(REFLECTIONS ON Amos 9:11-15)

11 “In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David,
And wall up its breaches;
I will also raise up its ruins
And rebuild it as in the days of old;

The fallen booth of David as written in the New American Standard Bible translation refers to the fallen dynasty and kingdom of David. There was a promise in the Book of Amos that what had fallen and been broken would be restored.

Interestingly, in Acts 15 the Apostle James references Amos 9:11 in his reply to the Apostle Peter sharing about how God had opened up the Gospel to the Gentiles. Referring to Peter as Simeon, James said,

14 “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 ‘After these things I will return,
And I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which was fallen,
And I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will restore it,

17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
And all the Gentiles who are called by My Name,’
18 Says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.’”

The Lord’s words through Amos the prophet were being fulfilled in the Book of Acts when the Gospel was spread beyond the Jews to the Gentiles. The words spoken long ago, did not go unfulfilled, but in God’s timing, was relevant not just for Israel during the days of the prophets, but for the Church after Jesus Christ had already come to His creation to die, be raised in resurrection, and ascended to the right hand of God.

The words of Amos were being fulfilled in the same age that we now, as the Church, still occupy, that is Jesus Christ has already ascended to the Father, and we are waiting for His return to bring completion His promise of salvation.

Let’s us not think that we are living so far away from God’s Word, the words of the prophets, or God’s promises. The same promises God had for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still are being fulfilled in us, the Church, and so now through Christ, we participate in the promises that were left for Israel at the end of the judgment of God in the Book of Amos. 

We are still living in the promises of God and so the more we understand the Old Testament, the more we will see fulfillment in the New Testament and be our hope for completion when Jesus returns.

Just as God’s judgments were unavoidable at the beginning of Amos 9, God’s promises of restoration are unavoidable as the Book of Amos comes to a close. The Book of Amos as many of the books of the prophets, ends with a promise, and we are living in the promise today, and we continue to hope and live in the promises tomorrow and the next, until Jesus comes again.

Let’s then not read the Bible, Old or New Testament, as if we are reading about someone else, some other people, and not realize that it is about us, that is the Church, Christ’s body, with Christ Himself as the head.

The Book of Amos ends with one final statement from the Lord, “Says the Lord your God.” God’s promises of restoration are unavoidable because it is the Lord that says so. The Lord speaks, and in His Word is creation, His Son, Jesus Christ, and so let’s continue to live in His Word today and every day, because God’s promises of restoration are unavoidable.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Amos 9