“Amos Relates How He Was Called of God to Be a Prophet—He Prophesies the Captivity of Israel”
Amos 7:10–17
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Beth-el sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
13 But prophesy not again any more at Beth-el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.
14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
17 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone said:
“. . . [L]et’s take a look at Amos. The Lord called Amos to go down to Israel and prophesy; Amos did this, and Amaziah, the king’s priest, was wroth and angry. He came to Amos and said, ‘O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, . . . But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court’—go to Judah and prophesy there and eat bread and leave us alone. And then Amos said, I think with all the courage and all the dignity of a prophet, ‘I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit. And the Lord . . . said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord’ (Amos 7:12–16). And with all the righteous integrity of one who had this calling, he did exactly that.”
(“The Sure Word of God,” Ensign, Jan. 1973, 94.)
