Comments for November 28

3v.13 - We are given the time scale here, but there is no indication of how far in the future this represented or of how near to this time it had become by the time Haman is hanged on his gallows. Nevertheless, it seems reasonable that there would not be very much time. This time scale is repeated in ch.8:10-14, but I have failed to find another one in the whole book. Maybe there is and I've missed it.

Est 3 - Mordecai's refusal to bow to Haman was because of his evil ancestry. Haman's rage is out of all proportion to the action of Mordecai. However the Lord was seeking an occasion against Haman that He might destroy the remembrance of Agag.

Est 4 - In telling Esther of the state of Mordecai and that Esther had to enquire of Mordecai as to why he was dressed in sackcloth we have to conclude that Esther did not know what Haman had been planning.

The whole of chapter 4 demonstrates the courage of theses people who were God's people. Whilst we can look back and see this is all orchestrated by God, those who were working within the situation needed great faith indeed to believe this. They came through their trial with flying colours. May we learn.

3:3-4 It would appear that initially Haman did not notice Mordecai not bowing down to him. It was only because Mordecai would not listen to the 'servants' that Haman ever found out. It seems, also, that Mordecai did not even explain himself to the servants. So Mordecai had principles which were not negotiable. There would have been little point in explaining himself to the servants. Silence may well have been the best course of action. He would not have had to listen to plausible reasons why he could bow down to Haman which might have weakened his resolve.

In seeking with Esther we have to conclude that Mordecai knew that Esther would not lose her distinctive Jewishness now she was married to the king. He was right 4:16 shows that she wanted the people to pray and fast for her before she spoke to the king.

3:7, 13 Notice that even though the Jews are in captivity the calendar used is the traditional Hebrew calendar.

4:14 We do well to realise that God may well have work for us to do and that He puts us in positions where we can work for him - He does not need us as individuals. He can raise up others if we do not do the work. However wouldn't it be a shame if the Father did His work despite us rather than by using us.

ESTHER 3. In this chapter we are introduced to Haman. We soon see what kind of a man he was, truly he had to be a Jew hater. He was vindictive (3:6), he was crafty (3:8), he was unjust (3:8-9), he was boastful (5:11), he was self-interested (5:12, 6:6), he was vain (6:7), he was a complete man of the flesh.

A TIME LIKE THIS
 
Why are we here?  Why do your particular circumstances happen to you in the way they do?  Is there a reason you are surrounded by the particular people in your family, among your friends, at work, at school, in your church or among your other acquaintances?  This chapter in Esther may help understand some of the answers to these questions.
 
Quite out of the blue, king Xerxes needed another queen.  Esther was selected to take part in the beauty contest and was chosen to be the wife of the king.  It is quite likely that these events seemed like mere chance or circumstance to Esther and Mordecai at the time.  But then along came Haman with his evil plot to destroy the Jews.  When Mordecai heard about Haman's plot he encouraged Esther to take the matter to the king.  Mordecai said to Esther, "And who knows that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"  Looking back on the story and knowing the end from the beginning, we can see that Esther certainly was given her position by God for the purpose of saving the Jews.
 
It is no different for us.  God works in our lives too.  He has planned good works for us to do.  So we must be sure to spread God's word to the people we have been put with through God's circumstances.  We are here at a time like this to save someone from sin and death.  Don't miss the opportunity.

3:4 The way that Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew contrasts with Esther (Est 2:10)

4:17 Whilst Esther had done what Mordecai had asked of her (Est 2:20) we now see a reversal. Mordecai does what Esther requests.

Est 4:14 has the two references which come nearest to mentioning God in this book.  Mordecai knew that deliverance would arise from another place, if Esther did nothing. Plus, God had obviously put her there “for such a time as this”.

3:1 - Haman was probably an Amalekite who were traditional enemies of Israel. King Saul (Mordecai was descended from Saul) defeated but failed to eliminate them. 3:2 - Mordecai never bows to Haman just as Christ never bowed to sin. And just as Christ destroyed the power of sin, so Mordecai in a stunning reversal of fortune would destroy Haman. 3:7 - "pur" (6332) comes from the root (6331) meaning "to crush, break, bring to naught" and the plural of "pur" which is "purim" (6332) refers to "a lot or destiny as by means of a broken piece" and a related word (6333) means "winepress which breaks or crushes grapes". "Royal" and "king's gate" are each mentioned 12 times which is perhaps the number of governmental perfection. "Wine" and the number "13" (thought by many to be associated with sin and rebellion) is mentioned 6 times with 6 being the "number of man" (the flesh was crucified). The numbers 10 (perhaps the number of divine order, or judgment) and 12 are mentioned 5 times each (5 being the number of mercy or grace). The numbers 3 and 7 are mentioned over 10 times in the book and refer to "divine and spiritual perfection" plus the 3 may suggest the 3 days in the pit followed by resurrection. We have major events in the 3rd, 7th, and 12th years of the king's rule. Certainly the temporal realm of a literal Persian king was not perfection as the numerology infers. A suggestion is it refers to one greater. The transcription to kill Mordecai and his fellow Jews was done the day before Passover. 3:9 - we read a bribe of silver was offered for this betrayal.

4:1-2 - we find Mordecai is not yet properly clothed to enter the king's gate. 4:4 - Mordecai doesn't accept Esther's offer of new clothes, it is not yet time to rejoice. This is not unlike Jesus who refused the full honors others wanted to bestow on him. Jesus had to defeat sin and death, Mordecai had to defeat Haman (and death). 4:11 - no one could approach the king w/o some intercession (the gold sceptre extended); 30 suggests fitness for service. 4:16 - Esther isn't limited from doing good works by the law as she follows Mordecai's instruction.

 4:8 Through Hatach, Mordecai instructs Esther to go in and make supplication before the king on behalf of her people. Mordecai must have revealed the queen's identity to Hatach who now becomes the secret messenger between the two.

In this drama, it is interesting to look at the background of the antagonist Haman and the protagonist Mordecai.

Haman was an Agagite (3:1). Agag was the king of the Amalekites and his name became synonymous with his nation (Num 24:7). The Amalekites were the first people to attack Israel after they started their wilderness journey (Num 24:20). Saul was told to destroy the Amalekites, including Agag, but he failed in this task (1Sam 15:8,9). Samuel was angry with Saul for not completing his assignment, and finished the job himself (1Sam 15:32,33). The Amalekites, as a nation, died out around the 8th. Century BC (1Chron 4:3), but like most nations, remnants remained.

Mordecai was a Jew who was related to Saul (2:5 cf. 1Sam 9:1,2).

And so, in the story of Esther, the drama of the Amalekites vs. the Jews; Saul vs. Agag; is played out again, only with some different dynamics and results.

3:15 Notice that whilst the city was ‘perplexed’ Haman ‘sat down to drink’. Drinking is a characteristic of Shushan at his time. You will notice that the wine flowed readily at the feasts that the king organised.

4:1-3 The king’s decree clearly passed throughout the whole of the kingdom. Mordecai, in crying out and wearing sack cloth and ashes in the city clearly did not mind anyone knowing that he was a Jew. So when he encouraged Esther – Est 4:13-14 – to show her nationality to the king she had the good example of her uncle to rely on.

4:16 Whereas Haman sat down to ‘drink’ Esther, in seeking support from the Jews bid them that they did not drink. Whilst Haman’s life was careless the Jews were full of care and so abstained.

Haman cast Pur (a lot) to determine the date of the Jews' demise (3:7).  The plural of Pur is Purim which became known as the Jewish victory celebration over Haman. It is still celebrated by Jews today.  Haman cast Pur in Nisan (Mar/Apr).  Nisan was the first month of the Jewish year (spring).  After the exile, the Jewish month of Abib had been changed to the Babylonian Nisan.  Later, during rabbinical times, the beginning of the Jewish New Year was changed from spring to fall (Tishri Sept/Oct).  The proposed date of Haman's annihilation of the Jews was Adar (Feb/Mar), almost one year after the casting of Pur.

3:2 When Haman expected Mordecai – and others – to bow down he in reality was seeking their worship. He wanted Mordecai to bow down to him as if to a god.

3:4 In telling the people that he was a Jew Mordecai must have mentioned more than his nationality. He must also have told them that his nationality and allegiance to Yahweh prevented him doing obeisance to another man

3:5 Whilst Mordecai simply wanted to observe the laws of his God Haman, full of pride, wished to exalt himself in the eyes of others.

Est 3:12-13 - the 13th day perhaps suggests rebellion (Gen 14:4) and the 13th day of the first month (first month was "Abib", later called "Nisan") was the day before Passover preparation.

Est 4:1 - the sackcloth worn suggests mourning and humiliation and perhaps reminds of Christ's sacrifice and the dread leading up to it; "...loud and bitter cry" perhaps reminds of Christ's final cry on the cross (Mark 15:37). Est 4:7 - an exact amount of money was also agreed to be paid for Christ's betrayal. Est 4:11 - perhaps the number 30 suggests fitness for service. Est 4:14 - Mordecai had faith that deliverance would come from "another place" if not from Esther and ultimately deliverance will come when Christ returns to set up his Father's kingdom on earth. Est 4:15-17 - Mordecai fasted for three days and this commenced on the very day when Jesus was nailed to the cross and then Mordecai "went away" and Christ also went away carrying out his instructions.

Est 2:8;Est 3:15 - (KJV) "commandment" [Heb. "dabar" (1697) means "word, speech, speaking, thing"]. Est 3:3 - "commandment" [Heb. "mitsvah" (4687) means "commandment"]. Est 3:14 - "commandment" [Heb. "dath" (1881) means "royal edict, statute, commandment, decree, law"]. Est 3:15 - "decree" [Heb. "dath" (1881)]. Est 2:10 - "charged" [Heb. "tsavah" (6680) means "to command, give orders, charge"]. Est 3:2,12;Est 4:17 - "commanded" [Heb. "tsavah" (6680)]. Est 4:13 - "commanded" [Heb. "amar" (559) means "to say, speak, utter"].

When the law is kept, yet has no power

The law of the Medes and Persians said the Jews could be destroyed. Yet though that law was kept, a further law worked to nullify it. The same happened with Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego who were condemned by law and thrown into a furnace, yet God saved them from destruction. The law was enacted, yet the fire had no power. Daniel also was condemned by law and thrown into a pit of lions, yet God negated the usual effect of the lions. In these three situations the law was allowed to have its justice, yet God acted to save the person after the law had its say. Similarly, the law condemned Jesus to death, but God worked after his death to negate the effect of the law, because the grave could not hold him.

This is a very important principle for us too. Right and wrong are absolute, as defined in God's laws. But if we are accepted in God's family by our association with Jesus His son, God will act in the same way for us as He did with all these other people. The righteous law of God says that the sinner must die, but the effects of that death can be nullified for those that are in Christ.

4:8-10 It seems cocooned in the palace Esther was blissfully unaware of Haman’s plans so seeing the copy of the decree must have been a terrible shock to Esther. Nevertheless Esther was fearful for her life before the king.

4:4   On learning of the way in which Jews were behaving Esther’s maidens responded by telling Esther. So do we conclude that they knew that she was a Jew?

DESERVED RECOGNITION

I once heard a world class sports person complain that they were not getting the recognition they deserved. Sometimes I have felt the same way. When I have put in huge efforts to help at work or elsewhere and no one notices, let alone offers any reward for the effort.

Haman felt the same way. He had been given a position of authority in the kingdom of Xerxes and wanted everyone to bow down and honour him as he passed by. Haman's reaction to no being honoured by Mordecai was to become enraged. "When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him honour, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes." (Est 3:5-6) Haman went further than being enraged - he wanted to kill off the whole of Mordecai's race.

How do we react to not getting the recognition we think we deserve? Do we act like Mordecai and let our anger and rage carry us away in a tantrum of vengeance? Do we bottle it up, waiting for an opportunity to get even? Do we grumble and moan? Do we refuse to do our best?

Jesus was not given the recognition he deserved when he walked this earth, but instead of acting selfishly, he forgave those who wronged him and continued on with his mission. Let us do likewise.

PRAY FIRST

"The best I can do is pray." What do we see when we read a statement like that? Do we see someone who is at their wits end and as a last resort thinks they will try praying? Or do we see someone whose greatest effort and first port of call is to fall on their knees and pray? No doubt we fall into one of those categories ourselves. Prayer is often either our first thought, or our last resort.

As far as Esther was concerned, prayer needed to be her first line of action. When faced with the dilemma of losing her people and potentially her own life, she could either go straight to the king, relying on her own beauty and charm, or she could pray for the strength of God before she took any action. She chose to pray. And it wasn't a quick, sleepy, prayer before bed time, either. Esther and her maids, and all the Jews in Susa, spent three whole days fasting and praying. She said, "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (Est 4:15-16)

Let us, like Esther, make sure that prayer (and even fasting), are a first port of call for us, and not a last resort.

Est 3,Est 4.

