Amos 8-9
"But I will never completely destroy the family of Israel,' says the Lord. – Amos 9:8b NLT
Rebellion. Rejection. Restoration. Redemption. Remnant. These are the themes of the Old Testament. Over and over again we have seen the people of God reject the hand of God over their lives. They rebel against His authority. They replace Him with other gods. They respond to His blessing and provision with indifference and outright contempt. They disobey His Law. They refuse to observe His ordinances. The sin against His commands. They bring shame to His name, instead of glory. The very people who share His name, dishonor Him with their behavior. And so God is forced to punish their sins. He relents over and over again, forgiving them for their indiscretions, until the day finally comes when He can ignore their rebellion no longer. The book of Amos warns of His coming judgment. But it also reminds us of something else that is coming: That day! God tells the very people He is bringing His judgment upon, "In that day I will restore the fallen house of David" (Amos 9:11a NLT). God promises to bring judgment, but He also promises to never destroy the nation of Israel completely. He made a promise to David that a descendant of his would rule on his throne forever. In spite of exile, years of oppression at the hands of their enemies, genocide, famines, droughts, wars, military occupations, and divinely inspired punishments, Israel would survive. Why? Because God ordained it. He had a purpose behind it. From this rebellious, stubborn people would come the Messiah, the Savior of the world and the redeemer of all mankind.
Israel would be punished. But God was not done with them yet. He would send them into exile, but He would return them to the land He had given them. He would restore the Temple and reinstate the sacrificial system. Israel would be dwelling in the land of promise when Jesus was born. Though living under the rule of Rome, Israel would be enjoying a certain degree of autonomy. God preserved a remnant and returned them to the land. The line of David had been protected and preserved. And a son was born who would be the heir that God had promised so many generations before. Jesus, the son of David and the Son of God. He was the long-awaited Messiah – not a political or military ruler, but the one who would set up the spiritual Kingdom of God on earth. He would offer a way in which Jews and Gentiles might be restored to a right relationship with God. He would provide a final sacrifice that satisfied the just demands of God once and for all. And one day He is going to return to establish His Kingdom on earth forever. He will restore the fortunes of Israel. He will reign from Jerusalem over all the earth. "In that day…" God will finish what He began. He will complete what He started. He will restore what mankind and the enemy have worked so hard to destroy.
One day the trumpet will
Sound for His coming
One day the skies with His Glories will shine
Wonderful day My beloved One's bringing
Glorious Savior this Jesus is mine
Father, thank You for the promise of that day. You are not done. You have not finished. You will complete what You have begun because You are faithful. You will redeem and restore. You will make everything right. Thank You for that reminder today. Amen