The Abiding Gift of Prophecy

Israel Doomed by Defying the Prophets

These messages were not pleasing to the nation’s leaders, and their displeasure was expressed as follows: AGP 120.3

“Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel 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. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

“Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee 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 7:10-13.

What a sad situation is here revealed! Although in the magnificent temple at Bethel, priests had been chosen who were not Levites, although a sacred calf was the visible symbol of adoration, yet the worship of Jehovah still remained as the nominal state religion. Therefore in his office as a priest, Amaziah was supposed to be God’s representative. As such, the people looked to him to bear to them messages from the prophets. AGP 121.1

But Amaziah joined the king in rejecting the message of warning sent by the Lord through His prophets. They ordered the prophet to leave the kingdom, and to prophesy no more against the nation. But this defiant attitude did not silence the prophet. He was in duty and conscience bound to discharge the responsibility placed upon him. AGP 121.2

“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 sycamore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel. 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. Therefore thus saith the Lord; … Thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.” Amos 7:14-17. AGP 121.3

God’s messages stand. They cannot be set aside by puny man except at his peril. Thus are the history and the fall of the church bound up with the messages of the prophets,—obedience meant life; disobedience, death. AGP 121.4

From this time Israel’s doom was sealed. No further triumphs in Jeroboam’s reign are recorded. Although it extended over a period of forty-one years, the record of that long reign is given in a paragraph of less than a hundred words, one third of which reads as follows: “He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.” 2 Kings 14:24. AGP 121.5

Jeroboam’s death occurred 793 B. C. From this time on one disaster after another befell the kingdom of Israel. Zachariah, Jeroboam’s son and successor to the throne, was assassinated within six months after beginning his reign. His assassin, AGP 121.6

Shallum, usurped the throne; but in thirty days he was slain by one Menahem, who took the throne and reigned ten years. His son, Pekahiah, succeeded him; but in two months he was assassinated by Pekah, who in turn was slain by Hoshea. (See 2 Kings 15:8-30; 17:1-6.) AGP 122.1

This assassin, Hoshea, who usurped the throne, was Israel’s last king. “Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents,” or, as the margin reads, “rendered” him “tribute.” 2 Kings 17:3. But after the king of Assyria had returned to his own kingdom, Hoshea broke his covenants with him, formed a conspiracy with So, king of Egypt, and ceased to pay tribute to Assyria. AGP 122.2

“Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.” Verses 5, 6. AGP 122.3