Series: Dog Daze
Amos 7:10-17
During the 8th Century the prophets were Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah. It was a tough time to be a prophet.
Amos had a different experience because he was not a trained prophet.
He was not a theologian.
He did not got to school in the Temple like the other Hebrew prophets.
Amos had to stay at home in the mountains and tend sheep.
In Amos 7:10-11 we are told:
“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. For thus Amos has said,
“‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.’”
So let’s set the scene. Amos who was not trained as a prophet was told by God that King Jeroboam of Israel would die and Israel would go into exile.
They would have to leave Israel…their homeland.
When the Priest of Bethel, Amaziah heard that Amos spoke those words publicly he went to tell King Jeroboam that some nobody nothing crazy stinky shepherd was standing out on the street telling everyone he was going to die by the sword and after that Israel would go into exile and they would be driven away from their homes.
In my mind after the King stopped laughing he would have told the Priest Amaziah to do what ever he needed to do to shut Amos (the nobody nothing stinky shepherd who carried a crooked shepherd stick) UP. Shut him up!
And…the King of Israel also probably told Amaziah the Priest to make sure the crazy stinky shepherd went back up into the hills.
He probably also told the Priest to make sure he never came back to the palace!
More than likely the King of Israel was really annoyed and he thought he might decide he wants to send someone to silence the crazy stinky shepherd Amos if he doesn’t shut up.
It’s also highly possible that after the Priest left the King was really really annoyed that a crazy stinky shepherd thought he had the right to say such crazy things about him.
So the Priest Amaziah went off to find the crazy stinky shepherd. As he was looking for him he became more and more angry.
He probably thought about how annoying this whole thing was and he kept thinking about everything he needed to get done today. He needed make sure the temple was clean. He had to prepare the animal sacrifices, he had to clean and trim the lamp stands and fill them with oil. He had to prepare the incense for the altar and he also had to check the bread to make sure it was still fresh.
He really really had enough to do without having to hunt down some crazy stinky shepherd to put him in his place.
So, by the time Amaziah found the stinky shepherd Amos he was plenty mad! Amaziah shouted to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
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. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now therefore hear the word of the Lord.
“You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’
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.’” (Amos 7:12-17)
Wow…I mean wow! I’m sure by now the Priest Amaziah was plenty mad!
I mean seriously, what gave this crazy stinky shepherd the RIGHT to threaten him and the mighty King of Israel.
Right then and there the Priest Amaziah decided the crazy stinky shepherd had to GO!
I mean he just threatened the Queen, the King’s children, and he took it upon himself to say Israel would be divided up.
THEN to make matters worse he threatened me…the Priest. THE Priest! I AM Priest Amaziah and how dare him tell me I would die in another land and all the Israelites would go into exile.
Really, REALLY…the Priest thought this was a really stupid move on the part of the crazy shepherd!
Now he knew for sure, this crazy stinky shepherd’s gotta GO!
Spiritual Practice: what annoys you today?
Tell God about it. Be specific when you ask for God’s help.
In God, Deborah acrazyjourney.com
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