Connect Amos 7:13 with other biblical instances of rejecting God's messengers. The Rejection at Bethel (Amos 7:13) “But never prophesy again at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary and a temple of the kingdom.” Amaziah the priest orders Amos to keep silent. The king’s interests outweigh God’s word in Amaziah’s mind, so the prophet is pushed out. This single verse captures a sad, recurring theme—God’s messengers being told, “Stop speaking.” Early Echoes of Resistance • Exodus 2:14—Israelites snap at Moses: “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” • 1 Samuel 8:7—The LORD tells Samuel, “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me as their king.” People reject the messenger because they reject the One who sent him. Prophets Pushed Aside in the Monarchy Years • 1 Kings 18:17—Ahab brands Elijah “troubler of Israel.” • 1 Kings 19:2—Jezebel threatens Elijah’s life. • 1 Kings 22:8—Ahab about Micaiah: “I hate him because he never prophesies good for me.” • 2 Chronicles 24:20-22—Zechariah son of Jehoiada is stoned in the temple court. • Isaiah 30:10—The people demand, “Do not prophesy to us the truth; speak to us pleasant words.” • Jeremiah 26:8-11; 38:4—Officials cry, “This man should be put to death,” then drop Jeremiah into a muddy cistern. Bethel’s gag order on Amos fits perfectly within this longstanding pattern. Scripture’s Own Summary of the Pattern • 2 Chronicles 36:15-16—“They mocked God’s messengers, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of the LORD arose… and there was no remedy.” • Acts 7:51-52—Stephen: “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?” The Bible repeatedly affirms—rejecting the messenger equals rejecting God. The Rejection Reaches Its Peak in Christ • John 1:11—“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” • Mark 6:4—“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown.” • Luke 13:34—“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her.” • Matthew 21:35-39—Parable of the tenants: servants beaten, son killed. Jesus, foretold by all the prophets, endures the same resistance they faced, yet in His death and resurrection secures salvation. New-Covenant Messengers Also Opposed • Acts 13:45—The crowd “jealously contradicted what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.” • 2 Timothy 4:3—“For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine.” The pattern did not stop at Calvary; it persists wherever the gospel confronts human pride. Why the Hostility? • God’s word exposes sin (Hebrews 4:12). • Prophetic truth threatens earthly power (Amos 7:13, “king’s sanctuary”). • Hearts grow hard when sin is loved more than light (John 3:19-20). Living Lessons from Amos 7:13 • Expect resistance when Scripture challenges cultural idols. • Measure every voice—priest, king, or crowd—by God’s revealed word, never the other way around. • Stay faithful; rejection of the message vindicates the reliability of Scripture rather than undermining it. • God always preserves a witness; Amos left Bethel, yet his words still speak. From Bethel’s closed pulpit to Calvary’s cross, Scripture consistently records humanity’s refusal to hear. Yet the same unchanging word keeps calling, convicting, and saving all who will finally listen. |
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