11“In that day I will restore
David’s fallen tent.
I will repair its broken places,
restore its ruins,
and build it as it used to be,
12so that they may possess the remnant of Edom
and all the nations that bear my name,”
declares the LORD,
who will do these things.
13“The days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains
and flow from all the hills.
14I will bring back my exiled people Israel;
they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.
They will plant vineyards and drink their wine;
they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
15I will plant Israel in their own land,
never again to be uprooted
from the land I have given them,”
says the LORD your God.
Original Meaning
THIS FINAL PROMISE of hope contains two salvation oracles that introduce positive promises about Israel’s “day” of restoration: Verses 11–12 discuss the coming day when the kingdom of David is restored, while verses 13–15 deal with the restoration of the land. The first paragraph focuses on first-person action that God will do, while the second describes what will happen to the fertility of the land when God pours out his abundant blessing on it. Ruins, desolation, and breaches are replaced by building, planting, and possessing the land to demonstrate the great reversal that will take place in the future.
If these events are to happen “in that day” (9:11; cf. 9:13), they are clearly after the destructive events described “in that day” of chapter 8 (8:3, 9, 11, 13). There is also a contrast between the destruction that will happen to the sinful nation (9:8) and the blessings that will come to all who identify with the Lord (9:12). God’s judgment before these events will cause the nation to be “overtaken” by other nations (in spite of their denial in 9:10) and be shaken like a sieve among the nations (9:9–10); but in the future kingdom the enormity of God’s blessings will “overtake” them (9:13).
This short message informs the deceived people in Amos’s audience of what they will miss and gives a short word of encouragement to that faithful remnant that still exists among the people (Amos 5:15; 9:8). At some point in the future God’s covenant promises through Moses (Lev. 26) and to David (2 Sam. 7) will be fulfilled so that this faithful remnant may enjoy them. Thus, no one should think that the destruction of Israel implies that God has given up on his people or abandoned his original plans or promises. The righteous people in Israel should not give up hope in the midst of judgment, for God will establish his eternal kingdom.
Numerous commentaries have trouble seeing Amos as a preacher of these positive words of hope after he has given so many negative messages. They hold that these hopeful words have been added by a later deuteronomic or exilic editor1 because (1) this picture of restoration is contradictory to Amos’s message of destruction in the rest of the book; (2) a positive attitude toward Judah and Jerusalem is not appropriate for an Israelite audience but fits a later Judean audience; (3) the historical background presupposes the fall of Jerusalem; and (4) the emphasis on material blessings is contrary to Amos’s strong focus on ethical behavior elsewhere.2
In contrast to this conclusion are the recent works by Hayes, Hubbard, Stuart, Andersen and Freedman, Finley, Smith, and Paul,3 who conclude that Amos 9:11–15 is a part of Amos’s preaching. They offer various reasons. (1) Amos is not being inconsistent with his earlier messages of destruction, for he is offering hope only to a small remnant of people after the destruction of Israel, not to the nation as a whole.
(2) The message about the restoration of the Davidic empire is not just a Judean hope, for the Israelite nation too had a special place for David because of his revenge of the death of Saul (2 Sam. 1:11–16), his lament for Saul and Jonathan (1:17–27), and his covenant with the northern nation of Israel (5:1–3). In fact, the people of Israel at one time believed they had a greater claim on David than the people of Judah (19:43), and God did promise to build the eternal house of David through Israel’s king Jeroboam I if he would follow God (1 Kings 11:30–38).4
(3) Most of the prophets see through their gift of prophecy that God’s judgment will be followed by the establishment of his kingdom (cf. Hos. 14; Joel 3:17–21; Zeph. 3). Thus, it is not necessary to postdate the words of Amos or any of the prophets; in fact, if the “David’s fallen tent” refers to the breakup of the Davidic kingdom in 930 B.C. rather than the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.,5 there is no need to date these verses in the exilic period.
(4) Amos’s promise of blessing falls only on those who associate with the name of the Lord. Thus, the key theological and ethical dimension of his preaching is maintained; he does not throw the doors of the kingdom open to the ungodly and unethical Israelites whom he condemns elsewhere in the book.