You may have noticed in reading this book that God is never mentioned in it. Are there things that happen in these 2 chapters that strongly imply a belief in God without stating it? Why, do you suppose, might the writer of this book purposely have avoided referring to God when He is so obviously there - directing and controlling so much of what is happening?

God can pretty obviously be seen as being behind many of the events as recorded in this book. Two that stand out in this section of the book are found in Mordecai's response to Esther's understandable (!) misgivings about approaching the king without being called - found in 4:12-14.

"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

What can easily be read into this is Mordecai's unflinching belief in God and the fact that he knows that Esther too believes in Him. Along with this is God's promises to their ancestors that the race would always be preserved and that a Savior Seed would eventually come from their own people. His question at the end also presupposes his understanding of how God works in situations like this - through an agent of His that he believed Esther to be.

Also Esther's reply (4:15,16) to gather together all the Jews in Susa to fast for her for three days strongly suggests prayer to God along with the fasting. And therefore the unstated point was to seek many other believers in God to join together in petitioning Him for His help in this crucial matter. Compare Paul's words in Col 4:2-4. Even Jesus couples prayer and fasting in his words in Mat. 17:21 -

" This kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting."

And according to the Law of Moses, fasting was commanded for the Jews on one day a year - the Day of Atonement.

As to the second question - Why would the writer purposely avoid referring to God? - we simply aren't told, and so the following is just a guess. But suppose in that area of Persia when the writer decided to put down in writing this amazing story, he was given license to do so by the king with the caveat that no mention of Israel's God be in it. The story could still be told and circulated - and this needed to be done - but the king's conditions, of necessity, had to be heeded. This seems pretty likely to me when one considers the amazingly broad powers that Ahasuerus had during the story. So I would assume that if the book was written shortly afterward, his successor would have similar all-encompassing powers. So maybe (?) the writer was given freedom to do so but any references to Israel's God would somehow lessen the king's status as a god to his people and therefore that condition was put in place and met by the author.

3:1     The promotion of Haman is yet another  step in the ongoing plan of God to exalt the Jews and subdue the Agagite Haman. Again the king would have no thought about God’s plan. Doubtless the king would have thought the idea was his alone.

Est 3:1-5 – After the execution for treason of two of the king’s chamberlains, Est.3:1 “After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman…”  This suggests that Haman’s promotion was to strengthen the king’s authority in his court.  Haman was given the highest position in the king’s court over all the princes.

 Mordecai was set aside and forgotten, he was not rewarded by the king for exposing the plot to kill him. In the purpose of God Mordecai’s elevation was to come later (Esther 6).

Mordecai who sat in the king’s gate was accused of transgressing the king’s commandment.  Each day he refused to bow down and give reverence to Haman.  Mordecai was a man of faith who trusted God.  Like king David he knew that allegiance must only be to the Lord our creator (Psa 95:6). Mordecai's faith is an exhortation for us.

After 12 months of (casting lot) or consulting their horoscope Haman wrote a decree against the Jews on the 13^th day of the first month (Est 3:12) to destroy all the Jews.  The promises that God made to Abraham to bless the Jews could not be thwarted by Haman.  It is interesting that in exactly 66 days Mordecai was to write a letter reversing the orders of Haman, compare Est 3:12 with Est 8:9.  We can see the silent hand of God has been at work down the centuries to preserve the Jews because they are His witnesses (Isa 43:10-11).  We can have confidence that God is in control of human affairs.  All things work together for good for those that love God (Rom 8:28). 

 4:6  So maybe Esther had been raised up for this particular purpose. However there was no presumption. She encouraged that prayers be made for her.

3:6     In seeking to destroy all the Jews Haman had sealed his own fate. The prophet had said –Jer 30:11 - though I make a full end of all nations I will not make a full end of you.

3:3-4   One has to understand that Mordecai doubtless said more than simply that he was a Jew.  The ‘matter’ that was to be tested would be the whole of what Mordecai had said.  Her is an example of where a person’s behaviour which is motivated by the gospel prompts people to ask (about his faith). This should encourage us to live in ways which might stimulate questions from those around us.

3:13     Notice the date – it was the date of the evening of the Passover when Israel came out of Egypt.

3:8    Haman generalises from Mordecai’s refusal to bow down to state the Jews do not observe the king’s laws. However this was not. Jeremiah had encouraged the people to observe the laws and seek for the good of the country to which they were carried captive – Jer 29:5-7

4:1     In rending his clothes it would become apparent to everyone who saw him that Mordecai, the Jew, did not agree with the decree of the king. In so doing, one might conclude, he was putting his life in immediate danger. Do we hide our faith in order to make our lives easier?

3:1 the description “Agagite” is only found in the book of Esther and the name “Agag” is only found in the historical record of 1Sam 15 which should help us to focus on the connection between Saul’s ill-judged behaviour towards Agag and the end of Haman as recorded in the book of Esther.

3:4-5 Haman’s reaction to Mordecai’s refusal to rise matches Ahasuerus’s reaction when Vashti would not come into the banquet. See 1:17-18 – His pride, like that of Ahasuerus, had been dented. We are being reminded of the consequences of the human weakness of pride. It becomes all-consuming and destructive.

3:1 in telling us that Haman as an “Agagite” reminds us of the counsel of Balaam and association with Agag –Num 24:7and God’s command to Saul where the king of the Amalakites was called “Agag” – 1Sam 15:8 We are here being introduced to a major theme in the book of Esther – the destruction of the Amalakites headed up here by an Agagite.

3:7  Notice that it was the end of the 7^th year that Esther was made queen but it was not for almost another 5 years before it became clear why Esther had been made queen, from God[s perspective.

God was planning the deliverance of His people long before Haman had his evil thought. God was in control though men knew it not.

We should be aware in our day that our Father is still in control of events for the wellbeing of His servants.

3:9  By now the first wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem but there were still a very large number of Jesus remaining in the province of Babylon. That Haman could offer 10,000 talents of silver, which presumably he was going to confiscate from the Jews who he planned to kill, and still make a profit for himself indicate the great wealth the some Jews had accumulated whilst in captivity for seventy years. Maybe an indication as to why they chose to remain in the provinces of Babylon when the first wave of exiles were allowed, nay encouraged, to return to the land of Israel.

v.1 - The significance, presumably, of summer fruit as a picture is their transience. They, unlike the fruits of later in the year, will not keep through the winter. Here is a picture of the way that Israel were ripe for destruction - the would not last until the winter, as it were.

8:7 The condemnation of Isaiah the prophet regarding the making of idols is reflected also in the language of his contemporaries Isaiah 40:19 Hosea 8:6

v.3 - We cannot read scripture like this and the go away thinking that God cares for human life. God only cares for those who turn to Him. Whatever we, as possessors of human life, might think about the sanctity of the life of our neighbour, God's view is quite clear. We are worth nothing if we do not turn to Him and give ourselves to His service.

8:9 The sun going down at noon answers to the time of the darkness at the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27:45) The mourning for the 'only son' (8:10) is a mourning for Jesus. The Hebrew for 'Only son' is rarely used in Scripture and is always prophetic of Jesus - Genesis 22:2 Zechariah 12:10 Psalm 22:20 (darling)

8:3 That the bodies would be cast forth 'with silence' is an indication that when the final overthrow of Judah's commonwealth was to come there would be no prophet there lamenting the fall. Of course the fall came when the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem. There is no indication of any lamentation over this in all of the New testament.

Amos 8:1-2 'A basket of summer fruit'. I recall Brother Anthony Oosthuisen at a Bible School talking about this, on the face of it, beautiful and innocuous picture. Brother Anthony drew attention to Deuteronomy 26:1-3 and suggested the point here is that all Amos saw was a single basket, his own perhaps, when there should have been a myriad, one from every family in Israel. The vision was a picture illustrating the paucity of their giving to God, contrasted with the wealth lavished on themselves in ch. 6.

8:4-5 In speaking of those who 'swallow up the needy' we might think that the prophet is speaking of Judah's enemies. However he is speaking of the priests! They were the ones who wanted the Sabbath to be over so that they could get back to their trading.

V.11 - a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. After Malachi there was no word from God for circa 400 years.

V.11 The famine of the Word of God was a just retribution for those who had so blatantly turned a deaf ear to the words of the prophets, and even tried to get rid of them, as Amaziah had done (Amos 7:12)

Vs.11-13 talk about a period of spiritual darkness. This period occurred between the last writing of the Old Testament (around 400 BC) and the birth of Christ (4 BC). During this time, the Old Testament Apocryphal books were written. The Roman Catholic Church includes them as scriptural canon. But they cannot be included in the canon of scripture because the prophecy of Amos precludes it.

8:10 After the death of Jesus prophesied in :9 Jerusalem was to be overthrown. This happened when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and burned the temple. It was at that time that their songs were turned ‘into lamentation’.

