“go, Prophesy to My People…”

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

“go, Prophesy to My People…”

Date: Apr. 13, 2025

Passage

Amos 7:10-17 (ESV)

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has 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 Israel must go into exile
    away from his land.’”

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

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

“You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’

17 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 shall be divided up with a measuring line;
  you yourself shall die in an unclean land,
    and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.’”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 7:15

But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

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.

Plagues of Frogs and Gnats

Exodus 8:1-19

Key Verse: 8:19

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Today's Question

What are we specifically taught in the first commandment by the words before me?

See answer and references