What was the straw that broke the camel’s back? I was surprised to learn that the phrase, which goes back to a 17th century religious debate, was originally “the last feather may be said to break a horses back”. It was made in the middle of a debate on the question of causality. The debater’s argument was about outcomes being good or bad based on the totality of actions rather than “the last feather”, which may appear to have caused the collapse or tipped the scales in the right direction. 200 years later it became popularized as “the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Regardless, the meaning is the same; the accumulation of many small things is usually the ultimate cause of a particular outcome.

The issue of causality is an important discussion with respect to the fate of nations and individuals. We’ve been studying the message of the prophet Amos, who was sent to the nation of Israel during the prosperous days of King Jeroboam II. Because of their prosperity they believed in themselves as especially favored of God, despite their idolatrous perversion of Jehovah worship and absolute disregard for the poor and needy.

The first section of Amos, chapters 1 – 6, was didactic in nature. More like modern sermons presenting a message of judgment for sin and making supporting arguments. Chapters 7-9 shift the method of presentation by recording a series of visions of the coming judgment, though briefly interrupted by a confrontation with the religious leaders in Bethel (their religious capital).

The first three visions describe the process of how the straw (or feather) broke the camel’s back with respect to God’s condemnation of Israel for sin and how they were marching inexorably toward destruction.

Vision one was a locust plague being sent by God, but withdrawn after a passionate plea by Amos (Amos 7:1-3). Vision two was a consuming fire sweeping across the land, but, once again, this was withdrawn after Amos begged God for mercy (Amos 7:4-6).

The last vision (Amos 7:7-9) was a plumb line (a string with a weight used to see if a wall is straight). By now the camel’s back was broken and God didn’t give Amos an opportunity to plea for Israel.

“Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel. I will spare them no longer. The high places of Isaac will be desolated and the sanctuaries of Israel laid waste. Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” Amos 7:8-9

Is God’s plumb line checking us? If every sin is a straw, every disobedience a feather, when will America’s back break as God declares “I will spare them no longer”? What about yours and mine?