Amos 9:11-15

The LORD promised Israel a blessing -- Amos 9:11-15 : God did promise that a remnant of Israel would return to their home land. When the remnant returned they would never be taken again bodily out of Palestine. The nation would lose its power but it would happen while they still lived in the land. In what is now a much abused passage God said, "In the future, I will rebuild David's fallen kingdom." He promised that he would bring Israel from ruin and set it up again as a nation. When the chastisement at the hands of the heathen nations was complete God promised, "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old."

Israel would possess some of those nations that had troubled them in the past. "That they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name," declares the LORD who does this." (Amos 9:12) When the people repented and were properly punished God would bless the remnant of this beaten down people. Prosperity would return and the harvest would be great. They would have such a harvest that they would not be able to bring in all their grain. When it was time to plant again there would still be crops from last season. What a contrast in gaining wealth from honest work and from gaining wealth by cheating the poor!

God promised to make Israel prosper again. The people would rebuild their towns and live in them. They would drink wine from their own vineyards and eat the fruit they had grown. A remnant of the Lord's people would be brought out of captivity. God promised, "I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them," The nation was finally brought under the control of others but it was while they were in the land. They were never taken out of Palestine again after the return from this captivity.