The Coming Day Will Bring the Restoration of the Davidic Kingdom (9:11–12)
THE COMING DAY of hope is set somewhere in the unknown future. It points to that ideal day when the Lord will take direct control of his people’s destiny and graciously act on their behalf. In a series of first-person unconditional promises, God announces: “I will restore/raise up David’s fallen tent/booth.”6 Usually the dynasty of David is described as the “house [bet]” of David (2 Sam. 7:11, 27); only Isaiah refers to the city of Jerusalem as a lonely “shelter” or “booth” (Isa. 1:8) and to a Davidic judge who will be on the throne in the “tent of David” (16:5, see NIV text note).7 Amos is probably referring back to the “fallen” family rule of David and Solomon, which was continually destroying the vitality of both nations since the kingdoms were divided into the northern country of Israel and the southern country of Judah after Jeroboam I refused to submit to Rehoboam (see 1 Kings 12).
Amos’s prophecy does not refer to the fall of Jerusalem and her exile, for later prophecies that do mention this are much more specific and graphic (Jer. 7; Ezek. 4–5).8 This text does not explain how this Davidic rule will be restored or clarify details about the ruler; it merely states that God himself will bring it about. The fallen nature of this little tent shows how insignificant and powerless God views these Hebrew nations at the present time.9
The second thing God promises is that “I will repair its broken places [lit., breaches] [and] restore its ruins.” In military passages breaches and ruins usually refer to the destroyed walls of a city (1 Kings 11:27; Isa. 14:17). Earlier Amos predicted that destruction would come to many cities in David’s old empire (Amos 2:5; 4:3). The breaches10 of these cities will then be restored and “its [David’s kingdom’s] ruins” will be rebuilt so that the ideal empire of old can be restored. These glorious promises must have quickened the heartbeats of the righteous remnant.
The consequences of this Davidic revival will impact other nations so that they may gain inclusion into this future kingdom (9:12). The reference to the “remnant of Edom” may stem from Uzziah’s restoration of parts of Edom to Judean control (2 Kings 14:22; 2 Chron. 26:2) during the time of Amos. The final rebuilt empire will not only include the remaining portion of Edom but many other nations that God will control (these are the people who will be called by his name). If they go by God’s name, they are part of his possession and his people. Amos here foresees the conversion of many Gentile people groups to God, an insight that helped the New Testament church decide to include Gentile converts into their fellowship in Acts 15.11
The Coming Day Will Bring the Restoration of the Land (9:13–15)
ONCE THE POLITICAL status of the new kingdom is explained, Amos focuses on God’s transformation of the fertility of the land. God will replace his curse of destruction on the land. It will truly overflow with milk and honey. Using hyperbolic language, the prophet describes how those plowing the fields in October through November will overtake those harvesting the crops. The abundance of the crops will be beyond everyone’s imagination and exceed human ability to collect them. The grapes that are harvested around August and September will be so numerous that they will still not be finished at planting time in November. In fact, the grapes will be so full that there will be streams of grape juice flowing down the hillsides.
This is an astonishing picture, for if one visits the Holy Land today in the summer, a primary impression of that rocky and dry land is not one of fertility. In places where there is no modern irrigation, one sees the exact opposite of fertility and no overwhelming abundance of crops. The contrast between the agricultural fertility in Amos’s day and that future time of divine blessing on that coming day is dramatic—an obvious sign that God is blessing his people (cf. Lev. 26:42; Deut. 30:9). It is almost like a rebirth of the Garden of Eden (see Ezek. 36:35).
God will also return his people to the land (Amos 9:14) after the destruction and exile (5:27; 7:17). When they return, they will rebuild its cities, plant new crops, and enjoy the produce of the land. This sharply contrasts with Amos’s earlier prediction that they will build homes but not dwell in them, and plant vineyards but not enjoy their fruit (5:11). This miraculous change is instituted by God’s action of returning the people to the land and the people’s action of settling and working the land. There is no conditional phraseology to limit the fulfillment of this transformed situation. It will happen; God will see to it.
