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THEBOOKOFAMOS
Lesson14,Chapter9End
WehavearrivedatthefinalchapterofAmos,andsotodaywewillconcludeour
studyofthiseye-openingrecordofrevealedprophecythatGod,inHismercy,
haslefttous.Itishardformenottobehyperbolicinurgingyoutoseehow
relevanttoourcontemporarytimestheseinspiredwordsare,andhowour
modernage…includingtheChurch…isnearlyamirroredreflectionofthevery
issuessovividlybroughttolightthroughAmos.Amoswaspassionateintryingto
getEphraim/IsraeltoseethetruthandrealityofthisseriesoforaclesthatGod
wascommunicatingtothem;oraclesthatexposedtheirreligioushypocrisy,
spiritualblindness,andheresy.But,forthemostpart,theyrefusedand
deflected,andthenpaidanenormouspricefortheirrebelliousobstinance.Letus
vownotdothesame.Letusbeginbyhumblingourselvesandrealizinghow
terriblyoff-trackourJudeo-Christianfaithhasgone,beginningwith
Constantine’svirtualtakeoveroftheYeshuamovementinthe4
th
centuryA.D.
ItwasConstantinealongwiththepowerfulChurchinRomewhobirthedthe
WesternChurchthathasevolvedintomorethan1000denominations.Fromthe
CatholicChurchtoCalvaryChapel,fromMethodiststoBaptists,from
ProtestanttoAnglican,andeventheWorldwideChurchofGodtovirtuallyall
therest…thecommonrootistheRomanEmperorConstantine.Thankfully,to
onedegreeoranother,thecoreofourfaith…thatYeshua(JesusChrist)isLord
andSavior…remains.Buteventhatisbeingerodedatarapidpace.Why?
BecausejustlikeIsraelhad…stepbystep,slowlyastheproverbialfroginthe
kettle…becomeovertakenwithmanmadedoctrinesthatpushedoutthetrue
WordofGodsoithasalsobecomeinChurchandSynagogue.Sooverwhelmed
withthesemisguideddoctrineswasIsraelthattheLordGodMostHighsaidHe
refusestoaccepttheirworshipandrefusestobetheirGod.HasChurchand
SynagoguereachedthatsamepointinGod’seyes,butitisnotyetrealized?If
not,itiscertainlymustbeatthetippingpointofnoreturn.
Alarming?Absolutely.Howdowefindourwayback?BelieveGod,andbelieve
theBibleHeleftforus.Allofit;notjustthepartswelikethatseemtovalidate
whatwehavetoldtobelieve.Let’sreadAmoschapter9.
READAMOSCHAPTER9all
Lesson14-AmosChapter9End
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Amoshasa5
th
vision;anditbeginswithaviewoftheLordGodstandingnextto
thealtar.ItisinterestingthathereAmoschoosestoidentifytheOnestanding
nexttothealtaras“TheLord”ratherthanasYehovehashehasbeeninthehabit
ofdoing.Likelythisisbecauseafewverseslaterthereisquotedpartofa
well-knownhymnofhiserathatinwhichthenameYehovehisprominent,and
AmoswantedHishearerstofocusonthat.
ThealtarbeingspokenofisnotthelegitimateoneattheJerusalemTemple;itis
theillegitimateoneinBethel,themainsanctuarylocationforEphraim/Israel.
WhatfollowsnextisGodnarratingajudgmentagainstthisshrine…thissymbolof
thepervertedreligionthatIsraelnowfollows…andagainstthosewhohavetaken
upthiskindofworship.ItbeginswithGodsayingto“strikethecapitals”,oras
theCJBhasit,“strikethetopsofthecolumns”.Thecapitalswerethechiseled
andornamentedpiecesofstonethatsitontopofthesupportpillarsthatheldup
thebuilding.Bysmashingthecapitalsofthepillars,theentirestructurecollapses.
