Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel. I will not spare them any longer. The high places of Isaac will become deserted, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins. Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword. (Amos 7:9)

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of armies has sent me to you. For who has shown contempt for the day of small things? But these seven will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—they are the eyes of the LORD roaming throughout the earth. (Zechariah 4:9-10)

In this chapter, God shows Amos the swarm of locusts and then fire as the ways to end Israel. Amos says each time, “Lord God, please pardon! How can Jacob stand? For he is small.” God could wipe out everyone in Israel. Indeed, God can destroy everything in the world. However, our merciful God has chosen to save some through Christ.

I consider this plumb line as the words of God. In other words, it is Christ, the Word of God. The plumb line is in the hand of Zerubbabel, who is a biological ancestor of Jesus Christ as we find in the genealogy in Matthew 1:12. In Zechariah 4:9-10, Zerubbabel indicates Christ. Christ has been given all authority by the Father. He, as the Word of God, judges all people. He knows who belongs to Him.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. (Matthew 28:18)

Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His;” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; (Romans 8:29)

A plumb line is used in construction to see a wall or a building is straight. God’s kingdom is like a building and Christ is the cornerstone. By God’s words, the building is built up. And the temple shows the laws of God. The temple is God as we read Revelation 21:22. The temple is also the saints who are united with God through His Spirit and Word.

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Amos 7 tells us that God chose not to end all creation despite its corruption. However, all people will receive the judgement according to the words of God. Whoever is straight, just as the plumb line is straight, will escape demolition. Everything built by men will be demolished at the end with a great crash because they are not straight as the plumb line. In other words, they perish because they do not have the Holy Spirit in them.

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.” (Matthew 7:24-27)