What causes the "young women and young men" to "faint for thirst"? Key Passage (Amos 8:11-13) “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and roam from north to east, seeking the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. In that day the lovely young women— the young men as well—will faint from thirst.” Immediate Cause: A Famine of God’s Word • God Himself withholds His revealed word as judgment. • Physical strength fails because the soul is deprived of what truly sustains (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4). • Searching everywhere, they “will not find it,” so exhaustion sets in. Underlying Reasons for the Judgment (Amos 8:4-6) • Oppressing the poor and crushing the needy. • Dishonest commerce: “You diminish the ephah, increase the shekel, and cheat with dishonest scales.” • Treating worship as a burden, eager only to resume profiteering. Result: God’s patience ends, and silence replaces instruction. Why Highlight “Young Women and Young Men” • They represent vigor, promise, and the next generation—yet even their prime cannot withstand spiritual deprivation. • The picture underscores total national collapse: if the strongest faint, none survive. The Nature of the Thirst • Spiritual, not merely physical (Psalm 42:2; Psalm 63:1). • Absence of truth, guidance, comfort, and hope that only God’s word supplies. • Leads to wandering without direction (Amos 8:12; compare Proverbs 29:18). Contrast: God’s Word as Living Water • Isaiah 55:1-3 — invitation to “come, buy, and eat” without cost. • John 6:35 — “I am the bread of life.” • John 7:37-38 — “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” When received, the very need that caused fainting is fully satisfied. Practical Takeaways • Cherish and consume Scripture daily to avoid spiritual drought (Colossians 3:16). • Reject injustice and hypocrisy that invite God’s silence. • Point the next generation to the unfailing Source so they never “faint for thirst.” |
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