Bysayingtosmashthecapitalsontheheadsofthepeople,thevisualimageisof
theTemplefallingdownandcrushingthosewhoworshipthere.Thisismeantas
asymbolicrepresentationofwhatistohappentoallwhoworshipthereligionof
Ephraim/Israel.Thosewhoarenotcrushedandkilledbythisevent,Godorders
istobekilledbythesword(meaningdeathatthehandoftheasyettobenamed
invaderthatwillconquerIsrael).TheideaisthatallofIsrael’sworshipperswill
dieonewayoranother.
Verse2explainsthattherewillbenowheretoruntoescapeGod’swrathandfury.
ThereisnoplaceintheUniverse,letaloneonearth,tohide.Sowhatfollowsare
5statementsandexamplesofthisinabilityofIsrael’speopletoescapethehand
ofGod’sangeragainstthem.Inthefirstandsecondofthe5statements,ifwe
weretousemodernterminologytophrasetheintentofthisverse,insteadof
sayingitwoulddonogoodtotrytoescapetoHeavenandShe’olitwouldbe
HeavenandHell.Inbiblescholarshipthisliterarytechniqueiscalledmerism.
Merismusesacoupleofwordstobehaveasbookendssuchthatitmeans“this,
thatandeverythinginbetween”.Theprincipleisthatevenintothemostremote
partsofthespiritualandthephysicalrealmsdoesYehovehextendHisreach.The
thirdandfourthillustrationsofthisprincipleareprovidedinverse3when,using
anothermerism,itspeaksoftheheightsofMt.Karmelversusthedepthsofthe
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sea.Theideaisthatneitherascendingnordescendingtothemostsecludedand
difficulttoaccessplacesonearthwillworkashidingplaces;withthiswordingno
doubttakenfromPsalm139.
CJB
Psalm139:7-8
7
WherecanIgotoescapeyourSpirit?WherecanIfleefrom
yourpresence?
8
IfIclimbuptoheaven,youarethere;ifIliedowninSh'ol,you
arethere.
It’skindofinterestingthatGodsaysthatiftheyattempttohideinthedepthsof
theseathatHewillfindthemandsendtheserpenttobitethem.Inallofthe
biblicalerastheseawasamysteriousandscaryplace.Afterall,noonecouldsee
morethanafewfeetbelowitssurface(nomatterhowpristineandclearthe
water),norcouldahumandivetomorethanmaybe50orsofeetintoitsdepth.
So,theimaginationrunswildatwhatmightlivethere,especiallywhenshipsand
theircrewsregularlydisappearedwithoutatrace.Itwasthecommonbeliefthat
agreatmonster,agiantsnake-likecreature,livedinthatenormouswatery
realmthatwoulddevourpeoplewhofellintothedarkwaterofthesea.God
simplyusedthatcommonlyheldimagetoillicitterrorintheheartsofallwho
heardthisprophecy.
Thefifthexampleisverse4.Evenbeingtakenawayintoslaveryanddepravation
toaforeignlandwillnotsavethemfromYehoveh’sreach.Ifwelookatthese5
examplesfromtheperspectiveofdimensions,weseethatthefirst4examples
hadtodowiththeverticaldimension(upanddown).Thisfifthonespeaksofthe
horizontaldimension.EvenifIsrael’sexiletakesthefewsurvivorsfar,faraway,
itwon’tmatter;Godwillfollowthemtheretocompletetheirpunishment.Unlike
theirbeliefthatnogodhasanyeffectuponthemoutsideofthatgod’sterritorial
boundarylines(andthatterritoryalwayscoincideswiththebordersofa
particularnation),YehovehsaysHe’llfindthemwherevertheygo,fixHisgaze
uponthem,andorderthoseforeignersofthelandoftheirexiletoputthe
Israeliteexilestothesword.So,everyavenueofhopeofescapeiscutoff.Now,
aquestionforusallthatpertainstomyopeningstatements.Withthis
informationinhand,whydidn’tIsraelchangetheirbehavior?Orperhapsmigrate
immediatelytoJudahoreventoaforeignlandbeforeGod’swrathmanifested
withaforeigninvaderfallinguponthem?Whydidn’ttheyatleastpreparein
somepractical,tangiblewayforthisloomingcatastrophethatwaspromisedto
Lesson14-AmosChapter9End
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happen?Theanswerisneitherparticularlyscholarlynorprofound;theysimply
didnotbelievewhatGodtoldthem.ThesamereligiousleadershipthattoldAmos
topackhisbagsandgobacktoJudahandtostopprophesyingYehoveh’s
messageinEphraim’sterritoryliedtothepeopleandtoldthemtopayno
attentiontoGod’swarningsthroughAmos.Afterall,iftheleadersweretotake
themessagetoheart,theywouldhavetohumblethemselves,tellthepeoplethe
truth,andgetridofnearlyalloftheirshrines,rituals,andpracticesthatthey
heldsodearly.Theywouldhavetorenouncemanyoftheirdoctrinesandrepent.
