Advent 2 - Amos 9:11 - The Promised King

Amos 9:11–15 ESV

11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and 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 nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this. 13 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. 14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God.

Text: Amos 9:11-15 Theme: God’s covenant promises find ultimate fulfillment in the coming of Christ, who restores, renews, and secures His people.

Introduction

Opening Illustration:

In the great children’s novel by C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe there is a famous line that describes the despairing power of the White Witch.

It’s always Winter, but never Christmas.

This witch had used her power to establish an unending winter on the land of Narnia!

And to make it worse, the best part of winter, the great holiday of Christmas, was held at bay for over a hundred years!

The power of the white witch was overwhelming and all-encompassing and many of the Narnians had stopped fighting and joined her.

They stopped believing the promise they had been given that the great lion Aslan, their creator and king, would come and rescue them.

But there were some who remembered, some who watched for the signs that Aslan was on the move. They waited anxiously for their Promised King, reciting the prophecy:

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

The Narnians were waiting for their King to rescue them from the White Witch, and her endless winter, and to restore them to spring and the freedom of living under Aslan’s reign.

Today, we wait for the Promised King to return and to make all the sad things untrue

2,000 years ago, the people of Israel were waiting for their Promised King to come and save them from the nations that oppressed them (even though ultimately it was Israel’s own rebellion that led to that oppression). They waited for their King to restore them to a peaceful kingdom and reign. They awaited the First Advent.

Connect to the Advent season: just as we long for Christ’s coming to bring renewal and restoration, so the people of Israel longed for restoration after judgment.

Context of Amos: After chapters of judgment, Amos closes with a glorious promise of restoration, pointing to the coming Messiah.

The King brings Restoration!

Teaching

I. The Promise of Restoration (v. 11-12)

Text: “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen...”

Explanation:

The "Booth of David"

In order to understand why this passage connects to Advent at all, we have to know about the Davidic Covenant

250 years before Amos prophesied, and a full millenium before the first Christmas, God made a covenant promise to King David in 2 Samuel 7:12-14

2 Samuel 7:12–14 (ESV)

12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son...

The line of David was to be established as King forever, but even before David died, the sinfulness of himself and his family was tearing the line apart.

Now, 250 years later, that line appear ruined, and through Amos God says that Israel is going to be taken captive by one powerful enemy after another.

Something else he makes clear is that it is all due to Israel’s rebellious sin, NOT because he is fully abandoning them.

God's promise to "raise up" the booth (or house) of David is a way to remind Israel of his promise to David of a future King who will restore the kingdom.

Fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of David, who establishes an everlasting kingdom (Luke 1:32-33 ).

Luke 1:32–33 ESV

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Application:

Advent reminds us that God's promises are sure, even when our circumstances seem bleak.

Christ restores what sin has broken—our relationship with God and our hope for the future.

We can trust that God will bring us peace because he has promised to do so.

II. The Scope of Restoration (v. 12)

But we have to ask what is the scope of this restoration?

How far does this restoration reach? Is it only for Israel?

NO!

Explanation:

God’s restoration extends beyond Israel to include the nations

Text: “That they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name...”

This promised restoration is for those in all the nations who are called by the name of God!

The promised King is not just the King of the Jews, but the King of all who would follow him as he leads them into new life!

2. In Acts 15:16-17, at the Jerusalem Council where the Apostles debated whether the Gentiles can become Christians without becoming Jews first

Application:

Advent celebrates the global mission of Christ, bringing people from every tribe and nation into His kingdom.

As recipients of this grace, we are called to proclaim Christ's reign to others during this season.

III. The Abundance of Restoration (v. 13-14)

Amos 9:13–14 (ESV)

13 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“when the plowman shall overtake the reaper

and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed;

the mountains shall drip sweet wine,

and all the hills shall flow with it.

14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,

and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;

they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine,

and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.

This restoration is not simply going to happen for the people who follow the Promised King, the very earth itself will be restored!

Explanation:

A picture of unprecedented abundance and blessing: harvests so plentiful that they overlap with planting.

This future restoration also points to the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1-4).

Revelation 21:1–4 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Application:

Advent reminds us to look forward to the abundance of Christ's kingdom.

Even in seasons of hardship, we live in hope of the coming restoration.

IV. The Security of Restoration (v. 15)

Text: “I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted...”

Explanation:

God promises permanent restoration to his people.

This is fulfilled

partially in the return from exile,

fully in Christ’s kingdom, and

ultimately in the new creation.

Application:

Advent points us to the security we have in Christ. That security should grant us great peace, even in the face of great struggle.

He has promised to lead his people into his kingdom, and His kingdom cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).

Hebrews 12:28 ESV

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

Rest in the knowledge that God’s promises are unbreakable.

Conclusion

Father Christmas

“I’ve come at last,” he said, “She has kept me out for a long time, but I have got in at last. Aslan is on the move. The Witch’s power is weakening.” And Lucy felt that deep feeling of gladness that you only get when you are being solemn and still.

Christ-Centered Connection:

Jesus is the true fulfillment of Amos 9:11-15.

He is the restored booth of David, the King who brings restoration to all nations in His eternal kingdom.

Advent Reflection:

In this season, we look back to Christ’s first coming as the fulfillment of these promises and forward to His second coming when the restoration will be complete.

Call to Response:

Rejoice in the hope and security of Christ’s kingdom.

Proclaim the good news of restoration to others.

Live in anticipation of the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises.

Suggested Closing Hymn

"Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus"

This hymn ties together the themes of restoration, hope, and fulfillment in Christ.