So you must tell them this: ‘The Lord GOD says, I will not delay any longer. If I say something will happen, it will happen!’” This is what the Lord GOD said.
That’s because I am the Lord, and if I say something will happen, it will happen! I will not wait any longer. Those troubles are coming soon—in your own lifetime. Hear me, you people who always refuse to obey! When I say something, I make it happen.” This is what the Lord GOD said.
He said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come to my people Israel. I will not ignore their sins anymore.
I will punish them for the bad things they did. But I am saving that punishment for when they slip and do bad things. Their time of trouble is near. Their punishment will come quickly.’
In the past I watched over Israel and Judah, but I watched for the time to pull them up. I tore them down. I destroyed them. I gave many troubles to them. But now I will watch over them to build them up and make them strong.” This message is from the Lord.
In the same way, my words leave my mouth, and they don’t come back without results. My words make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do.
The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see figs. The good figs are very good, and the rotten figs are very rotten. They are too rotten to eat.”