Amos 7: 7-15
This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”
“A plumb line,” I replied.
Then the Lord said, “Look I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.”
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.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, 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.’
A Thought
God sends Amos as a spokesman to his people with the message that they are going to be accountable for their unrighteousness; he will spare them no longer. God expects Israel to stand true in alignment with him. Amos speaks God’s message that the high places of Isaac will be destroyed, the sanctuaries will be ruined and the sword will raise against Jeroboam. Amaziah, the priest, choses not to receive God’s message and choses to send Amos away. We people of today are much like the people of Israel refusing to stand accountable to God’s word as the truth. We need to be warned, repent and live in alignment with God’ word.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for your Word that will keep us in alignment with you if we will accept and live it as your truth. Send your Holy Spirit to your ministers to preach your warning of accountability to your Word and give your message of hope that is only found in your Son. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