Theymaylosetheirpowerandposition.And,onehastowonderwhatportionof
thepopulationwouldevenacceptsucharadicalchange,ifoffered,whenthey
wereperfectlyhappywiththewaythingswere?
WhatI’vejustdescribedisthehumanrealityofit.ItiswhythemodernChurch
andSynagoguewillprobablynotberescuedasthemanmadereligious
institutionstheyhavebecome.JustaswithIsraelinancienttimes,thestakesare
simplytoohighfortheleadershipforanymeaningfulchangetobeseriously
contemplated,letaloneenacted.Theonlychangesthatcanoccurwithinour
Judeo-Christianfaithinstitutionsareatthegrassrootslevel(justasYeshua
demonstrated).Itmusthappenontheindividual-by-individuallevel.Aleader
here,aworshipperthere,perhapsevenasmallgroupoccasionally.Itwillbe
difficultforustochange,becausewe’reveryawarethatitwillcomewithacost.
Yeshua,Himself,moreorlesssaidthesamethingandwarnedusofthe
gut-wrenchingchallengewe’llfacewhenwedecidetoturnawayfromhuman
doctrinesandmanmadereligion,andtowardsthetruebiblicalfaith.
CJB
Luke14:25-27
25
LargecrowdsweretravelingalongwithYeshua.Turning,
hesaidtothem,
26
"Ifanyonecomestomeanddoesnothatehisfather,his
mother,hiswife,hischildren,hisbrothersandhissisters,yes,andhisownlife
besides,hecannotbemytalmid.
27
Whoeverdoesnotcarryhisown
execution-stakeandcomeaftermecannotbemytalmid.
Whatisourwayoutofwherewemightfindourselves?Whatdowedowhenwe
begintofeelasthoughsomethingisn’tquiterightaboutourfaithpracticeand
ourfaithleadershipwhoteachustorelyonmanmadedoctrinesmorethan
biblicaltruth?Thereisoneway,andonealone:
Lesson14-AmosChapter9End
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CJB
Revelation18:4
4
ThenIheardanothervoiceoutofheavensay:"Mypeople,
comeoutofher!sothatyouwillnotshareinhersins,sothatyouwillnotbe
infectedbyherplagues,
Wemustflee.Wemustleavebehinderroranddeception,anditwillnearlyfor
certainbecostlyintermsofourmostvaluedrelationshipsjustasJesuswarns.
Wewon’tbecongratulatedoradmiredforit,andevenourownfamiliesmaytry
toconstantlydragusbackintowhatwehaveleftbehindwithathreatofour
beingshunned.Ourearthlylivesareindeedimportant:butoureternallivesare
farmoreimportant.FellowBelievers,testwhatyouarebeingtaughtagainst
HolyScripture…incontext!Ifitdoesn’tmatch,andifwhatyouseehappening
withyourowneyesasconcernsworshippracticesandinstructiondon’treflect
theliteraltruthoftheBible,thenleavewhereyouareattendinganddon’tlook
backasdidLot’swife.Tobelieveyoucanremaininordertochangeyour
denomination’sinstitutionalbeliefsisfolly.Ourexampleforwhathappenswhen
werefusetofacerealityandmakethenecessarychanges…harshasitmaybe…
islaidoutinvividcolorforusintheBookofAmos.
Verses5and6areaportionofanancienthymnthatextolsthegloryofGod.The
powerofGodovernatureandoverthecourseandhistoryofhumanityareatthe
coreofit.WhenYehovehbuttouchestheearth,itmeltsandquakesunderthe
weight.
