to love Him with ALL our heart, His Word ensures we will rise tall and not be found leaning to the left or right. Let's build a life which is true and does not waver - let's live by His Word and build according to God's plumb line.
Copyright 2002, Steve Troxel. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
| About Steve Troxel: Steve Troxel is the President of God's Daily Word Ministries. Steve was trained as an Electrical Engineer and received his PhD in 1994. After working as a researcher in a laser laboratory for several years, Steve felt the call from God to leave his trained profession and enter into full-time ministry. His devotionals are now sent around the world via email as well as distributed in book format. More information about this ministry as will as a "sign-up" page can be found at: http://www.godsdailyword.org |
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