INTERCESSION
W. Dickson
When our brother was speaking of the power of intercession this scripture came before me. It is a very remarkable instance of what our brother was urging upon us. The prophecy was in a time when God had to move governmentally amongst His people on account of neglect of what was due to Him. He had come in governmentally, and yet—there was a prophet. Amos, with feeling and love for God’s people who would intercede for them. I would like first of all to refer to verse 14, “And Amos answered and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. And Jehovah took me as I followed the flock, and Jehovah said unto me. Go, prophesy unto my people Israel”.
Perhaps there is something we should look at in that passage. Amos decried having any official status. In a certain sense there has been a breakdown of what is official, obviously so.
How is the line of recovery to proceed? Should we not be like Amos? He says, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was a herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit”. As we would say, he had no status as a minister. Our brother has said you cannot serve the saints unless you love them. A herdman loves his flock, he cares for them, they are not just a lot of animals to him; there is some feeling in a herdman in the way of care.
Then Amos was a gatherer of sycamore fruit. Well, sycamore fruit is not a very exotic fruit, it is very ordinary fruit. Perhaps the scripture in James 2: 5 would fit, “poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom”. Perhaps under pressure in our spirits we might feel the brethren are not very great, hardly worth while serving, but Amos was content to be a gatherer. Now, beloved brethren, are we gatherers? Are we prepared to gather sycamore fruit? Are we prepared to be gatherers in our localities? Amos said he was not a prophet, but I can do something anyway, I can gather sycamore fruit. Then he says, “And Jehovah took me as I followed the flock”, so Peter says, “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, 1 Peter 5: 2. How necessary it is to have these feelings and rid ourselves of official status in ministry, taking certain credentials on account of gift.
Then another thing is said in verse 7, “Thus did he shew unto me; and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line”. Now, beloved brethren, we want to take sober account of that. The Lord has a plumb-line, and the plumb-line is His standard of things, not ours. No matter the departure of the people. God kept that plumb-line there. I think, in a certain sense, it would be a reference to the Scriptures and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The plumb-line is what God measures things by, and let us, beloved brethren, in our administrative deliberations, never forget that, that the Lord has the plumb-line over the whole situation.
Then in the verses read a governmental action had taken place, the locusts. These locusts are dreadful things; after they cross over the land there is nothing left, and it says, “it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings”. What suffers most in certain conditions is the service of God, that is the king’s mowings, what is for the divine pleasure. Beloved brethren, let us be concerned that the service of God does not suffer. “And it came to pass, when they had wholly eaten the grass of the land, that I said, O Lord Jehovah, forgive, I beseech thee! How shall Jacob arise? for he is small”. What a spirit, beloved brethren! What is the answer? What is the way? What is the solution?—be small, pleasing to God. Can we, beloved brethren—can I say this?—can we afford to be further reduced? It seems to have touched the heart of God that prayer of Amos, for “Jehovah repented for this—It shall not be, said Jehovah”.
Then there was a fire and it devoured the great deep, and ate up the inheritance. Our brother was exhorting us to go into the land and enjoy the inheritance, here was this governmental act because conditions were not right, the inheritance was being eaten up, but Amos was not content to let it go. Again, “Then said I, O Lord Jehovah, cease, I beseech thee! How shall Jacob arise? for he is small. Jehovah repented for this—This also shall not be, said the Lord Jehovah”. I just wanted to call attention to this. It was not a long prayer, but oh the feeling of it! “O Lord Jehovah, forgive”—“O Lord Jehovah, cease, I beseech thee! How shall Jacob arise? for he is small”. Let these be our feelings, beloved brethren, and if they are the Lord will come in and help His people so that the service of God will be maintained as it should be and matters will be in accord with the plumb-line. Let us not forget the plumb-line; indeed, may the Lord show us it as He did to Amos (Amos 7: 8).
Words in meeting for ministry, Edinburgh
25 December 1984