AMOS 7:1-6 COMPASSION AND GRACE

1 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the second crop was coming up. 2 When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”
3 So the LORD relented. “This will not happen,” the LORD said.
4 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. 5 Then I cried out, “Sovereign LORD, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”
6 So the LORD relented. “This will not happen either,” the Sovereign LORD said.

There is no question that God has every right to visit upon Israel what he proposes to Amos that he is about to perform. Whether locusts or fire, Israel has invited God’s judgment through their disobedience and presumption. The amazing element in this passage is the response of the prophet. On the technical level, a prophet is one who speaks God’s words, while a priest is one who intercedes with God on behalf of the people. Here Amos is acting as priest rather than prophet. This is unadulterated compassion on the part of Amos. There is no element of bartering here like when Moses appeals to the negative witness to the world if God wiped out the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 32:11-12). It is the prophet’s compassionate call upon God to extend mercy to Israel for the sake of the common folk.

The power of intercessory prayer is a lesson that every generation of believers can take away from this passage. It is never wrong to pray on behalf of others. As Jonah learned, God’s capacity for compassion and mercy is infinitely greater than ours (Jonah 4:1-3). In addition, Jesus instructed us to pray even for our enemies, even those who attack and persecute us (Matthew 5:44) and he modeled that from the cross (Luke 23:34).

We all have our difficult relationships in the world, our family, our office and our church. The challenge the prophet places before us is to pray for those who we think are wrong or have wronged us. Like Amos, we have no control over the response of those for whom we intercede, but our experience is that our hearts will be changed relative to the objects of our prayers.

O God of compassion, give me your heart when it comes to the difficult and antagonist people in my life. Spare me from the bitterness of hatred and vengeance. Turn my thoughts from judgment to intercession. Make me into a witness of your merciful and compassionate nature. Amen.