Saying What People Don’t Want To Hear AMOS 7:1-9 The LORD’s prophet to Israel

Amos 7:10-11 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, & Israel shall surely be led away captive from their own land.'”

Amos 7:12-13 Then Amaziah said to Amos: “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, & there prophesy. 13 But never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, & it is the royal residence.”

“They Don’t Want To Hear It!” A PROPHET’S LIFE WAS HARD - HIS MESSAGE WAS OFTEN UNPLEASANT OT Prophets (Amos 2:11-12) David (Psa 56:5-6) Jeremiah (Jer 20:7-10)

“They Don’t Want To Hear It!” PEOPLE ACCUSE THE PROCLAIMER Elijah (1 Kings 18:17-18) Jeremiah (Jer 26:8-11; 38:3-4) Jesus (John 19:12) Paul (Acts 17:6-7; 24:5)

“They Don’t Want To Hear It!” THE PROPHETS HAD TO BE TOUGH Isaiah: “face like a flint” (Isa 50:7) Jeremiah: “a fortified city, iron pillar, & bronze walls against the whole land” (Jer 1:17-19) Ezekiel: “Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead” (Ezek 3:8-9) Christians too: (1 Cor 1:22-24; Rom 1:16; 1 Pet 4:16)

“They Don’t Want To Hear It!” GOD’S MESSENGER IS NOT APPEALING Amos was a herdsman & a producer of animal feed (Amos 7:14-15) Moses had difficulty speaking (Exo 4:10) Apostles were uneducated & untrained men (Acts 4:13)

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God & not of us.

“They Don’t Want To Hear It!” A PROPHET’S LIFE WAS HARD - HIS MESSAGE WAS OFTEN UNPLEASANT. PEOPLE ACCUSE THE PROCLAIMER THE PROPHETS HAD TO BE TOUGH GOD’S MESSENGER IS NOT APPEALING MANY REFUSE TO HEED A REBUKE 2 Tim 4:1-5: Judges 21:25; Eph 4:17-20

Light contradicts Darkness And the light shines in the darkness, & the darkness did not comprehend [overcome] it (John 1:5). Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them (Prov 28:4). Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:10).

Tell It Like It Is! “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20)