Amos 7:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Adamant, being enduring and unbreakable, cannot be shattered by rocks, nor can it succumb to the aggressive forces of the earth, and it may even disregard the power of fire. The One who stood upon the barrier held adamantine in His hand and inquired of the prophet, “What do you see, Amose?” Upon the prophet’s acknowledgment of the substance (he replied: adamantine), the Lord affirmed His purpose to reveal this to Israel. By "adamantine," we can interpret either the Assyrian—fierce and formidable, divinely ordained to this state (for the Lord of might grants strength to anyone He chooses)—or the enduring and omnipotent Word of God, which cannot be rendered void or ineffective. What the Lord determines will come to fruition undeterred. The Lord assured, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

He also proclaimed that He would not spare Israel; He would hold them accountable for their transgressions without delay, delivering them into the hands of adversaries, along with their places of worship, altars, and idols. He spoke of the trebishets of laughter destined for destruction. In truth, laughter represents the essence of idol worship, but I suggest that by laughter we refer specifically to Veelphegor, emblematic of disgraceful idolatry. In this representation, the disgrace of idol-making is laid bare. Hence, the altars will fall, along with the fruitless efforts of Israel, signifying their idolatrous practices, detestable and harmful ordinances.

It was likewise made evident that Jeroboam, adorned with royal acclaim, would also face ruin alongside his deities. It is important to note that this refers to a different Jeroboam, the son of Joash, not the son of Nebat as previously mentioned. This interpretation ties back to the historical narrative.

Yet, the true adamantine is Christ, the Lord of strength, possessing an invincible stronghold, subduing His foes and vanquishing His adversaries, unassailable by anyone. He stands as the chosen stone among humanity, having walked among us and thus was called by the angel “Immanuel,” meaning "God is with us" (Matthew 1:23). He was present with us through His incarnation, and as the adamantine stone, He overcame the dominion of darkness, obliterating the forces of derision. When Immanuel appeared, He illuminated the heavens with the light of true understanding, revealing Himself as the image and likeness of the Father. Consequently, the shadows of ancient malevolence retreated; the chief of wickedness, known as Satan, fell from power, and the loathsome, God-opposing idolatry vanished.

The altars of mirth shall be shattered, the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise up with the sword against the house of Jeroboam."

Before addressing the term "diamond," which is a translation provided by Symmachus and the LXX instead of the original Hebrew "enach," it is worth mentioning that Abila translated this as γάvωσιν, and Theodotion as τηκόμενον. The first denotes "the shining of tin," and the latter signifies "melting." As we read in Ezekiel, the frying-pan symbolizes that the people would suffer as if roasted during the siege. Hence, tin here refers to the ten tribes and the kingdom of Jeroboam, the grandson of Jehu, under whom this vision was granted to the prophet. In the vision, the Lord stands upon a wall adorned with tin or plaster, holding a tin plumb line or plasterer's trowel, an instrument used to beautify and reinforce walls against rain and storms.

In Ezekiel, the Lord threatens that in times of storm and hail, He will not cover the wall of Israel but will allow it to be destroyed by rain. Thus, He, who is referred to as the builder of the wall, the cornerstone, and the architect of the house, declares that He will place the trowel among His people Israel and allow it to remain unused, withdrawing His protection. When the Lord lets the trowel lie idle, He effectively removes His shield from them, leading to the destruction of the heights of idolatry, referred to in Hebrew as ‘bamoth,’ the desolation of the sanctuaries of the ten tribes, and the downfall of Dan and Bethel, where the golden calves were worshipped.

Having outlined the historical significance according to Jewish tradition, let us now shift to the deeper, mystical meaning. Xenocrates describes the properties of both common and precious stones, stating that the diamond (Adamas) is indestructible. It rivals iron in strength; striking it with a hammer is more likely to damage the hammer and anvil than the diamond itself. Fire, which consumes all, only fortifies the diamond, leaving it unblemished. A small grain-sized diamond set in gold remains unaffected by time, while the surrounding gold may decay. Diamonds can only lose their strength when submerged in goat's blood. They are diminutive and unremarkable in appearance, having the hue of iron with a crystalline luster.

There are four kinds of diamonds: Indian, Arabian, Macedonian, and Cypriot, each differing in hardness based on their geographical origin. They are also believed to counteract poisons and resist sorcery. Such is the Lord and Savior, who, though equal to God, humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant and likeness of humanity, becoming obedient to the point of death, even that of the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). Isaiah proclaimed, "He has no form, nor beauty… despised, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:2). He stands on the wall of diamonds, representing His saints and apostles, whom He has granted the title of diamonds, enabling them, through no trial, to say, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Romans 8:35).

Again, it is written that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor any other created being can sever us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Furthermore, Peter, who embodied the strongest diamond, remained unyielding against the gates of hell (Matthew 16). The Lord, standing on the mountain of diamonds, holds a diamond that loses its strength only when God’s hand is not upon it, as it is stated in the Gospel, "No one can snatch them out of My Father's hand" (John 10:29). This diamond possesses such fortitude that it is said, "When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned" (Isaiah 43:2).

As trials increase, so does its resilience, and the afflicted rejoice in the name of the Savior. Nothing can conquer it, except for the insatiable flame of desire, for it is mentioned that the blood of the goat is particularly susceptible to lust, and it is this blood that alone can weaken what fire cannot vanquish. This is the type of diamond the Lord places among His people Israel, ensuring He will no longer circumvent it nor spare the altars of mockery and derision, as the sword will strike and obliterate every hidden secret of the heretics and the house of Jeroboam, who first caused division among the people of God.

Upon hearing these words from the Prophet, Amasiah, the priest of Bethel, worried that the people, fearing God’s threats and turning towards repentance, might abandon idol worship. This would jeopardize his own interests, so he denounced the Prophet to the king, adding deceit to the Prophet's true message.