A Call To Consider YHWH's Glory And Power (Amos 5:8-9).
Amos's view was that it was time that they considered with Whom they were dealing. He has already made it clear in Amos 4:13, and the description here follows a similar pattern while dealing with different aspects of creation.
“(Seek him) who makes the Pleiades and Orion,
And turns the shadow of death into the morning,
And makes the day dark with night,
Who calls for the waters of the sea,
And pours them out on the face of the earth,
YHWH is his name.
Who brings sudden destruction on the strong,
So that destruction comes on the fortress.”
The initial verb is read in on the basis of the emphasis in the passage (Amos 5:4; Amos 5:6; Amos 5:14). And his purpose is to remind them that they are dealing with the God Who made the heavens, not as gods but as stars (Genesis 1:16). Both the prominent star clusters (Pleiades and Orion, or similar constellations, there are differing opinions, as to which star clusters are in mind both here and in Job 9:9; Job 38:31 as the old versions reveal) were created by Him, for He is the Creator of all. It is He Who brings morning once the night has finished its time, and Who closes the day by once again introducing night. Thus He has command of night and day, but with the added thought that He can turn the day into darkness at will. Furthermore He controls the waters of the sea, summoning them and pouring them out on the earth, both as rain, and in catastrophes similar to the Flood (see Psalms 29). To Israelites the controlling of the sea was one sure and certain evidence of YHWH's power, for they feared the sea (e.g. Psalms 65:7; Psalms 78:16; Psalms 89:9; Psalms 93:4; Job 38:10-11). So this is revealed as none other than YHWH, Who alone controls all the most important aspects of creation. And in the same way He can bring sudden destruction on the strong, so that even the strong fortress is destroyed. Thus His power is ultimate.