Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20100801.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Amos: Heeding The Word Of The God Of The Whole World
Part XVI: Trusting God's Promised Future Based On His Current Help
(Amos 9:8b, 11-15)
  1. Introduction
    1. God's promised abundant future blessings can seem unrealistic in light of the burdens of our present trials.
    2. However, Amos 9:11-15 in view of Amos 9:8b encourages us to trust God's promised future based on the fact that He is helping us in the present, even if that current help seems to us to be small (as follows):
  2. Trusting God's Promised Future Based On His Current Help, Amos 9:8b, 11-15.
    1. God promised great future blessings that greatly contrasted with Israel's present state, Amos 9:11-15:
      1. Opposite the current division of Israel and Judah, God pledged to restore David's Kingdom, Am. 9:11:
        1. In the prophet Amos' era, Israel had been a separate kingdom from Judah for hundreds of years dating back to the days of King Rehoboam and Jeroboam I, cf. 1 Kings 12:16-17.
        2. God had allowed that division in judgment for Judah's exchanging Him for idols, 1 Kings 11:31-33.
        3. However, the day would come when God would restore the tent of David, that is, the Davidic realm, in which Judah and Israel would be one nation enjoying the blessings of David's past era, Am. 9:11.
      2. Opposite Israel's current affliction by Gentiles, God pledged to give her rule over them, Amos 9:12:
        1. God had predicted Israel would be destroyed and oppressed by Gentile foes, cf. Amos 3:14-15.
        2. One such foe had been Edom, known for its perpetual hatred and abuse of Israel, Amos 1:11.
        3. However, the day would come when God would extend the dominion of the restored Davidic Kingdom over Edom and all the Gentiles, all who would be called by God's Name, Amos 9:12. [Incidentally, this passage was mentioned by James at the First Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:15-17) as the basis for not requiring Gentile Christians to be circumcised; James argued that if God in the coming Messianic Kingdom will recognize uncircumcised believing Gentiles as His people, there was no basis for requiring Gentile Christians to be circumcised in the current Church age!]
      3. Opposite His impending current agricultural judgment, God pledged agricultural bounty, Amos 9:13:
        1. The Lord predicted agricultural destruction and devastation by invading forces in Amos 5:16-17 due to Israel's abuse of the poor to enrich themselves and to build lavish vineyards, Amos 5:10-13 NIV.
        2. However, the day would come when God would so bless Israel in peace and agricultural bounty, the plowman would overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sowed the next year's seed, and even the mountains and hills of Israel would be full of lavish, producti ve vineyards, Amos 9:13.
      4. Opposite His current plans to send His people into captivity and ruin their land, God pledged to reverse that captivity and so reestablish Israel in the land that she would never again be uprooted, Am. 9:14-15:
        1. Amos 5:27 noted Israel would go into captivity north of Damascus, a prediction fulfilled in 2 Kings 17:6 when Assyria took Israel captive to Halah in upper Mesopotamia and Habor by the modern Khabur River, an upper tributary of the Euphrates, Ryrie St. Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to 2 Kings 17:6.
        2. However, Amos 9:14-15 predicted God would one day reverse Israel's captivity, bringing His people back to rebuild and inhabit her waste cities, to build vineyards and drink their wine, make gardens and eat their fruit once again. Israel would be planted upon the land never again to be pulled up and taken captive from it since the Lord would grant it as a permanent dwelling for her.
    2. Though these promises might seem too good to be true in view of the impending devastation of God's judgment, they were verified based on God's present help in Israel's time of judgment, Amos 9:8b:
      1. In predicting Israel's judgment, God said in Amos 9:8b that He would not annihilate the "house of Jacob", a title recalling God's Genesis 28:13-14 covenant to Jacob given at Bethel (Genesis 28:19), the site of Israel's later gold calf worship that God would destroy, Amos 9:1 with 1 Kings 12:28-29.
      2. That meant Israel had a future, one based on God's gracious, promised blessing in Amos 9:11-15.
      3. Thus, God's present preservation of Israel in devastating judgment signaled she had a great future!
Lesson: God's promises of Israel's future abundant Messianic blessings were to be believed based on His preserving her in her current severe judgments so that He might fulfill His promises to her.

Application: May we trust God's promised future due to His present help, even if that help seems small!