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14 September 2007
Amos 7 v 1-6
This is what the Lord GOD showed me: He was forming a swarm of locusts, after the king had taken his share of the first crop and the second crop had just begun growing. When the locusts ate all the crops in the country, I said, "Lord GOD, forgive us. How could Israel live through this? It is too small already!"
So the LORD changed his mind about this. "It will not happen," said the LORD.
This is what the Lord GOD showed me: The Lord GOD was calling for fire to come down like rain. It burned up the deep water and was going to burn up the land. Then I cried out, "Lord GOD, stop! How could Israel live through this? It is too small already."
So the LORD changed his mind about this too. "It will not happen," said the Lord GOD.
Throughout Amos the role and importance of prophecy is raised. This section shows the close relationship between the LORD and his prophet Amos. Earlier on in chapter 3 we see that the LORD does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets (3.7). And here we see that not only does God communicate with the prophets, but that they can play a part in influencing God's actions.
The sentence 'So the Lord changed his mind about this', can seem almost contradictory to some of our ideas about what it means to be God. For God to change because of Amos throws up questions about how we relate to God. There is much more responsibility here, not just a matter of obeying but of interacting.
Jesus also raises this issue when in John 15v15 Jesus says to his disciples "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you".
Yes we are called to serve God, but the nature of that is deeper and more intimate than obeying and doing what is expected.
This story also shows us intercession works, and that our prayers make a difference. God invites us to engage with him in this, to hear his plans and maybe to change his mind.
Spend some time thanking and praising God that he wants to be your friend.
If you don't feel like you know him as a friend, then ask him to help you see him like that.
Ask God to reveal his plans to you.
Written by Beth Keith & Dan Cooper
Amos 7 v 1-6
This is what the Lord GOD showed me: He was forming a swarm of locusts, after the king had taken his share of the first crop and the second crop had just begun growing. When the locusts ate all the crops in the country, I said, "Lord GOD, forgive us. How could Israel live through this? It is too small already!"
So the LORD changed his mind about this. "It will not happen," said the LORD.
This is what the Lord GOD showed me: The Lord GOD was calling for fire to come down like rain. It burned up the deep water and was going to burn up the land. Then I cried out, "Lord GOD, stop! How could Israel live through this? It is too small already."
So the LORD changed his mind about this too. "It will not happen," said the Lord GOD.
Throughout Amos the role and importance of prophecy is raised. This section shows the close relationship between the LORD and his prophet Amos. Earlier on in chapter 3 we see that the LORD does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets (3.7). And here we see that not only does God communicate with the prophets, but that they can play a part in influencing God's actions.
The sentence 'So the Lord changed his mind about this', can seem almost contradictory to some of our ideas about what it means to be God. For God to change because of Amos throws up questions about how we relate to God. There is much more responsibility here, not just a matter of obeying but of interacting.
Jesus also raises this issue when in John 15v15 Jesus says to his disciples "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you".
Yes we are called to serve God, but the nature of that is deeper and more intimate than obeying and doing what is expected.
This story also shows us intercession works, and that our prayers make a difference. God invites us to engage with him in this, to hear his plans and maybe to change his mind.
Spend some time thanking and praising God that he wants to be your friend.
If you don't feel like you know him as a friend, then ask him to help you see him like that.
Ask God to reveal his plans to you.
Written by Beth Keith & Dan Cooper