CJB
Zechariah14:1-4Look,adayiscomingforADONAIwhenyourplunder,
[Yerushalayim],willbedividedrighttherewithinyou.
2
"ForIwillgatherallthe
nationsagainstYerushalayimforwar.Thecitywillbetaken,thehouseswillbe
rifled,thewomenwillberaped,andhalfthecitywillgointoexile;buttherestof
thepeoplewillnotbecutofffromthecity."
3
ThenADONAIwillgooutandfight
againstthosenations,fightingasonadayofbattle.
4
Onthatdayhisfeetwill
standontheMountofOlives,whichliestotheeastofYerushalayim;andthe
MountofOliveswillbesplitinhalffromeasttowest,tomakeahugevalley.Half
ofthemountainwillmovetowardthenorth,andhalfofittowardthesouth.
Furtherintoverse5theconvulsingofourplanetwhenGodarrivesisillustrated
bytheriseandfalloftheNileRiver.Theideaistosaythatboththelandandthe
watersofourplanetareshakenbytheHolyOneasHeexecutesjudgment.
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Verse6remindsIsrael(andus)thatHeisnotjusttherulerovertheUniverse,He
istheCreatorofitall.FirstHebuiltHeaven,thenHebuiltearth.Hisupper
dominionisHeaven,Hislowerdominionisearth…butHerulesoverboth.
Nextinverse7issomethingthatcanbestartling.Ontheonehand,Israelwas
indeedgivenspecialprivileges,andamissionunlikeanyother.Ontheother
hand,saysYehoveh,“AreyounotliketheEthiopianstoMe..?”First,theword
“Ethiopians”doesn’tappearthere.WhattheHebrewsaysis“beneKushi”orin
English“sonsofCush”.OnlymuchlaterwouldtherebeaplacecalledEthiopia
thatharborsbutsomeofthesonsofCush.Thisispresentedintheformofa
rhetoricalquestionthatoughttobeansweredwith“yes”;however,itisone
whichIsraelinrealitysays“no”.ThisismeanttoshockIsraelbecause
Ephraim/IsraelhadsoelevatedtheirownimportancebeforeGodthattheyfelt
Hehadnointerestinanyotherpeople.Afterall,wasHenotIsrael’snational
god…andnooneelse’s?Didn’tHedidleadthemupoutofEgyptandgivethem
theTorah…likenooneelse?Thus,nootherpeoplecouldpossiblymatteras
much…ifatall…toGodthanIsrael.ButYehovehsetsthemstraightbysaying,oh
yes,IdidindeedbringyouupoutofEgypt.But,guesswhat,Ialsobroughtthe
PhilistinesfromCaphtor(CaphtorisbetterknowntodayasCreteanditwasthe
ancientnameofanislandnationthatthePhilistinesoriginallycamefrom);and
didIalsonotbringtheArameans(thatis,theresidentsofEdom)fromKir?In
otherwords,Ihelpedthesenationsaswellbecause,eventhoughtheydidn’t
realizeit,IamtheirGod,too,andIcaredeeplyaboutthem…asmuchasIcare
aboutyou,Israel.
WhatabitterpilltoswallowforIsrael!TheArameansandthePhilistineswere
longtimeenemiesofIsrael.So,it’sbadenoughtobursttheirballoonthat
Yehovehwasn’texclusivelydedicatedtothembutalsotoothersaswell;andthat
atleastsomeofthose“others”wereIsrael’sswornenemies!Godisessentially
puttingEphraim/IsraelonparwiththeArameansandthePhilistineswhenit
comestoHismercyandgrace.
Now,inverse8,afterthishumblingrevelationthatIsraelisn’tGod’sonly
concern,arayofhopeemerges.Yes,saysTheLord,Hisgazeisdirectlyfocused
onIsraelatthemoment;anditisagazeofangerandwrath.Hewilldestroythe
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NorthernKingdomasapoliticalentity,anation,untilitnolongerexistsonearth.
HOWEVER…GodsaysHewillnottotallydestroytheHouseofJacob(thepeople).
