“The Rest of the Story”

Series: “The Gospel Truth”

Text: Amos 9:11-15

Introduction: (What?)

After warning Israel through messages and visions from God of impending doom, Amos finally gets to deliver some good news. There is an old gospel hymn entitled “There’s a Great Day Coming” that pretty much sums up his message to Israel. (Read text)

His message to Israel is also the message God sends to each believer today. After years of judgment because of our sins and then persecution because of our surrender to Christ, there will be a “Great Day Coming”.

Examination: (Why?)

This is a one-point sermon.

1. There’s a Great Day Coming! (vv 11-15; Acts 15:2-18)

Finally, after 9 and 2/3 chapters of judgments against Israel, Amos is freed up by the LORD to pronounce some good news. As to why there was so much emphasis on judgment and so little on blessing, it seems to fit the pattern that God used throughout all the major and minor prophets. Warnings took up much more space than blessings. However, that does not mean that the judgment of God is more widespread or important than the blessings. It is really a picture of the grace of God and His mercies toward mankind. Because of His grace and mercy, God goes to great extremes to warn people over and over of the consequences of their sin. Through the prophets, like Amos, He is very graphic in describing the consequences. His purpose is not to frighten people, but rather to turn them from their sin so that He can bless them.

“In that day I will restore the fallen shelter of David: I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins, and rebuild as in days of old.” (v 11)

We all like to talk about the “good old days”. In this verse, God promises the return of the good old days. Salvation will come to Judah (the shelter, or booth, of David). The City of David is often spoken of as Bethlehem. However, when David was King, he built the City of David in Jerusalem (Samaria, in Judah). David’s luxurious palace had fallen in such disrepair that God now called it a shelter or tent or booth. However on “that day” God will restore it in all its glory. John McArthur says that Amos is speaking of the Millennial Kingdom. When Christ returns for the 1000 years of peace on the earth, His headquarters will be Jerusalem where He will occupy the “throne of David”. Everything will be restored as in the “good old days”. In Zech. 14:9-11 the prophet wrote; “On that day the Lord will become King over the whole earth—the Lord alone, and his name alone. All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be changed into a plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain on its site from the Benjamin Gate to the place of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. People will live there, and never again will there be a curse of complete destruction. So Jerusalem will dwell in security.”

This description of life during the Millennial Reign certainly brought hope to those Israelites who heard it, and should bring hope to us today. V 12 tells us that not only the Messianic Jews will be there, but also the “grafted in” Gentiles. God said that He will restore Jerusalem “So that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear My name---this is the declaration of the LORD, He will do it.” The Sovereign LORD will unite the Messianic Jews with the regenerated Gentiles who turn from sin to Jesus. The Apostle James spoke of this in Acts 15:13-18 “After they stopped speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name. And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: After these things I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again, so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord— even all the Gentiles who are called by my name— declares the Lord who makes these things known from long ago.”

As bad as things may seem today, the Word of God does not change. There is still time for every unbeliever on earth to repent and receive Jesus, and become a child of God. (John 1:11-13 “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.”)

V 13 is a glorious promise of coming revival. We must remember that revival is an act of God, and does not depend on the plans or actions of men. “Look, the days are coming---this is the LORD’s declaration---when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the one who treads grapes, the sower of seed. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, and all the hills will flow with it.”

Charles Spurgeon wrote of this verse in his notes; “God is absolute monarch over the hearts of people. God does not say here ‘if people are willing’, but He gives and absolute promise of a blessing. When God promises to bless His church and to save sinners He does not add, ‘if the sinners are willing to be saved.’ No, God leads free will in sweet captivity, and His free grace is all-triumphant. Sure, people do have free will, and God does not violate it; but the free will is sweetly bound with chains of the divine love until it becomes freer than it ever was. The LORD, when He means to save sinners, does not stop to ask them whether they want to be save---but like a rushing mighty wind, the divine influence sweeps away every obstacle; the unwilling heart bends before the forceful gust of grace, and sinners who would not yield are made to yield by God.”

Listen to these declarations of Almighty God in Amos 9:14-15 “I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel. They will rebuild and occupy ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink their wine, make gardens and eat their produce. I will plant them on their land, and they will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them. The Lord your God has spoken.” The personal pronoun, “I” leaves no doubt that God is the author of this great revival

Application: (How does this message impact my life?)

We must remind God of His promises regarding revival. He loves being reminded of what He has said. Certainly we must confess and repent of sins. Certainly we must seek His face. But we can only do that when prompted by the Holy Spirit. Ask God to do in you all that is necessary in order for Him to do through you all that He desires. Remember what Paul said to the Philippians; “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in your will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”