CHAPTER 9

9:1 I saw the LORD standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. 2 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: 3 And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them: 4 And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

Amos records a fifth vision he saw from the Lord. This time he sees the Lord Himself "standing upon the altar." The altar was defiled in Israel because of the idolatrous priests. God came to stand on the altar and show that He is the ONLY One worthy of worship.

The "lintel" (Hebrew kaphtor), usually referred to a chaplet on the top of a column. God is using it here to refer to the capitol of the nation. The destruction will begin with the highest officials, and none shall "flee away..."

Verse 2 is a comparison of extreme opposites. Heaven is the most ultimate height, hell is the most extreme depth. What God is saying is that there is NO ESCAPE from His judgment! There is no place so high or so low that He will not find them. And in verse 3, there is no place to "hide." Even "captivity" (vs 4) will not save them from God's determined judgment.

We must remember that God's "judgment" fell upon those who were openly committing idolatry. The remainder of the people, God reserved to be a "scattered" seed.

5 And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. 6 It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.

God let the people know that He is the Creator and Sustainer of all that is; and all of the forces of nature are at His disposal.

7 Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir? 8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD. 9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

God moves nations as He sees fit (vs 7). He establishes them and He breaks them down. He also uses them to provide divine services such as chastisement.

God's "eyes" were seeing the "sinful kingdom." He had sent prophet after prophet trying to get them to repent. Since they would not, God had determined to destroy them as a nation, utterly destroy the idolaters, and save the "remnant."

11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. 14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

This last section of Amos' prophesy is a promise of God to one day restore the Davidic kingdom. "In that day" refers to "the day of the LORD." It is the day when Christ will come the second time to set up the milennial kingdom. In "THAT" day, the "tabernacle" of David will be again raised to rule over all nations. All the Gentile nations will come under the leadership and rule of Him Who's right is to rule the earth -- Jesus Christ.

"THAT" day will also be a day of prosperity. Wasted places will be rebuilt, vinyards and gardens will be planted. Reaping will continue until time to plow again!

In "THAT" day, God will secure the "all Israel" (See Rom. 9:6) in the land, and they will never be routed again!

My friends, God never allows people called by His name to stray into deep sins without remonstration.
But God ALWAYS reserves His own and sustains them during difficult times.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.