Compare Am 9:11-12. The messianic prophecy of Amos concerning the rebuilding of the tabernacle, that is, God's dwelling among men, the theocracy, was spoken for the consolation of the Jews. After they fell into idolatry and God turned away from them, their God-preserved kingdom came into the greatest decline. It was as though God's dwelling, the tabernacle, were no longer among them, and the theocracy had fallen. "But behold," says the Lord through the prophet, "I will turn to you, if you turn to Me. And I will raise up My dwelling, My tabernacle, as it was in the glorious days of David, the king after My heart. I will do this chiefly so that the other nations also may believe in Me.
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This will happen, for I am God, Who will accomplish it." To these prophetic thoughts the righteous James joined his own words. They form a conclusion from the prophecy and have a living application to the question that had been raised. All His works are known to God from eternity. That is, He acts according to foreknowledge and predestination. "His words are beyond dispute," says Saint John Chrysostom, "for there is nothing new here, but everything was foreordained from the beginning." This saying, in relation to the present case, means the following. What was now taking place before their eyes concerning the calling of the Gentiles into the Kingdom of Christ had been known to the all-knowing God from of old, from eternal days. It had been foreordained by Him for fulfillment at the known and appointed time. What they were now experiencing was the accomplishment of God's eternal counsel.
THEOSIS