Amos 9:4

Destruction of the Sinful Kingdom, and Establishment of the New Kingdom of God - Amo 9:1-15 The prophet sees the Lord standing by the altar, and giving command to overthrow the temple, that the whole nation may be buried beneath the ruins (Amo 9:1). Should any one escape, the Lord will pursue him everywhere, and overtake and destroy him (Amo 9:2-4); for He is the Almighty God, and the Judge of the world (Amo 9:5 and Amo 9:6); and Israel has become like the heathen, so that it deserves no sparing. Nevertheless it shall not be utterly destroyed, but simply sifted, and the sinful mass be slain (Amo 9:7-10). Then will the fallen tabernacle of David be raised up again, and the kingdom of God be glorified by the reception of all nations (Amo 9:12), and richly blessed with the fulness of the gifts of divine grace (Amo 9:13, Amo 9:14), and never destroyed again (Amo 9:15). As the chapter gives the final development of the judgment threatened in the preceding one, so is it also closely attached in form to ch. 7 and Amo 8:1-14, commencing with a vision just as they do. But whilst the preceding visions simply indicate the judgment which is to fall upon the sinful nation, and are introduced with the words, "The Lord showed me" (Amo 7:1, Amo 7:4, Amo 7:7; Amo 8:1), this closing vision shows the Lord engaged in the execution of the judgment, and commences accordingly with the words, "I saw the Lord standing," etc.

In this chapter we have, I. Judgment threatened, which the sinners shall not escape (Amo 9:1-4), which an almighty power shall inflict (Amo 9:5, Amo 9:6), which the people of Israel have deserved as a sinful people (Amo 9:7, Amo 9:8); and yet it shall not be the utter ruin of their nation (Amo 9:8), for a remnant of good people shall escape (Amo 9:9). But the wicked ones shall perish (Amo 9:10). II. Mercy promised, which was to be bestowed in the latter days (Amo 9:11-15), as appears by the application of it to the days of the Messiah, Act 15:16. And with those comfortable promises, after all the foregoing rebukes and threatenings, the book concludes.