Thatis,aremnantwillbeallowedtosurvive…eveninexile…sothatthese10
tribesoftheNorthwillnotbecomeextinct.LongagoYehovehmadeapromise
thatextinctionwillneverbeIsrael’sfate,althoughtheymaydeserveit.
CJB
Leviticus26:43-44
43
Forthelandwilllieabandonedwithoutthem,anditwill
bepaiditsShabbatswhileitliesdesolatewithoutthem;andtheywillbepaidthe
punishmentfortheirmisdeeds,becausetheyrejectedmyrulingsandloathed
myregulations.
44
Yet,inspiteofallthat,Iwillnotrejectthemwhentheyarein
thelandsoftheirenemies,norwillIloathethemtothepointofutterly
destroyingthemandthusbreakmycovenantwiththem,becauseIamADONAI
theirGod.
Iwanttopauseandinterjectsomethingthatmustbeaddressed.Perhapsoneof
themostfundamentalChurchdoctrinestaughtformorethan1000years,and
embracedbythebulk(although,notall)ofChristianity,isthatGodisthrough
withIsrael.Butevenmore,thatGoddissolvedHiscovenantwithIsraelwhenHe
exiledthemandformedanewone;onetheChurchcallstheNewCovenant.A
NewCovenantthatwasgiventothegentileChurch,butnotforIsrael.Thatisa
totallyfalsemanmadedoctrine,biblicallydishonest,andthatdeceptivelymakes
Godeitherschizophrenicoraliar.Itisoneofmany,anditiswhywemust
carefullylistentowhatwearebeingtaughtfrompulpitandbematoseeifit’sthe
truth.Andifnot,wemustrunfromitasfastasourlegscancarryusbecauseour
eternalsoulsareatstake.RighthereinLeviticusGodsaysthatadaywillcome
whenIsraelissounfaithfulthatHewillejectthemfromtheirland,andtheywill
bepunishedseverely…..forwhatreason?SpecificallyforrejectingHisrulingsand
loathingHisregulations.Inotherwords,disobeyingHisTorah,HisTanach(the
OldTestament)perhapseventothepointofdeclaringitabolishedandreplaced.
ThisispreciselywhathashappenedtodaywithinmuchoftraditionalChristianity.
God’scommandsarerejectedandhated,andinsteadhumanlydevised
denominationaldoctrinesarecreatedtoreplacethem.Inthissamepassagein
Leviticus,GodalsopromisesthatHewillNOTutterlydestroyIsraelbecausetodo
sowouldessentiallyamounttobreakingHiscovenantwiththem.GodkeepsHis
word,evenwhenwedon’t.Yetthatpromiseisa2-edgedsword.Hewillindeed
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alwaysholdtoHiscovenant,butthatcovenantcontainsbothblessingsand
curses.
Verse9isamessagewrappedaroundanagriculturalmetaphor.GodsaysHewill
shakeIsraelasoneshakeswithasieve.Aspecialsievewasusedtosiftthegrain,
inordertogetthechaffandsmallstonesandotherdebrisoutofit.Thegrain
stalkswerelaidonacompacteddirtfloor,andanimalspullingakindofheavy
sledwalkedbackandforthoverittoseparatethekernelsfromthestalks.One
canimaginethesortsofitemsthatgotmixedinwiththegrain.So,asievewas
usedasmoreorlessthefinalstepofgrainharvesting(afterwinnowing).The
sieveallowedthesmallgrainkernels(representingtherighteousIsraelites)
throughit,leavingbehindthingslikesmallpebbles.TherebelliousofIsraelare
thepebbles…theyaretheunwanteddebris.However,noticeitspeaksofhowthe
Israeliteswillbeamongthegoyim…thegentiles.Thismeansthatthegentileswill
besiftedandshakenaswell.Thisseemstobespeakingofatimeofawidespread
politicalandsocialdisorderoutofwhichIsrael’spunishmentwillcome.Verse10
addressesaspecificgroupofIsraelites:thosewhosaythatdisasterwillnever
comeuponthem.Thisisspeakingofthepridefulandthearrogant.Self-assured
peoplewhoarecertainthattheirwaysarebetterthanthewaystheirancestors
practiced.Theseareunteachablepeoplewhobelievethattheyhavingnothingto
learn.
