Wow…Really?

Bible Study

Amos 7:10-17 ESV

John 8:47 ESV

One day the Word of the Lord came to Amos the shepherd and he was told to go to Israel. When God called Amos he had not sought God’s hand on his life. He was perfectly happy being a shepherd, but God had other plans.

It’s not unheard of for those who are told they have been called to another life because God had other plans for them. It was unusual for a country boy (a Shepherd) to confront a Priest and a King.

However in Amos 7:10-17 we read, “Then Amaziah the Priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam King of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying: “‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’” Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

The most amazing part of Amaziah’s GO HOME AMOS speech he gave to King Jeroboam of Israel is that the Priest billed it as a conspiracy. The Priest didn’t like what Amos said so he set out to discredit the Prophet sent by God. At the same time (same speech) the Priest Amaziah recognized that Amos was a seer. So which is it…Amaziah the Priest? Has Amos seen what God shows him? If Amos IS a seer (a Prophet) you can’t pick and choose which prophecies you like and which you don’t like…

Amos’ response to Amaziah the Priest seems to make perfect sense.

“Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now then, hear the word of the Lord. You say, “‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’ “

God was very specific with the prophesy and the audience. God did not say go in the street and prophecy. God told Amos to go speak the prophesy to ISRAEL.

It just doesn’t make sense that the PRIEST of Israel would even think he can pick and choose which prophesies he likes and which ones he doesn’t like. That’s not the way it works…most especially when the prophet WAS sent by God. And so, the word of the Lord to Israel from the seer (prophet) HE sent didn’t go well for Amaziah the Priest of Israel.

Amos, the seer sent by the Lord God Almighty creator of heaven and earth told the Priest Amaziah of Israel, “Therefore this is what the Lord says: “‘Your wife will become a prostitute 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 country. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’”

The Word of the Lord to the Prophet Amos was very specific. The Lord God sent Amos the Prophet to warn you that Israel needs to turn to the Lord God and surrender or there will be consequences (your wife will become a prostitute, your children will die by the sword, Israel will lose their land, you will die on foreign soil, and all Israel will go into exile as slaves).

Because Amaziah the Priest refused to listen and turn to the Lord God, specific events changed the direction for Israel.

Wouldn’t it have been better for Amaziah the Priest to stop, take a knee and listen to the Lord God? According to John 8:47 we are told, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

In reality, Amaziah The Priest was not of God.

Really.    

Deborah  acrazyjourney.com