“GO, PROPHESY TO MY PEOPLE…”

Passage: Amos 7:10-17

Key verse: 15

NIV

Amos and Amaziah

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel(A) sent a message to Jeroboam(B) king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy(C) against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words.(D) 11 For this is what Amos is saying:

“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
    and Israel will surely go into exile,(E)
    away from their native land.’”(F)

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer!(G) Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.(H) 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel,(I) because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple(J) of the kingdom.(K)”

14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet(L) nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.(M) 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock(N) and said to me, ‘Go,(O) prophesy(P) to my people Israel.’(Q) 16 Now then, hear(R) the word of the Lord. You say,

“‘Do not prophesy against(S) Israel,
    and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wife will become a prostitute(T) in the city,
    and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
Your land will be measured and divided up,
    and you yourself will die in a pagan[a] country.
And Israel will surely go into exile,(U)
    away from their native land.(V)’”

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Footnotes
  1. Amos 7:17 Hebrew an unclean
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Amos Accused

10 Then Amaziah (A)the priest of Bethel sent to (B)Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has (C)conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said,

“‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
    and (D)Israel must go into exile
    away from his land.’”

12 And Amaziah said to Amos, (E)“O seer, go, flee away (F)to the land of Judah, and (G)eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but (H)never again prophesy at Bethel, for (I)it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”

14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, (J)“I was[a] no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but (K)I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. 15 (L)But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 (M)Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.

“You say, (N)‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
    and (O)do not preach against the house of (P)Isaac.’

17 (Q)Therefore thus says the Lord:

“‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city,
    and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword,
    and your land (R)shall be divided up with a measuring line;
you yourself shall die in an unclean land,
    and (S)Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.’”

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Amos 7:14 Or am; twice in this verse
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message of concern to King Jeroboam that Amos was a real troublemaker. Amaziah couldn’t bear to hear the truth of God’s word, that King Jeroboam would die by the sword and that Israel would be taken into exile. So Amaziah told Amos to shut his mouth and leave Israel. He told him to go back to his home country, Judah from where he could say anything he wanted. People get very upset when they hear things they don’t like, even if they are true! We should humble ourselves and always be willing to listen to God’s servants, especially when saying something we may not like! It may be God’s message.

Amos testified to God’s call of him. He was a shepherd and tree-carer from Judah. But God called him out of his comfortable life to one of being a shepherd in a foreign land. What Amaziah said to Amos denied God’s call to Amos. So, God would judge Amaziah. His wife would become a prostitute and his children would die by the sword. He, along with Israel, would go into exile, where Amaziah would die. Amos was faithful to God’s calling. We should be too!

Prayer: Father, thank you for sending your servants to give us your word. Help us to be humble, with open hearts and ears to listen to you. And help us to speak your word to others, even when it is not easy.

One Word: Listen to the one God sends.