“Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!  For what good is the day of the LORD to you?  It will be darkness and not light.  It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him!  Or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him!” (Amos 5:18-19).

The phrase “the day of the LORD” occurs throughout the Bible.  It is used frequently in the prophets.  It refers to the day of judgment.  The specific judgment varies depending on the context.  It is used of judgment upon nations, for example: Babylon (Isaiah 13:1, 6, 9, 13); Edom (Isaiah 34:6, 8); Egypt (Jeremiah 46:1-2, 10; Ezekiel 30:1-6); and even Judah (Joel 1:15; 2:1; 2:11; 2:31 cf. Matthew 24:29).  It also seems to be used of the final, ultimate judgment (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2).

In Amos 5, they desire the day of judgment to come.  They probably thought that the day would be against their enemies.  However, this day would not be for their deliverance.  They themselves would be condemned. 

Can you imagine fleeing from a lion (which may be up to 4 feet tall at the shoulders, 10 feet long, and weigh 400-500 pounds), only to be met by a bear (a brown bear may be 3-5 feet at the shoulders, 5-7 feet in length, and stand 9 feet tall, and weigh 1,000 – 1,500 pounds)?  Can you imagine fleeing into a house for safety, only to be bit by a serpent (the Inland Taipan is considered the most venomous.  The Saw-scaled viper is considered the most deadly, killing the most people each year)? 

The day of the LORD would be terrifying for them, if they did not repent.  Danger would be everywhere.  They, as a nation, would not escape the judgment of the LORD.  They would go into captivity (Amos 5:27).

Application for us: (1) Some people can see the sins of others, but not their own.  They think that others should be punished, but not themselves.  Let us not be like this.  If repentance is needed, let us repent before judgment comes.  The LORD plead with them, “Seek Me and live” (Amos 5:4).  (2) If one is not right with God on the day of judgment, there will be no escape.  Therefore, Amos pleaded, “Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph and devour it with no one to quench it in Bethel” (Amos 5:6).