In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen…
Picture it. There’s an old, ramshackle building. Back in its day it must have been something grand, built with beauty and skill far above the cookie cutter blandness that our buildings tend to favor. Quality was put in, rather than quick and cheap construction. But that old building, as lovely as it was, has fallen in – it’s vacant, run down, and lost.
The house of David, the Kings of Israel and Judah weren’t what they used to be. The empire had long crumbled. The army was no longer feared, kings no longer came to pay homage – they came demanding tribute. And the new things were just not as good as the old things. That’s the setting when Amos speaks this promise.
The Messiah would come, and the line of David, his House would be restored – oh, but not just to the piddly glory that the folks in Amos’ day might have hoped for. Not even the mere political power that the zealots in Jesus’ day wanted. You see, Jesus knew the rot and decay went deeper. It wasn’t just one kingdom that had fallen – the whole of human race, the whole of creation was falling further and faster into decay.
And so Christ Jesus came into the world – the Word became flesh and dwelt, tabernacled, set up His booth among us. And He set about the most wondrous restoration project. It wouldn’t be a quick turn around flip-this-house special. No, things would have to be torn down and rebuilt. And so, upon the Cross He Himself died and rose. With His death he pulled out every last bit of sin and rot, and with His resurrection He showed and demonstrated the new plan – you will be raised, and you will be like Him, for you will see Him as He is. He has claimed you as His own – you are a little booth belonging to the Lord. And yes, there are times you see how terribly fallen you are. Fear not – the Lord will raise you up, even as He Himself is raised.
