Nothing good comes from evil intentions.”
–Duane Boehm (Hand of Fate)
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
–Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
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In 1948, the Jewish nation was restored, but there was no king, priest, temple, or sacrifices. This will change; in the future, the dynasty of David will again sit on the throne. Amos has been prophesying dire warnings and destruction now he ends his book with the promise of hope, the promise of restoration.
9.11 — “On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old;
.12 — That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” says the LORD who does this thing.
.13 — “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.
.14 — I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
.15 — I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. (NKJV)
This book has been dominated by “dark clouds of judgment ends with this more cheerful message of hope.” (Craigie) God promises a new beginning for a remnant. The tone has changed from judgment to hope. Amos, too, looked forward to the coming David–the Messiah. It is not yet, but it is still promised, therefore, it will come. Peter Craigie states, “A day is still to come…in which the people will be restored to their land, there to live in God’s bounty and prosperity.”
There are five promises in this prophecy:
1) the tabernacle or booth of David will be built–since it is David we know that this is in reference to the Messiah who is from the line of David.
2) power over all the old enemies–the kingdom will be enlarged; it will also include Gentiles (hmmm, the Church of the Redeemed)
3) there will be prosperity and bounty for the land–in the future reign of Christ, the curse will be removed from the land.
4) captives will be brought back–notice the “I wills” of these verses and know that God will make it happen. “He is the source and sustainer of the restoration.” (Ogilvie)
5) the covenant of the chosen people will be remembered–following the coming judgment there is the promise of a new beginning. As Matthew Henry states, “The kingdom of the Messiah shall take such deep rooting in the world, as to never be rooted out of it.”
A short, few verses that bring hope and promise to the chosen ones of God. Oh yes, they would face the judgment of their vile fruits. There is a cost of being chosen; we have been appointed to live holy, righteous lives, and it would do us well to remember that. Lloyd Ogilvie says, “We, like Israel are accountable to Him for what we do with the blessings He bestows on us.”
We bring to a conclusion this powerful book. Gary G. Cohen has this to say in closing, “Let this ending scorch its strong lesson upon the heart of every reader, to make sure he has come to the foot of the cross and by faith has embraced Christ’s forgiveness. Let every reader be sure that he is standing secure upon the ground of God’s blessings, rather than upon the land of sin and rebellion, wherein only sorrow and grief abide. As in the case of Israel, there is fullness of blessing only when Jehovah is in truth your God.”
What happened to Amos? Did he go back to his herds and farm? Did he continue to act as a prophet? That we do not know, but we know that he brought forth God’s message in a powerful way. Kyle Yates leaves us with what I call: Practical Lessons of Permanent Value.
1) Men displease God by hollow, insincere worship.
2) Nations and individuals that have been favored are laden with corresponding responsibilities.
3) God is gracious and patient in warning us.
4) Social injustice is intolerable to God.
5) Sin must be punished. Men must suffer.
6) Ease, luxury, and idleness lead to open sin.
7) Possessing power over others creates grave dangers.
8) In any emergency God can raise up an effective prophet to do His will.
9) The discipline of the desert is valuable. What a great service the wilderness did to Amos!
10) God amply warns before He brings judgment, but He does not speak and warn endlessly.
11) Farley states in closing: “Our solemn assemblies may still be despised by Yahweh. Whenever mere ritual and form are allowed to take the place of filial communion with God and moral obedience, our worship will be as lightly esteemed by Him as was the worship of Israel long ago, and our sanctuaries will fall, as did the ancient high places. Our churches will be empty, their services despised, and the heart and mind of men will turn for sustenance elsewhere.”
—————————–
In 1948, the Jewish nation was restored, but there was no king, priest, temple, or sacrifices. This will change; in the future, the dynasty of David will again sit on the throne. Amos has been prophesying dire warnings and destruction now he ends his book with the promise of hope, the promise of restoration.
9.11 — “On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old;
.12 — That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” says the LORD who does this thing.
.13 — “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.
.14 — I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
.15 — I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. (NKJV)
This book has been dominated by “dark clouds of judgment ends with this more cheerful message of hope.” (Craigie) God promises a new beginning for a remnant. The tone has changed from judgment to hope. Amos, too, looked forward to the coming David–the Messiah. It is not yet, but it is still promised, therefore, it will come. Peter Craigie states, “A day is still to come…in which the people will be restored to their land, there to live in God’s bounty and prosperity.”
There are five promises in this prophecy:
1) the tabernacle or booth of David will be built–since it is David we know that this is in reference to the Messiah who is from the line of David.
2) power over all the old enemies–the kingdom will be enlarged; it will also include Gentiles (hmmm, the Church of the Redeemed)
3) there will be prosperity and bounty for the land–in the future reign of Christ, the curse will be removed from the land.
4) captives will be brought back–notice the “I wills” of these verses and know that God will make it happen. “He is the source and sustainer of the restoration.” (Ogilvie)
5) the covenant of the chosen people will be remembered–following the coming judgment there is the promise of a new beginning. As Matthew Henry states, “The kingdom of the Messiah shall take such deep rooting in the world, as to never be rooted out of it.”
A short, few verses that bring hope and promise to the chosen ones of God. Oh yes, they would face the judgment of their vile fruits. There is a cost of being chosen; we have been appointed to live holy, righteous lives, and it would do us well to remember that. Lloyd Ogilvie says, “We, like Israel are accountable to Him for what we do with the blessings He bestows on us.”
We bring to a conclusion this powerful book. Gary G. Cohen has this to say in closing, “Let this ending scorch its strong lesson upon the heart of every reader, to make sure he has come to the foot of the cross and by faith has embraced Christ’s forgiveness. Let every reader be sure that he is standing secure upon the ground of God’s blessings, rather than upon the land of sin and rebellion, wherein only sorrow and grief abide. As in the case of Israel, there is fullness of blessing only when Jehovah is in truth your God.”
What happened to Amos? Did he go back to his herds and farm? Did he continue to act as a prophet? That we do not know, but we know that he brought forth God’s message in a powerful way. Kyle Yates leaves us with what I call: Practical Lessons of Permanent Value.
1) Men displease God by hollow, insincere worship.
2) Nations and individuals that have been favored are laden with corresponding responsibilities.
3) God is gracious and patient in warning us.
4) Social injustice is intolerable to God.
5) Sin must be punished. Men must suffer.
6) Ease, luxury, and idleness lead to open sin.
7) Possessing power over others creates grave dangers.
8) In any emergency God can raise up an effective prophet to do His will.
9) The discipline of the desert is valuable. What a great service the wilderness did to Amos!
10) God amply warns before He brings judgment, but He does not speak and warn endlessly.
11) Farley states in closing: “Our solemn assemblies may still be despised by Yahweh. Whenever mere ritual and form are allowed to take the place of filial communion with God and moral obedience, our worship will be as lightly esteemed by Him as was the worship of Israel long ago, and our sanctuaries will fall, as did the ancient high places. Our churches will be empty, their services despised, and the heart and mind of men will turn for sustenance elsewhere.”