A Restructured Kingdom- The King Reigns

A Restructured Kingdom-The King Reigns 

In this month's article, I want to take you back a few thousand years to look at the prophet Amos. Why do I want to take you to Amos? We all need to be reminded of who God is, what He is doing in human history, and what He will do in the future. It is in Amos that we can be encouraged about a time still yet to come- the return of Christ, what that day will be like, and how we should live until that day comes. I will speak about the text in three sections: David's kingdom will be restructured, the Old Testament speaks of Gentiles coming in, and the Lord is the one who is doing it all.

“In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old,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 9:11-12

David's kingdom restructured

This is a picture of a reconstruction. The idea of the booth of David is a reminder of what the children of Israel had to do during the festival of booths. God had Israel dwell in booths when he brought them out of Egypt. This illustrates God’s deliverance, protection, and provision for Israel. Here we have in Amos, God reminding Israel what I did for you in the past, I will do for you in the future. God will rebuild, like in the past, when Israel had nothing and was nothing but slave labor for Egypt.

God not only brought Israel out of slavery, but He brought them out to give them an inheritance that He promised Abraham years before. God gave them a land to call their own so that they -as His people-  could follow His worship, social, and government structure.   

Here in Amos, God reminds Israel that He will do it again when He returns. Once again, there will be a restructuring when Christ returns, starting with a new heavens and earth. This text shows us who will also be a part of this new structure- the remnant of Edom and all nations.

The Old Testament Speaks of Jews and Gentiles Coming into the Kingdom

Why does Amos bring up this idea of the remnant of Edom? Israelites had a dislike of Edomites due to them rejecting Israel's offer to pass through the land when they came out of exile from Egypt. Also, this is where Jacob’s brother Esau lived when Jacob (Israel) stole his birthright for some stew. However, this passage looks at the remnant of Edom positively. So much so, that God is calling them a possession of Israel. This remnant of people will benefit from this restructuring of David’s kingdom.

Nevertheless, it is not only the remnant of Edom that will benefit but also all of the nations. Yes, look at the text again; you read it right: all nations. Every nation, tribe, and tongue will be represented in this kingdom restructured when Christ returns.

Every nation, tribe, and tongue will be represented as they come to the throne of David to worship the one who sits upon it- the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. Why has God commissioned us to go and share this good news? This is the very reason. Jewish, Edomites, and Gentiles will have access to the kingdom through repentance and faith in what Christ did on the cross.

This brings me to my last point in these two verses. Who God is, what he is doing in human history, and what He is going to do in the future      

The Lord is going to do this through a near and far fulfillment of Christ's reign

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,” Ephesians 1:18

There is a near and far fulfillment of Christ's reign. The near fulfillment is the bond in who God is. When Christ was resurrected from the grave, this sealed every believer's eternity and our present life. I don’t have time to expand on the full benefit, but for this article, I need you to understand that our truer inheritance is not some land in the Middle East. No. Our better inheritance is God himself, and because He is the creator and the sustainer of all things, we get it all as an inheritance because we are His children.

In brevity, our reward is God. In this present life, we now know the purpose and meaning of life to know and enjoy God for all eternity. He is the one doing it all from beginning to end. He is drawing the nations to Himself; He is allowing the rise and fall of Kingdoms through his cause and man’s cause. He is the one who is going to restructure David’s booth and draw the remnant of Edom along with all the nations. The great I am is doing work that no new media, crooked defense lawyers, or medical professionals can stop. No president, queen, king, government, or parliament can stop His reigning and judging of the nations.

In the far fulfillment, when Christ returns, He will set up His reigning Kingdom to judge the nations and give His people everything that is rightfully His for them to enjoy for eternity. The only thing anyone can do to escape His just judgment is to humbly bow to Him in repentance and faith in His Son before it is too late.  This is why Amos is written to encourage us to think about what is to come in the future so we would be motivated to live like Christians in the present. We are to be about our Father’s business. Until next month, go proclaim and share the gospel to see lives transformed because the truth worth proclaiming and sharing is the truth that transforms.