The day of darkness in v9 is unlikely to be literal darkness, but a reference similar to v11. There would be an absence of the light of the word of God, just as there was to be a famine of that word. In a way this darkness was necessary so that at the coming of Jesus his light would seem all the brighter in contrast. Jesus came at a very dark time as John 1:5 and 3:19-20 testify. One would expect those who had been in spiritual darkness to crave the company of Jesus but instead most people preferred the comfort of their un-enlightened minds. This can be the case with us too. How often do we open our bibles in order to chase away the shadows of our dark thoughts? Do we leave the bible closed so that we can take refuge in those shadowy corners where nothing will expose what we are really thinking?

8:4   Israel never changed! In Amos’ day they ‘swallowed up the needy’ In Jesus’ day they ‘devoured widows houses’

8:8-9 As a result of Israel's sins the land had to tremble, and its people would be swept away as by the overflowing Nile. The sun would go down at noon, and the earth would be darkened during the day. This poetic image for their utter desolation; the result of their selfishness in their heartless approach to the poor, and their Heavenly Father's displeasure with their ways.

Vs.1,2 The figure of fruit is appropriate to Amos' experience as he used to be a gatherer of fruit (7:14). Israel, described as summer fruit, was now ripe for the picking. Compare the language here to that of Nahum's later warning to Judah (Nah 3:12).

8:5-6 The ‘new moon’ was a feast which meant that all trade was to stop. It was a Sabbath. However the wicked wished for the end of the Sabbath feast so they could continue trading. However their trading was not the normal day to day activities of a normal trader. They were involved in Godless exploitation, just as Amos has already reproved – Amos 2:6.

8:5 False balances were an abomination to God Prov 11:1 but men were putting personal gain above pleasing God. We can do that by putting our careers, house, family etc: before God.

8:6 In speaking of buying the poor’ the prophet is returning to the reason why Israel were to be punished. He mentioned this already in Amos 2:6

8:5-6   The desire that the feasts would be over so that they could trade actually happened – Lam 1:4– but not as they wanted. They ceased because Israel were taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

8:14  In talking about swearing by ‘the sin of Samaria’ and then speaking of the god of Dan and Beersheba we see that Judah is being faulted for following the ways of the kingdom of Israel in the north who worshipped idols.

8:7     The phrase “excellency of Jacob” occurs a number of times in Scripture  Psa 47:4, Amos 6:8 and , Nah 2:2 and in this verse. What does it mean?  Jacob changed from being a deceiver to being a faithful servant of God. God describes him as “plain” (Perfect) Gen 25:27. It is his faithfulness that is being spoken of in that statement.

8:1-2  The basket of summer fruits represented Israel. The idea of a basket of fruits is that of fruitfulness. However the nation were not bringing fruit to God at the time of Amos so they were going to go into captivity. 

8:5      In speaking of falsifying the balance Amos is drawing on the injunction of the law – Lev 19:36

8:10   Notice the famine is not of people speaking the word of God. It is a famine of those who are willing to listen to the word of God. Amos is speaking of a time when Israel would shut their ears to the word of God. This time can be seen in the time of Jesus – Matt 13:15, Mark 4:12 and in the days of the Apostle Paul – Acts 28:27

Amos 8:11,12

“Behold the days come saith the Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh),that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, not a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD (Yahweh). And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD (Yahweh),and shall not find it.”

Amos prophesied to the northern tribes of Israel after they broke from Judah. Travelling from sea to sea most likely meant from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea, east to west. They were also prepared to travel from north to east. The only direction they weren't prepared to go was south. Why?

King Jeroboam of Israel devised his own religious system and led the northern ten tribes into gross idolatry. Jeroboam appointed his own priesthood, established his own feast days, and created his own centers of worship and thereby removed the need for the Israelites to travel south to Judah (Yahudah).

While the Israelites were willing to seek the word of Yahweh, they were unwilling to go to where they actually needed to be, and that is in the Temple at Jerusalem. They wanted the word, but on their own terms; they wanted the truth, but were not willing to humble themselves and go to the Temple where Yahweh was. As a result, they could not find the words of Yahweh.

8:8     Amos was speaking “two years before the earthquake” that come in Uzziah’s reign. So the land trembling had a literal fulfilment a short while after Amos spoke.

8:1     When God here, as in Amos 7:8, says he will not any more pass by Israel He is saying that he will no more overlook their sins.

Amos 8:2

“And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people Israel; I will not again pass by them anymore.”