In chapter 4 of the Book of Amos, verses 1-3 are talking about people who pervert the truths of the church. They will fall into falsities in outermost things.

In the Bible, fish represent "lower" things than mammals, so we can interpret the fishhooks in verse 2 as meaning being caught and held fast in natural or lower things.

Verses 4-6 are about acts of worship such as tithes and sacrifices. These look similar to genuine worship, but are only external sorts of things. We can tell because ‘teeth’ (in verse 6) represent ultimates or outermost things (see Secrets of Heaven 6380). It follows that “cleanness of teeth” would mean outermost things that look good but only imitate genuine worship. The Lord exhorts, “Yet you have not returned to me.”

Verses 7-8. Some things true will remain, when where there are too many false ideas, the truths don't get through. This can be seen where the Lord says, “I made it rain on one city; I withheld rain from another city... where it did not rain the part withered.” Again the Lord exhorts, “Yet you have not returned to me.”

Verse 9. Afterward all things of the church are falsified, shown by blight attacking the gardens, vineyards, fig tree and olive trees. The last three represent spiritual, natural and celestial things, or all the things of spiritual life. “Yet you have not returned to me,” says the Lord.

Verses 10-11. The Lord explains the devastating things he allowed to happen: plague in Egypt, death of young men by swords, stench in the camps, Sodom and Gomorrah. This is because they are profaned by sensual knowledges. Profanation means the mixing of good and evil together. (See Secrets of Heaven 1001[2]).

This extends to all things of the church, with the church being the Lord’s kingdom on earth (Secrets of Heaven 768[3]).

With profanation “as soon as any idea of what is holy arises, the idea of what is profane joins immediately to it,” (Secrets of Heaven 301).

Now there is hardly anything left. “Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord again.

Verses 12-13: Because people adamantly remain in their profane ways, they are warned, “Prepare to meet your God!”. This is the God powerful and mighty, “who forms mountains, and creates the wind,” and even more close to home, “Who declares to man what his thought is.” As intimately a knowing as that is, the Lord’s love for all humanity is contained in His exhortations for them to turn themselves to Him.

See, for example, Luke 6:44-45, and True Christian Religion 373.

34. I was on the island called Patmos. This symbolizes a state and place in which he could be enlightened.

The revelation to John occurred on Patmos because it was an island in Greece, not far from the land of Canaan, and between Asia and Europe; and islands symbolize nations relatively removed from the worship of God, but which will yet accede to it, because they can be enlightened. Greece has a similar meaning. But the church itself is meant by the land of Canaan. Asia symbolizes those of the church who from the Word have the light of truth, and Europe those to whom the Word will come. The island of Patmos accordingly symbolizes a state and place in which John could be enlightened.

That islands in the Word symbolize nations relatively removed from the worship of God, but which will yet accede to it, is apparent from the following passages:

In the Urim honor Jehovah, in the islands of the sea the name of... the God of Israel. (Isaiah 24:14)

He will not extinguish nor break in pieces till He has set judgment in the earth, and the islands hope in His law... Sing to Jehovah a new song..., let the islands and the inhabitants of them... give glory to Jehovah, and declare His praise in the islands. (Isaiah 42:4, 10, 12)

Listen, O islands, to Me, and... you peoples from afar! (Isaiah 49:1)

The islands will hope in Me, and on My arm they will trust. (Isaiah 51:5)

...In Me the islands will trust, and the ships of Tarshish... (Isaiah 60:9)

Hear the words of Jehovah, O nations, and declare them in the islands afar off. (Jeremiah 31:10)

...that they may worship Jehovah, each one in his place, all the islands of the nations. (Zephaniah 2:11)

And elsewhere.

That Greece has also a similar meaning is not so apparent from the Word, because Greece is mentioned only in Daniel 8:21; 10:20; 11:2, ¹ as also in John 12:20, Mark 7:26. ²

That the land of Canaan means the Lord's church, which is therefore called "the Holy Land" and "the heavenly Canaan," is apparent from many places in the Word.

That Asia means those in the church who from the Word have the light of truth, may be seen in no. 11 above. And that Europe means those to whom the Word will come, follows.

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