LET THE VERDICT BE READ!

FEBRUARY 10, 2013

1.     TRUST COMES BY HEARING (AMOS 8:11-12)

11 "Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD. 12 "And people will stagger from sea to sea, And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it.

NASB

Here was a token of God's highest displeasure. At any time, and most in a time of trouble, a famine of the word of God is the heaviest judgment.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

·        God had given them His Word, and they had rejected it.

·        They had despised it and turned aside from it.

·        Now God tells them that the day is coming when they will no longer have the privilege of hearing His Word.

·        The more they search the more confused they will become as the term "to and fro" suggests.

·        In their distress they are now unable to discern the presence of God or of His prophets.  

·        Now one of God's judgments will be His silence.

2.     SOVEREIGNTY CUTS TWO WAYS (AMOS 9:8-10)

8 "Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, And I will destroy it from the face of the earth; Nevertheless, I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob," Declares the LORD.

God would destroy sinful kingdoms, yet Israel, although sinful, He would not “utterly” destroy, but would leave a remnant, as He had so often promised.

Albert Barnes’ Notes  on the Bible

 ·        God did bring up the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, and He gave them a land of their own, but He did not confer upon them the privilege of doing as they pleased.

·        God does not overlook the sins of other people; how can He overlook the sins of His own chosen people?

·        The people that will be left will be the remnant that God always preserves for Himself.

9 "For behold, I am commanding, And I will shake the house of Israel among all nations As grain is shaken in a sieve, But not a kernel will fall to the ground.  

·        This great experience will function as a sieve wherein Israel will be shaken as grain is shaken.

·        The defective kernels will fall through to the ground, but the good grain will remain.

·        Not one good grain will “fall to the ground." 

10 "All the sinners of My people will die by the sword, Those who say, 'The calamity will not overtake or confront us.'

NASB

Hope of impunity is the deceitful refuge of the impenitent.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible

·        After being sifted, those who refuse to repent and turn to God, even though they are in captivity, will be slain by the sword of the conquerors of Assyria.  

·        Even at the time of their death, they will maintain the false hope of the false prophets that God will not punish them; that "The calamity will not overtake or confront us."

·        These will be the ones who thought their election as a nation conferred an absolute security upon them as "the" people of God.

·        God will judge the individuals who won't turn to Him.

·        This brings us to the final vision of Amos, that of the worldwide regathering and restoration of the kingdom of the Lord.

·        Amos saw even beyond the Great Tribulation (which is still future in our day).

3.     TRUE HOPE RESTS IN GOD (AMOS 9:11-15)

11 "In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, And wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old;  

·        " In that day" refers to the last days of Israel, to the day of judgment and the completion of the refining process. 

Acts 15:13-18

13 And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me. 14 "Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 "And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16'After these things I will return, And I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it, 17 In order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,' 18 Says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old. 

NASB

·        Today God is calling out a people for His name among the Gentiles.

·        After this He will raise up the tabernacle of David.

·        In other words, he is speaking of the kingdom, the Millennium, the greatest day which is yet in the future. 

12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom And all the nations who are called by My name," Declares the LORD who does this.  

·        There was always a strong feeling between Israel and Edom.

·        Edom had been severely dealt with by Amaziah of Judah 25 years or more before the appearance of Amos.  

2 Kings 14:7-8

 7 He killed of Edom in the Valley of Salt 10,000 and took Sela by war, and named it Joktheel to this day. 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us face each other."

NASB

·        Later on Edom took advantage of Judah and made forays into the country (2 Chronicles 28:17), and still later, after the Captivity, occupied some of Judah's territory (Ezekiel 35:14-15).

2 Chronicles 28:17

17 For again the Edomites had come and attacked Judah, and carried away captives.

NASB

Ezekiel 35:14-15

14'Thus says the Lord GOD, "As all the earth rejoices, I will make you a desolation. 15 "As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be a desolation, O Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am the LORD."'

NASB

Meaning, the very enemies (as were the Edomites) and others would be united with the Jews in one society and body, of which Christ would be the head.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

13 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine, And all the hills will be dissolved.  

The final prophecy begins here.

Here, however, the reference is to the glorious and happy days after the judgment and restoration. 

14 "Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them, They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 "I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them," Says the LORD your God.

NASB

Previously to their restoration, they shall labor for others; after their restoration, they shall labor for themselves.

Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible

·        These are the things God has said he will do for His people:  

1. He is going to restore the Davidic dynasty. It will be a son of David by the name of Jesus. He will be the ruler.  

2. Israel will take her place among the nations of the world. She will be a nation that is going to be blessed of God.  

3. There will be a conversion of the nations of the world! This will occur after the church leaves the earth.

4. The wasted cities will be rebuilt and inhabited.  

5. The curse on the land will be lifted, and it will produce bountifully. The inhabitants of the cities will eat of the fruit of their gardens and drink the wine of their vineyards.

6. The people of Israel will no longer "be rooted out from their land which I have given them," Says the LORD your God.