“Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: but prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.” Amos 7:12-13
In the prophet Amos’ time, Israel had a religious culture, but not a good culture. How could that be? Because they had rejected the word of God. The speaker in these verses, Amaziah, was a priest! He was supposed to be a religious leader, but would not tolerate the prophet speaking the word of God. Many people carry the trimmings of religion, but have no desire to be led and illuminated by Scripture. This is a dangerous place to be!
Therefore, let us do more than criticize the Amaziahs of our day. Let us hold up the word of God with our words, but especially our hearts and our actions. May we look to it as our source of authoritative wisdom and obey it. May we find in it joy and delight for the soul, as it reveals God and salvation thru Christ. May it bring peace to our troubled hearts. May it convict us of sin, and grow us in Christ-like character.
Let us pray that the word of God dwell in us richly. That there would never be a famine of God’s word among us (Amos 8:11-12). That hearts and minds would be impacted powerfully under the word of God, and that it would be proclaimed at home and all over the Lord’s earth.