Amos 9

Am 9:1-15.

FIFTH AND

LAST

VISION.

None can escape the coming judgment in any hiding-place: for God is

omnipresent and irresistible

(Am 9:1-6).

As a kingdom, Israel shall perish as if it never was in covenant

with Him: but as individuals the house of Jacob shall not utterly

perish, nay, not one of the least of the righteous shall fall, but only

all the sinners

(Am 9:7-10).

Restoration of the Jews finally to their own land after the

re-establishment of the fallen tabernacle of David; consequent

conversion of all the heathen

(Am 9:11-15).

1. Lord . . . upon the altar--namely, in the

idolatrous temple at Beth-el; the calves which were spoken of in

Am 8:14.

Hither they would flee for protection from the Assyrians, and would

perish in the ruins, with the vain object of their trust [HENDERSON]. Jehovah stands here to direct the destruction

of it, them, and the idolatrous nation. He demands many victims on the

altar, but they are to be human victims. CALVIN

and FAIRBAIRN, and others, make it in the

temple at Jerusalem. Judgment was to descend both on Israel and

Judah. As the services of both alike ought to have been offered on the

Jerusalem temple-altar, it is there that Jehovah ideally stands, as if

the whole people were assembled there, their abominations lying

unpardoned there, and crying for vengeance, though in fact committed

elsewhere (compare

Eze 8:1-18).

This view harmonizes with the similarity of the vision in Amos to that

in

Isa 6:1-13,

at Jerusalem. Also with the end of this chapter

(Am 9:11-15),

which applies both to Judah and Israel: "the tabernacle of

David," namely, at Jerusalem. His attitude, "standing," implies fixity

of purpose.

lintel--rather, the sphere-like capital of the column

[MAURER].

posts--rather, "thresholds," as in

Isa 6:4,

Margin. The temple is to be smitten below as well as above, to

ensure utter destruction.

cut them in the head--namely, with the broken fragments of the capitals

and columns (compare

Ps 68:21;

Hab 3:13).

slay the last of them--their posterity

[HENDERSON]. The survivors

[MAURER]. Jehovah's directions are addressed to His angels, ministers of

judgment (compare

Eze 9:1-11).

he that fleeth . . . shall not flee away--He who fancies himself safe

and out of reach of the enemy shall be taken

(Am 2:14).

2. Though they dig into hell--though they hide ever so deeply in the

earth

(Ps 139:8).

though they climb up to heaven--though they ascend the greatest heights

(Job 20:6, 7;

Jer 51:53;

Ob 4).

3. Carmel--where the forests, and, on the west side, the caves,

furnished hiding-places

(Am 1:2;

Jud 6:2;

1Sa 13:6).

the sea--the Mediterranean, which flows at the foot of Mount Carmel;

forming a strong antithesis to it.

command the serpent--the sea-serpent, a term used for any great water

monster

(Isa 27:1).

The symbol of cruel and oppressive kings

(Ps 74:13, 14).

4. though they go into captivity--hoping to save their lives by

voluntarily surrendering to the foe.

5. As Amos had threatened that nowhere should the Israelites be

safe from the divine judgments, he here shows God's omnipotent ability

to execute His threats. So in the case of the threat in

Am 8:8,

God is here stated to be the first cause of the mourning of "all that

dwell" in the land, and of its rising "like a flood, and of its being

"drowned, as by the flood of Egypt."

6. stories--literally, "ascents," that is, upper chambers, to which

the ascent is by steps

[MAURER]; evidently referring to the words in

Ps 104:3, 13.

GROTIUS explains it, God's royal throne,

expressed in language drawn from Solomon's throne, to which the ascent

was by steps (compare

1Ki 10:18, 19).

founded his troop--namely, all animate creatures, which are God's

troop, or host

(Ge 2:1),

doing His will

(Ps 103:20, 21;

Joe 2:11).

MAURER translates, "His vault," that is,

the vaulted sky, which seems to rest on the earth supported by the

horizon.

7. unto me--however great ye seem to yourselves. Do not rely on

past privileges, and on My having delivered you from Egypt, as if

therefore I never would remove you from Canaan. I make no more account

of you than of "the Ethiopian" (compare

Jer 13:23).

"Have not I (who) brought you out of Egypt," done as much for other

peoples? For instance, did I not bring "the Philistines (see on

Isa 14:29,

&c.) from Caphtor (compare

De 2:23;

see on

Jer 47:4),

where they had been bond-servants, and the Syrians from Kir?" It is

appropriate, that as the Syrians migrated into Syria from Kir (compare

Note, see on

Isa 22:6),

so they should be carried back captive into the same land (see on

Am 1:15;

2Ki 16:9),

just as elsewhere Israel is threatened with a return to Egypt whence

they had been delivered. The "Ethiopians," Hebrew, "Cushites,"

were originally akin to the race that founded Babylon: the cuneiform

inscriptions in this confirming independently the Scripture statement

(Ge 10:6, 8, 10).

8. eyes . . . upon the sinful kingdom--that is, I am watching all its

sinful course in order to punish it (compare

Am 9:4;

Ps 34:15, 16).

not utterly destroy the house of Jacob--Though as a "kingdom" the

nation is now utterly to perish, a remnant is to be spared for "Jacob,"

their forefather's sake (compare

Jer 30:11);

to fulfil the covenant whereby "the seed of Israel" is hereafter to be

"a nation for ever"

(Jer 31:36).