Now,beginninginverse11,it’sasthoughthesunisfinallyappearingafter
weeksofrainclouds.Thewords“onthatday”indicateatimeofjudgmentor
redemption.Inthiscase,itisofredemption.Inthefullnessoftime,Yehoveh
saysHewillraiseupthefallententofJacob.Thatis,thedescendantsofthe
exilesofIsraelwillreceiveGod’smercyandaprocessofrestorationwillbegin.
Sadly,inordertoprotecttheseseveralcenturiesofuninspiredChurchdoctrines,
manyChristianBiblescholarsdeclarethatthesearenotoriginalwordsinAmos;
rather,theywereaddedfarlaterprobablybyasympatheticJudeaneditor.Is
thereanyevidenceofthiswhatsoevertoback-upthatclaim?None.It’sonlythat
thispromiseofrestorationfliesinthefaceofChurchdoctrinestothecontrary.So,
thewayithasbeenhistoricallyhandledistosimplyquestiontheauthenticityof
thebiblicalpassagethatdisputestheirdoctrine.Ironically,otherBible
scholars…evenincludingsomeagnostics(whohavenoaxetogrindinthis
debate)…saywhatIjustsaid:thereisnoevidenceatallforthisassertion.Allof
Lesson14-AmosChapter9End
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theirargumentsforremovingthispassagefromourBiblesareideologically
driven,andnotonanyevidenceofanykind.
Therearesomeimportantbiblicalfactsandhistorythathelpsustounderstand
whatisbeingproposed,here,regardingrestoration.First,wearewitnessinga
promisefortherestorationoftheDavidicDynastyandtherebirthofDavid’s
kingdom.ThisideawasalsoproposedbytheProphetHosea.
CJB
Hosea3:4-5
4
ForthepeopleofIsra'elaregoingtobeinseclusionforalong
timewithoutaking,prince,sacrifice,standing-stone,ritualvestorhousehold
gods.5Afterwards,thepeopleofIsra'elwillrepentandseekADONAItheirGod
andDavidtheirking;theywillcometremblingtoADONAIandhisgoodnessin
theacharit-hayamim.
TheseareEnd-Timespropheticrevelations.Inanutshellitpredictsthereturnof
Israel(DavidwaskingoveraunitedIsrael,longbeforeitsplitinto2separate
kingdoms)asapoliticalentity…anation.Then,thosewhohavebeenexiledwill
seekGodandlongtoreturntotheirancientland.Folks:thishashappened.
Israelwasre-bornasanationin1948,andmanyoftheexilesimmediately
begantoreturn.Butevenmoreastounding,thosewhoopenlyidentify
themselvesasmembersofthe10tribesthatformedEphraim/Israelarealso
returninginincreasingnumbers.Remember:thisprophecyhappensinrelation
totheEndTimes.Therefore,wecandrawareasonableconclusionthatwehave
indeedenteredintothatindeterminatetime-periodthattheBiblecallstheEnd
Times.
GodsaysthatthewallsoftheIsraelitecitieswillberepaired,andthey’lllive
thereagain.Andthatthey’llevenpossessaremnant(aportion)of|Edom.That
hasalsocometrue.TheRedSeaportcityofEilatfirstbelongedtotheterritory
ofJudah.ItwastakenfromthembyEdom.AndnowEilatisbackinJudah’s
(modernIsrael’s)possession.ThetermEdomandthephrase“allthenations
overwhomMynamehasbeencalled”aremeantasaparallel;thatis,while
Edomismeantliterally,itisalsomeanttorepresentothernationsaswell.This
grammartechniqueisnotunusualintheBibleandscholarsgiveitthename
synecdoche.
