Midrash sur Amos 3:8

(Ib. b) The Caesar said unto R. Joshua b. Chanania: "Your God is likened unto a lion, as the passage says (Amos 3, 8) The Lion hath roared, who will not fear. What is there remarkable about it? Does not a hunter kill a lion?" "He is not likened unto an ordinary lion," was the reply of R. Joshua; "but He is likened unto the lion of the forest of Ilai." "If so then I would like to see such a lion," came the request of the Caesar. "You cannot see it," R. Joshua answered. "But I must see it," insisted the Caesar. Whereupon R. Joshua prayed and caused the lion [of the forest Ilai] to move from its place. When it reached a distance of four hundred Parsahs [from Rome] it gave forth a roar which caused miscarriage to the pregnant women and the tower of Rome to tremble to the point of falling. When it reached three hundred Parsahs, it gave forth another roar, which caused the falling out of the teeth of every person, and the Caesar himself fell off the throne. The Caesar then said to R. Joshua: "I beg of thee, pray for mercy that it should return back to its place." R. Joshua thereupon prayed and it caused the lion to return to its place.

And the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace (Exod. 19:18). What furnace? Perhaps it is comparable to this furnace? Therefore Scripture says: And the mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11). Why then does Scripture say Of a furnace? It does so only in order to transmit to the ear that which it can comprehend. Similarly it says: The lion hath roared, who will not fear (Amos 3:8), yet who instilled strength and power in the lion, if not He? We describe Him by the qualities given to His creations, so that the ear may hear what it is able to comprehend. Likewise, Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east; and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth did shine with His glory (Ezek. 43:2). Who instilled strength and force into the waters? Was it not He? Here again we describe Him merely by the qualities possessed by His creations, so that the ear may comprehend (what it hears).

“To whom the word of the Lord came… until the end of eleven years of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:2-3) R’ Avon said: the lion (ari) came up during the constellation of the lion and destroyed Ariel. ‘The lion came up’ refers to Nebuchadnezzar the wicked, as it is written “A lion has come up from his thicket…” (Jeremiah 4:7) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:3) ‘And destroyed Ariel’, “Woe, Ariel, Ariel, the city wherein David encamped!” (Isaiah 29:1) This happened in order that the lion would come in the constellation of the lion and rebuild Ariel. ‘The lion would come’ refers to the Holy One, as it is written “A lion has roared; who will not fear?” (Amos 3:8) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…and I will turn their mourning into joy…” (Jeremiah 31:12) ‘And rebuild Ariel’, “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2)

"and its smoke rose like the smoke of a lime kiln": If "lime kiln" (alone were written) I might think, only as a lime kiln (and not more); it is, therefore, written (Devarim 5:20) "and the mountain burned in fire." Why, then, "like a lime kiln"? To "help" the ear by what it is accustomed to hear. Similarly, (Amos 3:8) "The lion has roared. Who will not fear? (The L rd G d has spoken. Who will not prophesy?") Who has given power and strength to the lion? Is it not He? (i.e., What need have we, then, of epithets?) We use the epithet of His creations to "help" the ear (by what it is accustomed to hear.) Similarly (Ezekiel 43:2) "And the glory of the G d of Israel came by way of the East, His voice like the voice of many waters." Who has given power and strength to the waters? Is it not He? (What need have we, then, of epithets?) We use the epithet of His creations to "help" the ear (by what it is accustomed to hear.)...

... The angels said before the Holy One, ‘Master of the World! Isn’t this Jerusalem?!’ as it is said “This is Jerusalem; in the midst of the nations I have placed her…” (Yechezkel 5:5) He replied to them, “But she exchanged My judgments for wickedness more than the nations…” (Yechezkel 5:6) They said to Him, “But they are Your people and Your inheritance, which You brought out with Your great strength…” (Devarim 9:29) He replied to them, “For My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to vanity…” (Yirmiyahu 18:15) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the forefathers!’ He replied to them, “…the fathers are kindling fire…” (Yirmiyahu 7:18) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the children!’ He replied to them, “But they rebelled against Me and would not consent to hearken to Me…” (Yechezkel 20:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Yehudah!’ “And Judah did what displeased the Lord…” (Melachim I 14:22) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the leaders!’ He replied to them, “Its heads judge for bribes…” (Micha 3:11) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribes!’ He replied to them, ‘and Gad, and Reuven and the half tribe of Menashe…’ They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Dan!’ He replied to them, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image.” (Shoftim 18:30) They said to Him,’ act for the sake of the students!’ He replied to them, “…And those who hold onto the Torah did not know Me…” (Yirmiyahu 2:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the prophets!’ He replied to them, “[It was] for the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests…” (Eicha 4:13) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the kings!’ He replied to them, “And the altars that were on the roof, [the roof of] Ahaz's upper chamber, which the kings of Judah had made…” (Melachim II 23:12) The ministering angels said to Him, ‘act for our sake!’ He replied to them, “But they mocked the messengers of God…” (Divre HaYamim II 36:16) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of Your name which is called upon them!’ He replied to them, ‘they have profaned My holy name.’ They said to Him, ‘You do not want to be appeased, what is the image of their father doing by You?’ “He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel…” (Eicha 2:1) This statement with which they clothed You, what has it done to You?! If the thing were not written, it would be impossible to say “The Lord has done what He devised, He has carried out His word…” (Eicha 2:17) They said to Him, ‘Master of the World! Is this not Jerusalem about whom you wrote “Behold on [My] hands have I engraved you…”’ (Yeshayahu 49:16) He replied to them, “I, too, shall clap My hands, one upon the other, and I shall put My fury to rest…” (Yechezkel 21:22) Since Zion saw that He did not want to be appeased, she started up and said “The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." (Yeshayahu 49:14) May it be Your will Lord our God and God of our fathers that Your Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, that your Presence return within it, that You gather my exiles from the four corners of the world, that they rebuild the cities of Yehudah and settle Shechem and inherit it speedily. Amen.