The beginning and end of Amos 5:1–17 consist of a lament. In this lament, Amos speaks as if Israel has already fallen, as if the armies of Assyria have destroyed the cities and now all that remains is a bunch of farmers who cry over the ruins. The Lord, who in ancient times had passed through the Egyptians and over his people, has now passed through his people's midst. Devastating judgment has come (Amos 5:17).

We must ask ourselves: why does Amos lament like this? Why does he write a dirge about an event that has not yet happened? It is out of place; the dirge should only come after death.

• One possible answer is that it shows us Amos's heart, his love and compassion for Israel. He grieves over her coming judgment; he weeps when he considers what will happen to these people.

• A second and more likely answer is that Amos uses this lament as some sort of shock tactic. He does whatever he can to get the Israelites to listen! Crying and wailing in public as if Israel has fallen and all her armies have been destroyed, that would have certainly raised a few eyebrows and caused people to sit up and listen carefully. At the very least it must have made them slightly interested in what he had to say. This lament then is similar to what he said back in Amos 1:1 – 2:16 where he talked about all the judgment coming for the pagan nations and only then finally sticking the knife into Israel; it is also similar to the passage in Amos 4:1–13 when he spoke of the cows of Bashan. Amos is working really hard to get these people to listen and take his words seriously—not listen so as to be entertained but listen to be changed.