This salvation oracle ends with an unending covenantal promise of God’s eternal granting of the land to his people (9:15). They will permanently possess this land and will never be driven from it again. This reverses the immediate destiny of the nation (5:2), which will soon be uprooted and sent into exile. They will no longer be sojourners but landed citizens, deeply rooted in the place God has given them.
These final promises convey a powerful message of hope in God. It may have persuaded some listeners to join the small remnant of Israelites who still trusted in God. This message of restoration demonstrates that God is still sovereign over the affairs of his people and will faithfully fulfill everything he has promised to their forefathers. It will happen in spite of the failures of the people in Amos’s day and in spite of the failures of the church today. God’s love is gracious beyond measure and his power to transform is unlimited.
Bridging Contexts
RESTORATION OF BLESSINGS. The primary theological theme of this section is that God will one day restore his blessings on all who are called by his name. Although this is his specific promise to bring hope to the people of Israel, it has much in common with the eschatological vision for Judah that God inspired in the hearts of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. It is, of course, inappropriate to read into Amos’s message all the things these later prophets describe—such as the cleansing of the sins of the nation (e.g., Ezek. 36:25, 29, 33), God’s transformation of the hearts of the people through his Spirit (36:26–27; 37:14), the leadership of a Davidic servant king (34:23–24; 37:24–25), the eternal covenant of peace (34:25; 37:26), and the future place of worship where God will dwell (chs. 40–43)—but the full weight of Amos’s promises is not diminished by their simplicity or incompleteness.
It is possible that Amos has a much fuller eschatological understanding than what is presented in this passage. But the present level of detail is what God wants the prophet to share with his Israelite audience. Thus, a fundamental principle of interpretation of prophecy is to discover the meaning of the words spoken12 and not to put in the prophet’s mouth ideas and issues of fulfillment not based on the text. What the later prophet Isaiah says has little impact on interpreting Amos because Amos does not go into the detail Isaiah does. Biblical teaching on Amos must derive from this text; otherwise, we could import anything into this text and twist it to our own ends (many complain about the cults doing this but practice their own brand of the same thing). Amos does not mention many eschatological details,13 but he does claim that God will restore his blessings on all who are called by his name. That is his powerful message.
Amos draws a connection between God’s past promises in the covenant (the blessings and curses in Lev. 26 and Deut. 27–28) and his promises to David (2 Sam. 7; Ps. 89), and the future events in the coming days. Although there is general reference within these promises to the material benefits that will be enjoyed by humankind, the focus of attention falls on the work of God. “I will” is the power behind all this transformation. This passage exalts the faithfulness and power of God to bring restoration out of a cursed nation. He will bring about a great change in Israel, but his original plans have not changed. He has always intended to make Abraham’s seed into a great nation, to use them to bring his blessing on the Gentiles from other nations, and to give them a land flowing with milk and honey (Gen. 12:1–3; 17:1–8; 26:1–3; 28:14).
The tragedy of this whole plan is that God’s chosen people then and today resist his grace and authority so much that it is impossible for the plan to be enacted. As at Pentecost, God will one day powerfully intervene again and through his Spirit bring about the completion of his original plan. God has not been confused by the intervening years, nor has he had to go to Plan B because the first one did not work. This plan included curses and blessings (Gen. 12:3), so that the Israel of Amos’s day will feel the brunt of God’s wrath but those in the future will experience his gracious restoration.
Finally, this text assures listeners that God has not left humanity without any hope. Today may be terrible, and tomorrow may bring more sorrow than any one person should have to bear, but there is hope because God exists and has a plan to bring this world to a wonderful end. If more unconditional grace is available, restoration for a failed world exists. If people are not stripped of all hope, faith and trust are possible. If people desire to participate in the transformation God offers, a new world can be born. No matter how severe God’s judgment is, he does not leave people without hope.
