Destruction and Restoration of Israel

Intro

We are in Amos.

Amos 9:1-15

Main Idea: God judges fairly and restores graciously

Amos was a prophet to the north but he was from the south. Farmer. Lot of agricultural illusions in Amos. Visions instead of speaking to. Final chapter, no more object lessons or repentance. The time as come for judgment.

Ill. Like a child who has not listened. Punishment incoming.

I will break down the three major parts of the vision and then give three takeaways at the end.

Section #1: God punishes Israel (1-6)

Exp. Amos has a vision of God next to an altar. Verse 1. Capital is the uppermost part of a pillar. Ornate part. Two major pillars in temple. Everyone will be killed. God’s punishment is not partial. He displays his sovereignty. Verse 2. Sheol is the spiritual depths. Heaven is the heights. They can’t escape through spiritual means. Verse 3. Carmel = highest mountain. Bottom of the sea. Can’t run from God. Serpent is not alluding to Satan. Likely leviathan. Fleeing to enemies, God will know. Verse 4. God’s eyes on them is not for good. Verse 5. Melts = softens. God controls all, including Nile.

Punishment: Exile (4) and Earthquake (1, 5).

Verse 6 transitions into his sovereignty.

Section #2: God ordains and judges the nations (7-9)

Exp. Now God moves from the punishment to a wider view of the nations. Verse 7. Cushites = Ethiopians. Israel saw Cushites as insignificant people. God is leveling their significance. Exodus? Philistines from Crete. Syrians from Kir (Damascus). He ordains their movements. But also their demise. God intended to destroy them both. God delivers and judges equally to all nations.

Exp. Verse 8. Sinful kingdom = North. North would end. Promise of a remnant of Jacob. Verse 9. Process of sifting. No sinner will escape the judgment to come. They will not fall with the good grain.

Section #3: God will restore David’s line and their land (11-15)

Exp. The tone shifts completely. Verse 10-12. Booth = tabernacle. David’s booth would be restored. Height of Israel’s glory. It would also affect the nations.

Exp. Verses 13-15. Agricultural imagery. Imagery that evokes the garden of Eden. The land is a reminder of God’s provision.

Takeaway #1: Respond to salvation, don’t wait for judgment

Exp. It took a lot to get Israel’s attention. Multiple prophets. Destruction. Miracles. They were so caught up in current affairs that they missed the judgment. The north hated the south so much, they were making alliances with foreign nations. Neglecting the pursuit of God. God continued to warn them. They wouldn’t listen.

Ill. Christian needs to brush his teeth and get dressed. The easier path is toys.

Arg. Following Christ is the harder path. Staking everything with him is not easy.

Matthew 7:12–14

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

App. It is easy for us to stake everything on what’s right in front of us. Politics, children, etc. These are good things that need attention. They were never meant to be put before our pursuit of Christ.

Christ - God displayed his grace to us by sending Jesus. Earthquake symbolized God’s judgment. He brought the exiles close. God’s grace does not justify us to put him second.

App. What do we do? Respond to his grace and salvation now. Don’t wait for him to get your attention.

Takeaway #2: Trust in God’s sovereignty

Exp. God explains that he orchestrated their Exodus and the exodus of others. Tells Habakkuk about the Chaldeans. He is the chief orchestrator. There is not a movement on earth that God isn’t intimately aware. He is in your home, at your job, in politics, just as he is in the homes of those in China, Russia, North Korea, and Africa. All of it from the beginning of time. God doesn’t care for America anymore than he cares for the people in Liberia. Can I tell you something? He doesn’t lose.

Ill. Ty Cobb played baseball for 24 years. Batting average = .366. That’s 36%. Best ever. Statue of him in Atlanta. GOD HAS NEVER LOST.

Arg. GOD HAS NEVER LOST. In Greece, they exalted political and military conquerors. Paul responds in Acts 17:24-27

Acts 17:24–27 (ESV)

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

Christ - God orchestrates nations and leaders. He orchestrated the coming of Jesus.

App. Do not put your hope in temporal things. How do I know?

Get upset when things don’t go your way

Get upset when people let you down

Takeaway #3: Put your hope in what’s to come

Exp. Israel needed hope that something was coming because judgment was present. The promise of the remnant and line of David was hope they could bank on. Also, the restoration of their gardens was hope that reminded them of the original Garden. It is possible to be present in current affairs and stages of life as well as put your hope in the eternal.

Ill. Like the week before vacation. You’re working hard, but the work doesn’t bother you because you know what’s coming. You also can’t live as if you’re on vacation because there is work to be done. This is the tension of Christians.

Arg. We are called to live in the now but hope in eternity. This means we are active with family, jobs, politics, etc., but we do not lose joy when we are let down. We can withstand today because we know what tomorrow brings. God’s promise to Israel is a blessing for us.

Christ - Jesus is the line of David and will bring us to the new garden.

App. What do we do?

Repent of placing joy in temporal things.

Imagine the new earth.

Conclusion