SOUND TO SIGHT: 5 Visions of judgments to come upon Israel (Chapters 7-9).
1. Vision of Locust swarms (7:1-3)
2. Vision of Consuming fire (7:4-6),
3. Vision of the Plumb line (7:7-17)
4. Vision of the Basket of Summer fruit (8:1-14)
5. Vision of the LORD beside the altar (9:1-10)

Amos 9:Vision of the Lord Standing beside the Altar (Vision of Destruction of Israel)
First 10 verses talk about the destruction of Israel, and 11-15 talk about the restoration or redemption of Israel. God is not haste to punish, but He is particular about restoration. Thought God wants human race to continue HIS eternal purposes, He can’t leave the sin unpunished. God’s ultimate purpose in Judgement is never destruction(v.8), but always restoration.
The destruction of Israel. (1-10):The basic message in this passage is ‘man’s inability to escape God’s judgement.’
V.1…I saw the LORD… When Isaiah saw the LORD it was for a blessing and hope. But God appeared to Amos to bring judgment and destruction. …strike the doorposts…threshold may shake… these are the top of the columns. Isaiah 6:4 also records the doorposts were shaken because of the voice of the LORD. Here God commands to strike the top of the doorposts to shake the base of the temple. …shatter them on the heads… The fall of the temple will kill great number of people. …I will slay the last of them…anyone who tries to escape shall not be spared.
Vs.2 & 3…dig into hell…climb up to heaven…top of Carmel….bottom of the sea…. These statements state that there is no place in heaven, earth, water and beneath the earth is hidden from God. Every place belongs to God, and He has power and dominion over those places.
V. 4…I will set my eye on them for harm and not for good. This is a terrible statement from a loving God. But God is not talking this as an arrogant God. In Deuteronomy 28:58, 64-68, God has promised this punishment when He settled them in Promised Land. Read Revelation 20:11-15 uses the image of not escaping to the FINAL JUDGEMENT.
V.5…The LORD of hosts… Again Amos 3:13, and 4:13 are repeated here to state the sovereign power of God.
V.6…sky…earth….sea…earth… these references states again the Sovereignty of God over HIS entire creation.
V.7…I saw the LORD… God is asking some series of rhetorical questions to emphasize the sovereignty and control of God over the nations.
V.8…The sinful kingdom… a reference to any nation that is morally guilty will stand for the judgement of God. …Yet I will not utterly destroy… Here is the promise of God’s remnant. God will always save some seed among HIS people.
V.9…sift… any undesirable will be removed in the sifting process, whereas God will not allow the smallest grain (pebble) to fall through the sifting process. None of the remnant will be lost among the nations.
The restoration of Israel (11-15): God has spoken about how people can be found in the small group of remnant people. Deuteronomy 30:1-5.
Vs.11 & 12…on that day…tabernacle of David…all gentiles…called by My Name… these two verses are mentioned first, in reference to the people of Israel, secondly, about Judah in terms of their return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, thirdly, about the return of the 12 tribes at the end time.
Also, this talks about the Curch according to James in Acts 15:16&17 quotes Amos 9:11 & 12 as these verses are the clear prophecy about the salvation of the Gentiles. The rebuilding and restoration of the Tabernacle of David refers to the building of the Church, which in the beginning was composed of Jews, but now included many Gentiles. The Church, therefore, is the instrument by which Gentiles may know God.
V. 14…I will bring back…To build cities and enjoy food and prosperity, when these things are enjoyed in obedience to the Lord and with thanksgiving to him, is to enjoy God’s blessing.
V. 15…I will plant them in their land…This final blessing of the people is predicated upon their recognition of their Davidic messiah, something that is yet to occur. See Rom. 11:25–27.