Albert Barnes Commentary Amos 9:14

"And I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them." — Amos 9:14 (ASV)

And I will bring again the captivity of My people - Where all around is spiritual, there is no reason to take this alone as earthly. An earthly restoration to Canaan had no value, except as introductory to the spiritual.

The two tribes were, in a great measure, restored to their own land, when Zachariah, being “filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied,” as then about to be accomplished, that God hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of His servant David, as He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets - that we, being delivered from the hands of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him (Luke 1:68–70, Luke 1:74–75).

So our Lord said: ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin. If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:32, John 8:34, John 8:36). And Paul: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

And they shall build the waste - (Rather “shall build waste”) “cities.” As those who are freed from captivity and are no longer in fear of the enemy “build cities and plant vineyards” and gardens, so shall these be for God.

“This,” says one of old, “needs no exposition, since, throughout the world, amid the desert of paganism, which was before deserted by God, Churches of Christ have arisen, which, for the firmness of faith may be called “cities,” and, for the gladness of hope which maketh not ashamed, “vineyards,” and for the sweetness of charity, “gardens;” in which they dwell, who have built them through the word; from which they drink the wine of gladness, who formed them by precepts; from which they eat fruits, who advanced them by counsels; because, as he who reapeth, so he too who “buildeth” such “cities,” and he who “planteth” such “vineyards,” and he who “maketh” such “gardens, receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal” (John 4:36).