The Gospel in the Old Testament

Amos #12: an exposition of Amos 9:11-15. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, August 3, 2014.

Intro:
We all know the power of music.  Music has power to lift the soul.  Music inspires.  Music is capable of expressing the deep longings of the human soul.  Music expresses those thoughts and feelings that escape our power to comprehend.  Music has marched us to war.  It has comforted in times of great sorrow.  Great movements are often identified by a song that served as its anthem.  It was near the end of the turbulent sixties that I first heard it.  A song that was haunting in its ability to sum up the intricacies of life.  It was a simple song yet it spoke eloquently of the human struggle.  Though I heard it many years ago – the words still echo the harsh realities of life in this troubled world:

“O gloom, despair and agony on me.
Deep, dark depression – excessive misery.
If it weren’t for bad luck – I’d have no luck at all.
O gloom, despair and agony on me!”

Israel may have wanted to use that as their national anthem in light of Amos’ prophecy!  The future was dark.  Due to their failure to repent God was coming in a devastating, unrelenting judgment.  They would no longer exist as a nation.  The LORD said to them, “If you flee to the sky I will pull you down.  If you go down to sheol (the place of the dead) I’ll pull you up.  If you try to hide in the depths of the sea I’ll have the serpent bite you.”  They would not escape His sovereign, righteous judgment.  The picture is that of death and utter ruin.  However, the LORD did say, “Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob.”  God promised to preserve a righteous remnant.

Amos was called to deliver a difficult message to Israel.  A message primarily of judgment.  Judgment after repeated warning.  Judgment as a result of sustained, stubborn, persistent sin.  Such a message brought no joy to the heart of the prophet.  You need to hear that message coming through a broken heart and tear-filled eyes.  But it was not all doom and gloom.  There is  some good news.

The gospel is not a New Testament thing it is a Bible thing.
In our text this evening we find the gospel in the Old Testament.

Text: Amos 9:11-15
In the closing verses of Amos’ prophecy God speaks a word of hope to His wayward people.
The same God who spoke those chilling words of judgment now speaks gracious words of hope.

With these words…

Thesis: God promises an extraordinary future to a flawed, broken, undeserving people.

That’s gospel.
That’s good news.
They are fully deserving of His wrath.

In the Old Testament covenantal system if one party fails to keep the covenant the other party is no longer obligated to fulfill his part.  Israel has clearly failed to live up to their covenantal oath.  God owes them nothing.  He would be perfectly just to walk away but God obligates himself.  He will keep His word.  He will fulfill His promise.  He will keep His oath and it is all of grace.

There are three things I want to point out about this extraordinary promise.

  1. He promises a great and glorious future kingdom.  (9:11-12)
  2. He promises a time of abundance and overwhelming joy.  (9:13-14)
  3. He promises an unending blessing – 9:15
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