The Book Of Amos. Day 33, A House That Rises, Part Two

We are concluding our study of the book of Amos today on a note of hope. It's true that a day of disaster is coming upon the ancient northern kingdom of Israel. But it's also true that this fall will not be permanent---not for the northern kingdom and not (about 130 years later) for the southern kingdom of Judah. There will be survivors. There will be a return to the land in various stages throughout the coming centuries. Israel will be a sovereign nation in the world again, which has already come true. A time of prosperity will fall more abundantly upon the nation than disaster ever did, which has come true in part but which will be exceptionally true during the eternal reign of the Messiah. 

The Lord says: "'In that day I will restore David's fallen shelter---I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins---and will rebuild it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear My name,' declares the Lord, who will do these things." (Amos 9:11-12) 

In the original language the word translated as "fallen shelter" is "tabernacle" or "house". While it's true that the walls of Jerusalem will fall when the southern kingdom of Judah is conquered by the Neo-Babylonian Empire, most scholars do not believe the Lord is speaking of literal walls or a literal house but is using these words to symbolize the rising again of the royal line of David. That means this is a Messianic prophecy! This prophecy was fulfilled in part when the Lord Jesus Christ was born of the royal line of David but it will come true in full measure when Jesus returns to rule over the world forever from the throne of David at Jerusalem. The "house" of David is going to endure forever, just like the Lord promised him, but it's going to endure forever through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who lives forever and whose kingdom will never end.

There has not been a king of the northern kingdom of Israel since the nation fell to Assyria. There has not been a king of the southern kingdom of Judah since the nation fell to Babylon. But that does not mean God has broken His promise. The promise that David's house will endure forever still stands firm. During the many centuries that there has not been a king sitting on the throne, the Lord has not forgotten His promise. He never forgets a promise and He never breaks a promise. His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will reign from David's throne and that will be the complete fulfillment of the promise. This is a far better fulfillment than if ordinary men had continued to reign from the time of David on up until now and forevermore. 

The promised land that flowed with milk and honey in ancient times will flow with milk and honey in a way it never has before. "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring My people Israel back from exile.'" (Amos 9:13-14a) This has come true, in part, in various stages since the Lord spoke these words. In ancient times many of the people returned from exile when they were free to do so. After Israel was recognized as a sovereign nation again in 1948, many more Jewish people returned to the land. And a time is coming, which we will study about more in-depth when we arrive at the book of Revelation, when millions from all over the world will return to the promised land. At that time the borders of Israel will encompass all the territory the Lord ever promised the Jewish people---territory that they never completely took because they did not fully drive out the pagan peoples inhabiting those territories. 

In a smaller sense these concluding words have already begun to come true but there is an ingathering of Jewish people promised in the book of Revelation which I believe is in view here in the book of Amos. When the Lord speaks of the people never being uprooted again, when they are free to live in their land peacefully forever without a threat coming against them from any side, I believe He is speaking of the time of the eternal kingdom when the King of kings from the line of David rules from Jerusalem forever. "'They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,' says the Lord your God." (Amos 9:14b-15)

As the book of Amos concludes, neither Israel nor Judah has yet fallen to an enemy nation. None of the people have been taken captive and deported to foreign lands. None of them has been allowed to return from exile and rebuild. But we know that a percentage did return and that they did rebuild much of what had been destroyed. Yet this was not the complete fulfillment of the Lord's promises because until 1948 the nation was subject to several other nations and was not self-governed. Indeed, even when the Lord fulfilled more of this prophecy (by sending the Messiah into the world), the nation was under the iron rule of the Roman Empire. Jerusalem and the temple would again be destroyed in 70AD by the Roman army after the people attempted to revolt against that heathen Gentile nation. But we can be certain that the remainder of the Lord's precious promises to Jews and Gentiles alike will be fulfilled. The Lord Jesus will return to the world and judge Satan and all the angels who followed Satan in his rebellion. The Lord Jesus will judge all those who have hated Him and who have persecuted the people of God. The Lord Jesus will set up His eternal kingdom on earth and His house---the house of David---will have no end, just as the Lord promised David long ago.