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Verse13expandsonthenatureoftherestorationofIsraelusinganother
agriculturalmetaphor.Thewords,“whentheplowmanshalldrawnearthe
reaper”itisintendedtogivethepictureofthefieldcropsthrivingandmaturing
sofastthatthepersonwhoisreadingafieldtoplantseedsovertakestheperson
whoisharvestingwhatheisplanting!Obviouslythisisanexaggerationmeantto
makethepointofanabundancethatisevengreaterforIsraelupontheirreturn,
thanbeforetheywereexiledfromtheland.Onemightcallthisanunconditional
blessing.Infact,itwasapromisedblessingmadetoIsraellongago,duringtheir
exodusfromEgypt.
CJB
Leviticus26:41-42
41
AtthattimeIwillbegoingagainstthem,bringingthem
intothelandsoftheirenemies.Butiftheiruncircumcisedheartswillgrow
humble,andtheyarepaidthepunishmentfortheirmisdeeds;
42
thenIwill
remembermycovenantwithYa'akov,alsomycovenantwithYitz'chakandmy
covenantwithAvraham;andIwillremembertheland.
ThetopicisagainaddressedinDeuteronomy:
CJB
Deuteronomy30:5-9
5
ADONAIyourGodwillbringyoubackintotheland
yourancestorspossessed,andyouwillpossessit;hewillmakeyouprosper
there,andyouwillbecomeevenmorenumerousthanyourancestors.
6
Then
ADONAIyourGodwillcircumciseyourheartsandtheheartsofyourchildren,so
thatyouwillloveADONAIyourGodwithallyourheartandallyourbeing,and
thusyouwilllive.
7
ADONAIyourGodwillputallthesecursesonyourenemies,
onthosewhohatedandpersecutedyou;
8
butyouwillreturnandpayattention
towhatADONAIsaysandobeyallhismitzvotwhichIamgivingyoutoday.
9
ThenADONAIyourGodwillgiveyoumorethanenoughineverythingyousetout
todo-thefruitofyourbody,thefruitofyourlivestock,andthefruitofyourland
willalldowell;forADONAIwillonceagainrejoicetoseeyoudowell,justashe
rejoicedinyourancestors.
Thenextmetaphorusedisofthepersonwhoistreadinggrapesovertakingthe
onewhoisplantingtheseed.Grapeswereusuallyharvestedandpressed(by
foot)duringthemonthsofAugustandSeptember.Thefarmerswhosowseeds
usuallystartthatprocessduringtheNovember-Decembertimeframe.So,the
pictureisofthegrapeharvestbeingsoplentifulthattheycan’tevenfinish
Lesson14-AmosChapter9End
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stompingallthegrapestoextractthejuiceuntilitistimefortheplantingofnew
crops.Thementionofwineflowingdownthesidesofhillsandmountainsis
obviouslyanexaggerationmeanttoshowtheenormousquantityofwinethatwill
bemadeinthoseyearsafterIsraelreturnsfromtheirexile.
Verses14and15endtheoraclespresentedintheBookofAmosbysummingup
theextremenatureoftherestorationthatmorethanmatchestheextreme
natureofthedestructionofIsrael.AtthispointIwanttoreadtoyoufrom
anotherbiblicalProphetthatessentiallysaysallthesamethings,butinmore
detail.TurnyouBiblestoEzekielchapter37.
READEZEKIELCHAPTER37all
I’mnotsurethereisamorethrillingchapterintheOldTestamentthanthisone;
everytimeIreaditchillsrunupmyspine.Itbeginswiththeannouncedintentto
restoreIsraelwhentheyarestillasdrybones.Thesedrybonesrepresentthe
exilesofIsraelwhoarecertainthatafterwaitingforsolongforGodtorelentand
fulfillHispromiseofrestorationandreturnthatHehasforgottenthemasthey
languishinexile;theyfeelallhopeislost.
NextGodsaysHeisgoingtomakeIsraelone…united…again.Wemustknow
Israel’shistorytounderstandthattheywereaunitednation…all12tribesunder
onekingandonecentralgovernment…forbut80years.UnderkingsDavidand
Solomonallthetribesgaveuptheirsovereigntyandboweddownaking.That
unificationendedafterSolomondied.Rivalsforthevacantthroneledtoacivil
warthattoretheunitedIsraelapartinto2separatekingdoms:Judahand
Ephraim/Israel.Thisiswhenthe2housesofIsrael(thehouseofJudahandthe
houseofEphraim/Israel)conceptbecamereality.Ithasremainedthatwayfor
millennia.ButwithHistwosticksprophecy,theLordexplainsthatIsraelwillonce
againbeunitedunderasingleking.Nomoredivision.Evennow,today,asthe10
tribessteadilyflowbacktoIsrael,welcomedbytheirbrothertribeJudah,they
togetheroperateunderasinglegovernment…thatofthemodernIsraeli
government.
