God's Plumb Line

“Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.” – Amos 7:7-8.
The plumb line is a very innovative tool using simply a line and a non-magnetic weight. How it works is very simple yet effective. The plumb line is used to find the true vertical and horizontal lines that aren’t crooked but rather level. By using gravity, the weight on the end of the line will point straight down completely level. Using that vertical line, you can find all the information you need about how level it is and if what you are measuring is crooked. So, how does God use this in Amos to symbolize what He is going to do to His people?
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily. Also, I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.” – Isaiah 28:16-17.
A plumb line is symbolic of justice and righteousness because the plumb line is always true but shows the flaws in what it measures. In the same way, God is completely righteous, holy, and just, and whatever He measures shows the flaws in it. The line is justice because the line is what shows the wrong and errors just like justice does. The plummet, which is the weight on the end of the line, is what brings the line to always be true and completely level just as righteousness is true and of God. The reason it isn’t magnetic is so that it isn’t lenient to one side but so it remains true. Therefore, if you are like a wall and you are being measured with the plumb line, then God will see where you have gone crooked or off balance. Jesus is the cornerstone talked about in Isaiah 28 above. He is the foundation that you, the wall, are built on. God wants to measure you and test you to see if you are balanced and level with Him because He knows that if you aren’t, you will eventually topple into pieces laying on the dust of the ground when the storms and winds come.
“The Lord has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion. He has stretched out a line; He has not withdrawn His hand from destroying; therefore He has caused the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.” – Lamentations 2:8.
Why does it say that God has purposed to destroy the wall? The reason is that God has to destroy the crooked wall and the crooked ways so that He can rebuild the wall straight and upright. You can’t fix something without removing the problem. Simply painting over it won’t fi but rather hide it. Therefore, to remove the problem, He has to destroy to rebuild. It won’t feel good being broken down like that, but you have to remember God is the builder and He wants you to endure and be upright. It is like surgery; it isn’t pleasant being split open, but it is necessary for the problem to be solved. However, after the procedure is complete, you are sown back up. Some of those problems are hidden within. In Isaiah 28, the hiding places and refuge of lies talked about are those hidden problems. When the storm comes, the hail and water will hit those hiding places first because those are the weakest parts. Yet, those hiding places destroy the structural integrity of the wall leading it to topple. Let God deal with your hiding places and hidden problems so that you may be strong when the storm comes outlasting and enduring it without a crack within your stone. Lastly, another big reason God uses the plumb line to measure His people is because He wants them to not lean but remain in balance. This balance can be many things in your life. Work, family, ministry work, your relationship with God, your spouse, rest, etc. An upright wall will have a proper chain of priorities and a proper balance in life. Getting off balance will throw you down like a toppled wall. Keeping your priorities straight will keep you upright in that regard. If you were to hang a plumbline over a wall, where the line hanging meets the line on top of the wall would form an exact right angle. If you are an upright wall, you will be at that right angle in your life. So overall, don’t let being a crooked wall discourage you but let God fix that leaning side of you. He wants you to be straight and upright. Though it may hurt at first to be fixed, He does it because He loves you and wants you to be upright in Him.