Amos 9
The Lord stands by the altar. He will restore the tabernacle of David
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Text
Comments
.1 ¶ I saw the Lord standing upon [or "by"] the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.
 2  Though they dig into hell [the ground or the grave], thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
.3  And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:
.4  And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.
  1 - I saw The final judgment scene or vision. See explanation at the top of the chapter 7 page.
  1 - Altar The altar of incense was the place of intercession for the sanctuary on earth. It represents the same altar in heaven re0805.
  1 - Lintel ... door posts This reflects on the Passover scene ex1207. The Hebrew word translated "lintel" (the supporting piece above a doorway) is kaphtor and is used to identify each knob of the lampstand ex2531. For a doorway, it may have been the capital (top piece) of a pillar. This points to the temple which, like the homes in Egypt that were not protected by blood on the lintel and doorposts, were struck by the death of the firstborn ex1222, ex1229. Compare mt2338.
  3 - Though they hide As in the time of the flood, those who rejected the mercy of God had no escape ge0721.
  3 - Sea The judgment of the people of ancient Israel who would soon go into captivity is similar to the final judgment around the white throne at the end of the thousand years re2013.
.5  And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
.6  It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.
.7  Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
   5 - Land ... shall melt Peter saw this 2pe0307.
   5 - Mourn Sorry for the results, not for their sin mt2703.
   5 - As by the flood of Egypt The river Nile flooded. The symbol here apparently draws on the worldwide flood and the slavery in Egypt which, is to be destroyed, v7.
   6 - Stories Allusion to the tower of Babel, ge11.
 8  Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.
.9  For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
.10  All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent [go before] us.
   8 - Destroy ... not utterly A remnant would escape. See je3903, je3911. Many exiles from the Northern Kingdom did return with those of Judah ho0111, ho0917.
   9 - Sift ... Israel among the nations "For I will give the command and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground." NIV. Those of the true Israel will be persecuted but will not fall ro0906, re0612.
   10 - Sinners ... which say Pictured in Revelation as the prostitute on the beast re1807iq. It's important to read the text carefully. The kingdom as a whole is wicked but a remnant as the true wheat will not be destroyed.

Many today believe that they (or the US government) should remove the mosque from Jerusalem and build a temple there. Verse 11 is one they appeal to in support of their ideas. A careful study of this text in context develops a different picture. Read the text and the comments and see the summary at the bottom of this page.

.11 ¶ In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
.12  That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
  11 - In that day Day of sifting when sinners die v10. Notice especially the preceding context. The day for raising up the tabernacle of David comes after the judgment of punishment. See judgment summary on the chapter 7 page.
  11 - Tabernacle of David Amos uses the practice of living in temporary structures while celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles to illustrate the promised restoration de1613ff. The booths they were to construct were made of branches le2334ff and could be easily damaged. Compare jon0405.
   David's kingdom had been great but now was gone – broken down like a house of branches might be. A new David will be king. See on ez2127 and follow links.
  11 - As in the days of old The promise is future. On Breaches am0403, am0611, is5812.
  12 - Possess In Edom and other heathen nations were a remnant who were true to God. They would be part of the restored kingdom ga0328 linked below.
.13  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
.14  And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
 15  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
  13 - Overtake Fast action is pictured. The harvest and vintage at the end of Revelation 14 may have drawn symbolism from this verse. At the end of probationary time, people will be rapidly making decisions for truth or error, righteousness or wickedness. The two classes will intensify their characters one way or the other to become the grain to be harvested for heaven or the grapes to be trampled. Read beginning re1413.
  14 - My people Israel God did bring some back from Assyria and Babylon but, as a nation, they were unfaithful. The promises are to be fulfilled to spiritual Israel, God's faithful ones of all ages re07is., mr1201, ga0328. In the context here, only the righteous among God's people would be planted in their land. The wicked were to die, v10.
   15 - Plant them To be fulfilled in the new earth. re2103.
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Raising the tabernacle of David is not rebuilding the temple
Click the blocks to link.
According to the verse, no humans rebuild the temple. This is the work of the Lord.
The modern Jewish nation does not inherit promises to the old one. Mt. 21:34.
If the verse about David's "tabernacle" has a modern fulfillment so does the one saying Israel will never rise.
The promise of the restored kingdom in v11 shows it's fulfillment after the end of sinners (after the 1000 yrs.)
The promises are to all the nations. Edom is mentioned. Arabs live there now. It is for them, too. Gal. 3:28.

Amos reveals the pattern of the judgment of the world
Plumbline: Judgment comes before the Advent of Christ Amos 7:7.
Summer fruit: The end of probationary time and the end of the preadvent judgment 8:1.
The Lord by the altar – shaking posts. The executive judgment at the end of the thousand years 9:1.

 
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