Whilesomeofthisprophecyhasbeenfulfilled,somehasnot.Forinstance,it
speaksofthereturningexilesagainlivingonthemountainsofIsrael.The
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mountainsofIsraelispartofthelandoftheformerEphraim/Israel.And,legally,
forthetimebeing,thebulkofthatregionisinthehandsofthePalestinians…it
ismoreknowntotheworldastheWestBank.SothatportionofIsrael’s
restorationisstillfuture.
AnotherpartoftheprophecysaysthatonceIsraelreturns,theywillneveragain
beremovedfromtheirland.ThatmeansthatnotonlywillGodnotpunishthem
everagainwithexile,butalsothatdespitetheoverwhelmingnumberofenemies
IsraelfacesthatwanttopushthemintotheMediterraneanSea,itwon’thappen.
I’msurethisdefenseoftheirlandwillcomeatgreatcosttothetreasuryandto
thecitizensofIsrael;buttheywillnotbeleavingthelandeveragain.
ThemostMessianicpartoftheprophecy,however,isthementionthattheking
thatIsraelwillultimatelypayhomagetowillbeDavid.WhilesomeOrthodox
JewsthinkthatthismeansthatKingDavidwillberesurrectedinthefleshand
ruleoverIsrael,mostJewsdon’tbelievethatway.Manymorebelievethatitwill
beaMessiahthatisrelatedtoKingDavid.Ofcourse,asthoseofuswhotrustin
Yeshuaalreadyknow,YeshuacomesfromtheroyallineageofKingDavidand
thatHeisthemessiahprophesiedinEzekielassittingonDavid’sthrone.
WhatagreathopeIsraelandallthosewhoworshiptheGodofIsraelhave.The
timeiscomingwhentheseprophecieswillbecompletelyfulfilled;andallsigns
arethatitissoverynear.Butwhatisalsocomingisthecontinualadvancement
ofevilonthisplanet,adeteriorationoftheinstitutionswhoclaimtoworshipGod
andalsoadiminishingofthenumbersofindividualswhoclaimallegiancetoHim,
aseriesofnever-endingwarsanddiseases,andthenthewartoendallwarsthat
wearetoldwillbesounimaginablyterriblethatnothingevenclosetoithas
everbeforebeenexperiencedonthisplanet.Next:God’swrath.Afterthat,the
reignofMessiahYeshuaovertheKingdomofHeavenforathousandyears,and
finallyanewheavensandearththatcompletelyoverturnstheoldorderthathas
beeninexistencesinceAdamandEve;anorderwheresinanddeathhave
dominated.Uponthere-creationthatbringsanewheavensandearth:
CJB
Revelation21:1-5ThenIsawanewheavenandanewearth,fortheold
heavenandtheoldearthhadpassedaway,andtheseawasnolongerthere.
2
AlsoIsawtheholycity,NewYerushalayim,comingdownoutofheavenfrom
Lesson14-AmosChapter9End
13/13
God,preparedlikeabridebeautifullydressedforherhusband.
3
Iheardaloud
voicefromthethronesay,"See!God'sSh'khinahiswithmankind,andhewill
livewiththem.Theywillbehispeople,andhehimself,God-with-them,willbe
theirGod.
4
Hewillwipeawayeverytearfromtheireyes.Therewillnolongerbe
anydeath;andtherewillnolongerbeanymourning,cryingorpain;becausethe
oldorderhaspassedaway."
5
ThentheOnesittingonthethronesaid,"Look!I
ammakingeverythingnew!"Alsohesaid,"Write,'Thesewordsaretrueand
trustworthy!'"
ThisconcludesourstudyoftheBookofAmos.