Amos Chpater 9

Well, this is the last chapter of Amos. We've seen several chapters worth of the Lord declaring in colorful and varied ways of how He is going to destroy Israel for their constant back turning and lack of seriousness about their covenant with God. Now however, we see a glimmer of what is to come. The first glimpse we see comes in verse 8 when God mentions that He will "destroy the surface of the ground.....BUT...." and that but is super important because after that "but" comes this: "but I will not utterly destroy the House of Jacob." This leads us into the last part of chapter nine that starts in verse 11: the restoration of Israel. God declares that He will "raise up their ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old." We see God state that He will "restore the fortunes of my people Israel." Just like the other books of the Minor Prophets filled with doom and gloom, Amos ends in a passage of hope that speaks to what we now know leads to Jesus. I think it's awesome that Amos ends like this because it really highlights why God decided to punish Israel. He does so because He loves them and wants them to return to Him. And He promises to not forget them, just as He promises not to forget us. That love is an amazingly vast love, a love so wide and deep and long that it encompasses everything from the Earth we walk on all the way to the distant stars we see twinkling at night. This love demands all I can give, my most, my all. I need to realize that more often and strive to be worthy of that Love.