Isaiah chapter 30 - Amos

The first part of the thirtieth chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy against the northern kingdom, the House of Israel, as opposed to the House of Judah. It was to this northern, ten-tribe kingdom that Amos’ ministry was primarily aimed, and in the first part of this chapter of Isaiah, The Holy Spirit prompted these words to be written:

“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:” (Isaiah 30:1)

“That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” (Isaiah 30:9-11)

In God’s prophecy through Amos, we find this conversation between Amos and the priest of Bethel (Amaziah), a pagan priest, in a pagan temple, for a pagan God.

“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. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court. 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: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. 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. 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 7:10-17)

The text of other part of Isaiah’s thirtieth chapter also contains some connective words, and although these words occur in many Bible verses, their occurrence here and in the book of Amos is in the context of the prophecy against the northern kingdom found in these two texts; therefore, these words that connect the two texts, function to compound the connection already established.

“The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.” (Isaiah 30:6)

“Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?” (Amos 3:4)
The word ‘lion’ is found in at least three other places in the book of Amos, which is quite a large number considering it has nothing to do with the subject of the book, but the word ‘fire’ is found nine times in the book of Amos, including this one which specifically calls out Bethel and the northern kingdom of the House of Israel, a.k.a. house of Ephraim, a.k.a. house of Joseph.

“Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.” (Amos 5:6)

Other words occurring in Isaiah chapter thirty and having their multiple counterparts in the book of Amos are; ‘wall’ (5X in Amos), ‘breach/breaches’ (3X in Amos) and ‘rain’ (5X in Amos). As interesting as these connective words may or may not be, they are nothing like the first connection we identified above where Amaziah told Amos not to prophesy in his territory. Perhaps the second most visible connection is the following.

“And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.” (Isaiah 30:28)

God says the same words in Amos.

“For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.” (Amos 9:9)

The word ‘sieve’ is found in only two places in the entire Bible, and they are both printed above. The word ‘sift’ is found in only three places in the entire Bible, in Luke and the two printed above. Is that a connection or what?

The words ‘prophecy not’ are found in only five places in the entire Bible, three of those are in Amos, one in Isaiah chapter thirty, and once in the book of Jeremiah. This is also a connection, even though it is not exclusive to Amos/Isaiah.

We have read from the thirtieth chapter of Isaiah, and Amos is the thirtieth book of the Bible. They are connected