Contemporary Significance
PREACHING HONEST ESCHATOLOGICAL messages. Amos’s eschatological presentation of hope and restoration may not include all that he knows and does not include many of the details that later prophets mention, but it does include the primary message that God will transform both people and nature when he brings about the fulfillment of his plans. Amos speaks what God has instructed him to say, and one must assume that this limited amount of information is adequate for the needs of the audience.
Amos simply reveals what God will do, but the plan is vague on when it will happen (cf. “in that day” in Amos 9:11). Nor is the prophet overly concerned with explaining who will be in this kingdom (surprisingly he never even mentions the people of Judah and does not specify who the “nations” are who will be called by “my name” in 9:12). This leads one to wonder about the need for this information. Is our faith to be centered on what God will do, or on when it will happen, and on who it will happen to? Does speculation about what a prophet might have meant increase our ability to believe it? Does reading between the lines or adding things from the New Testament provide a sure foundation for what Amos is teaching?
No, the challenge is to preach and teach what God has revealed through Amos, not what I want to explain from the wealth of my eschatological knowledge. If faithfulness to the words that Amos speaks is forsaken, there is a real danger that people will miss the main point God and Amos are making in this passage. Limiting oneself to the biblical revelation of a text is a hard discipline that every interpreter needs to learn.
How did the church in Acts apply this text? If one wants to look at the interpretation and application of Amos 9:12 in the early church in Acts 15:16–18, one is initially faced with the interpretive problem that the New Testament text has “men” rather than “Edom.” But the significance of this fact is reduced once one realizes that Edom sometimes stands as a symbol for all the nations.14 The key question of application in the Jerusalem council is this: How does this verse help the church decide whether Gentiles should be included with Jews in the kingdom of God? Would God concern himself with taking from the Gentiles a people who are called by his name (Acts 15:14)? James, the apostles and elders, and the whole church at Jerusalem are led by the Spirit (Acts 15:28) to apply Amos 9:12 to their situation and conclude that it is God’s plan to call out Gentiles to himself.
True, the Jerusalem council does not pay much attention to the time specifications in Amos 9:11–12, nor do they focus on who these Gentile nations are that Amos is speaking about. They go instead to the heart of the issue: God’s plan is to include “Gentiles who bear my name” (Acts 15:17). This lesson in application turns accepted church polity upside down (after this council meeting the church will never again be an exclusive Jewish fellowship); its application opens the door to Gentile acceptance and the evangelism of the world.
If this one verse had been misinterpreted or misapplied, the Western world might still be in pagan darkness. In the new policy accepted at the Jerusalem council, additional requirements are placed on the Gentiles to maintain moral and social unity between peoples from different cultures (Acts 15:19–20). This is not derived from Amos 9 but from the early church leaders’ knowledge of other passages. They apply common cultural sensibilities to their situation in order to enable this culturally diverse church to be pure (following the known will of God revealed in the past), free from unnecessary cultural restraints, and unified together as one (Acts 15:28–29).
It seems that missionaries who spread the gospel in foreign cultures must make similar judgments of application to protect the purity, cultural freedom, and unity of the church. Similar insights should characterize the fellowship among African American, American Indian, Hispanic, and white churches today. We all worship the same Lord and will be with one another for eternity in heaven, but it seems as if cultural and denominational distinctives are so strong that it is easier for each group to do its own thing and not associate with other groups. But a church divided is not a church united, and unity was one of Jesus’ main concerns before he left his disciples (John 17). Certainly Gentiles needed the Jerusalem church to send out missionaries, and the Jerusalem church needed assistance from the Gentile churches during the famine in Jerusalem. Do we not still need the fellowship of the whole church today?
Is there any hope? The final words of Amos offer hope to the faithful remnant who will suffer with the wicked when God brings destruction on the nation of Israel. It also challenges unbelievers with the choices they can make: Reject God and suffer his curse, or turn to God and accept this offer of hope. Everyone needs to have some hope in his or her life. Hope is not based on an eschatological chart or eliminated by difficult circumstances. God is the One who offers hope to those who will believe in him. Therefore, he must be at the center of all eschatological teaching.