Confrontation

Amos 7:10-17

It is not healthy to enjoy confrontation, in fact, many in our society will quit jobs, marriages, and even churches or just about anything to keep conflict out of their lives.  But we also understand from the Scriptures that God does arrange confrontation, he did it with Nathan when he was told by God to get in the face of King David and confront his sin of taking Uriah’s wife and then having Uriah killed.  And what about Daniel and his three friends who would not bow to king Belshazzar’s demands?  When the person that confronts us is a person of authority, such as was the case with Amos, when the priest, and more than likely the high priest, sent this note to king Jeroboam: “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.’” (Amos 7:10-11 ESV)  That kind of a message may get a person in trouble, as it will today, and it will surely cause confrontation. 

The following is the exchange between the priest and Amos: “And Amaziah said 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 ESV)  We have all heard the saying, do not pick a fight with an older man, because he has too much to lose, so do not pick a fight with a prophet of God.

Do you recall the confrontation of Peter and the apostles with the high priest telling them not to speak any longer in the name or authority of Jesus Christ.  And this was their reply: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”(Acts 5:29-32)   I must report that did not go well with the religious leaders, and they wanted to kill them, but God.  Yes, but God had plans for these men, yet most of them would die by the hands of religious zealots, but in God’s plan and purpose. 

So what application should we take from Amos 7:10-17?  Is it to love God more than self, to fear God more than you fear man?  I believe the Scripture is clear that we should not be confrontational but to always over look when we are wronged.  With that said it is my personal belief that God is the same today as He has always been, the Creator, He is all knowing, and He has authority over the affairs of men.  And for that reason, my house will stand against all that say God’s word is not relative to our culture.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice