What does it mean that there will be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord?
Amos 8:11 says, "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord God, "when I will send a famine on the land - not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."
Amos 8:1 - 14
ESV - 1 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, a basket of summer fruit. 2 And he said, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the Lord said to me, "The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass by them.
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Asked August 11 2022
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Jack Gutknecht
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Tim Maas
In my opinion, the cited verse is referring to the coming (at the time that Amos prophesied) gap of approximately four hundred years that would elapse between the end of prophecies in what we now regard as the Old Testament, and the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry in order to prepare the people for the imminent appearance of Jesus as the Messiah. During that time, there were no prophets to whom God gave His word to convey in His name to His people, as He formerly had.
Leslie Coutinho
As revealed to the prophet Amos, the whole chapter 8 refers to the coming of the end times. The Lord said, “I will not pass by them anymore, for the buying of the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat.” (Amos 8:2, 6) This is currently what we see today, which has begun in some places where there is famine for food and water. Paul writes to us that perilous times shall come, for some who began in the Spirit are now trying to be made perfect in the flesh. (Gal 3:3) And they will be the ones who will be defiled in their mind and conscience, for they confess they know God, but in works they deny Him. (Titus 1:15-16) The strong demonic hold which drives one to the end of destruction will lead them to a famine of hearing the Words of the Lord. (Amos 8:11) Having an outward form of godliness but denying the power of the Spirit of God to work will be the signs of the last days, when mankind shall be heady, going through vain and worldly imaginations that lead them to sin. (2 Tim 3:1-5) Mankind, being lovers of themselves, would like to be exalted above measures, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. (2 Tim 4:3) Having a thorn in the flesh, a weakness, which all mankind has on the face of this earth inherited from Adam, they will want to be buffeted and to be exalted, (2 Cor 12:7); and before the coming of the Lord, the wicked shall not understand, but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:10) It will come about in the day, declares the Lord God, that I will make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight. (Amos 8:9 / Joel 2:31)
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