AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 9:1 This final vision has two parts, one negative (vv. Amos 9:1) and the other positive (vv. Amos 9:11). God considers worthless all the sacrifices the Israelites had given in an attempt to manipulate him on their behalf, while bringing reproach upon his name with their sinful live... [ Continue Reading ]
AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 9:2 Two groups of opposites: SHEOL (the underworld) vs. HEAVEN; and CARMEL (the mountaintop) vs. THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA. In short, there is no place between these extremes to escape God. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img;... [ Continue Reading ]
AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 9:7 CUSHITES (or Nubians), who lived south of Egypt, were considered to be living at the end of the world. All peoples are under God’s care. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 9:11 In contrast to the mighty temple of Israel that God would smash to the ground (v. Amos 9:1), the fragile booth of David (v. Amos 9:11) would be repaired. The reminder that Israel’s well-being depends on the descendants of David would come with special force to Amos’s northern... [ Continue Reading ]
AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 9:12 The NATIONS... CALLED BY MY NAME connects with the nations described in vv. Amos 9:7. Israel has a special place among the nations, but it is a place of mission, not simply of privilege. In Acts 15:16, James cites Amos 9:11. He understands this passage to indicate that “all th... [ Continue Reading ]
AMOS—NOTE ON AMOS 9:13 When God restores the land, it will be amazingly productive and will not need to rest for a moment. As soon as the REAPER has harvested one crop, the PLOWMAN comes right behind planting another one, and as soon as someone SOWS THE SEED, the grapes grow so rapidly that the TREA... [ Continue Reading ]