9. sift--I will cause the Israelites to be tossed about through all

nations as corn is shaken about in a sieve, in such a way, however, that

while the chaff and dust (the wicked) fall through (perish), all the

solid grains (the godly elect) remain (are preserved),

(Ro 11:26;

compare Note, see on

Jer 3:14).

So spiritual Israel's final safety is ensured

(Lu 22:32;

Joh 10:28; 6:39).

10. All the sinners--answering to the chaff in the image in

Am 9:9,

which falls on the earth, in opposition "to the grain" that does not

"fall."

overtake . . . us--"come on us from behind"

[MAURER].

11. In that day--quoted by James

(Ac 15:16, 17),

"After this," that is, in the dispensation of Messiah

(Ge 49:10;

Ho 3:4, 5;

Joe 2:28; 3:1).

tabernacle of David--not "the house of David," which is

used of his affairs when prospering

(2Sa 3:1),

but the tent or booth, expressing the low condition to

which his kingdom and family had fallen in Amos' time, and subsequently

at the Babylonian captivity before the restoration; and secondarily, in

the last days preceding Israel's restoration under Messiah, the

antitype to David

(Ps 102:13, 14;

Jer 30:9;

Eze 34:24; 37:24;

see on

Isa 12:1).

The type is taken from architecture

(Eph 2:20).

The restoration under Zerubbabel can only be a partial, temporary

fulfilment; for it did not include Israel, which nation is the main

subject of Amos' prophecies, but only Judah; also Zerubbabel's kingdom

was not independent and settled; also all the prophets end their

prophecies with Messiah, whose advent is the cure of all previous

disorders. "Tabernacle" is appropriate to Him, as His human nature is

the tabernacle which He assumed in becoming Immanuel, "God with us"

(Joh 1:14).

"Dwelt," literally, tabernacled "among us" (compare

Re 21:3).

Some understand "the tabernacle of David" as that which David pitched

for the ark in Zion, after bringing it from Obed-edom's house. It

remained there all his reign for thirty years, till the temple of

Solomon was built, whereas the "tabernacle of the congregation"

remained at Gibeon

(2Ch 1:3),

where the priests ministered in sacrifices

(1Ch 16:39).

Song and praise was the service of David's attendants before the ark

(Asaph, &c.): a type of the gospel separation between the sacrificial

service (Messiah's priesthood now in heaven) and the

access of believers on earth to the presence of God, apart from

the former (compare

2Sa 6:12-17;

1Ch 16:37-39;

2Ch 1:3).

breaches thereof--literally, "of them," that is, of the whole nation, Israel as well as Judah.

as in . . . days of old--as it was formerly in the days of David and

Solomon, when the kingdom was in its full extent and undivided.

12. That they may possess . . . remnant of Edom, and of all the

heathen--"Edom," the bitter foe, though the brother, of Israel;

therefore to be punished

(Am 1:11, 12),

Israel shall be lord of the "remnant" of Edom left after the punishment

of the latter. James quotes it, "That the residue of men might

seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles," &c. For "all the

heathen" nations stand on the same footing as Edom: Edom is the

representative of them all. The residue or remnant in

both cases expresses those left after great antecedent calamities

(Ro 9:27;

Zec 14:16).

Here the conversion of "all nations" (of which the earnest was

given in James's time) is represented as only to be realized on the

re-establishment of the theocracy under Messiah, the Heir of the throne

of David

(Am 9:11).

The possession of the heathen nations by Israel is to be spiritual, the

latter being the ministers to the former for their conversion to

Messiah, King of the Jews; just as the first conversions of pagans were

through the ministry of the apostles, who were Jews. Compare

Isa 54:3,

"thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles" (compare

Isa 49:8;

Ro 4:13).

A remnant of Edom became Jews under John Hyrcanus, and the rest

amalgamated with the Arabians, who became Christians subsequently.

which are called by my name--that is, who belong to Me, whom I

claim as Mine

(Ps 2:8);

in the purposes of electing grace, God terms them already called by

His name. Compare the title, "the children," applied by

anticipation,

Heb 2:14.

Hence as an act of sovereign grace, fulfilling His promise, it is

spoken of God. Proclaim His title as sovereign, "the Lord that doeth

this" ("all these things,"

Ac 15:17,

namely, all these and such like acts of sovereign love).

13. the days come--at the future restoration of the Jews to their own

land.

ploughman shall overtake . . . reaper . . .

treader of grapes him that soweth--fulfilling

Le 26:5.

Such shall be the abundance that the harvest and vintage can hardly be

gathered before the time for preparing for the next crop shall come.

Instead of the greater part of the year being spent in war, the whole

shall be spent in sowing and reaping the fruits of earth. Compare

Isa 65:21-23,

as to the same period.

soweth seed--literally, "draweth it forth," namely, from the sack in

order to sow it.

mountains . . . drop sweet wine--an appropriate image, as the vines in

Palestine were trained on terraces at the sides of the hills.

14. build the waste cities--

(Isa 61:4;

Eze 36:33-36).

15. plant them . . . no more be pulled up--

(Jer 32:41).

thy God--Israel's; this is the ground of their restoration, God's

original choice of them as His.

Send Addenda, Corrigenda, and Sententiae to

the editor