“I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said: ‘Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake, and shatter them on the heads of all the people; and those who are left of them I will kill with the sword; not one of them shall flee away; not one of them shall escape’” (Amos 9:1).
“’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. 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” (Amos 9:14-15).
This last chapter of Amos presents something of a contrast. First, Amos has a vision of the Lord pouring out his wrath on the evil doers (9:1-10).
Then, Amos closes his book by telling of a time when the Lord will restore the “tabernacle of David,” which includes the land promise, “‘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” (15).
I believe that modern Israel is the partial fulfillment of what Amos and the other prophets describe as the restoration of Israel. Clearly, the nation does not walk in righteousness. So, we wait for the Lord to bring that element of the restoration.
Father, please fulfill your promise to restore Israel in righteousness. Please defend them from those who seek to undermine your land promise by dividing the land. Amen.
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