Amos 7:1-8:3
Dear RTB’ers,
In contrast to previous days’ readings about judgments against Israel and Judah and their neighbors, today chapter 7 is relatively straightforward – visions of locusts (as happened to the Egyptians), fire, and a plumb line.
(Of particular interest to me…) He was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings. (v. 7:1) We are reminded that Israel and its neighbors were, basically, agricultural peoples. My father once told me that hay mowings occurred around the three holidays – Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day. Each successive mowing was less abundant than the earlier ones. In Israel, however, there was only the first mowing, the highest yield, the harvest of which went to the king. After that the land became pasture for animals and a lesser crop for the people. So the Lord’s locusts would be eating this lesser crop, what the common people needed to survive.
God has plans for destruction, Amos intercedes (Amos 7:3, 6) and God relents. We’ve already seen other cases where God listened to His people’s prayers (Abraham, Moses). Here He listens to Amos. Archbishop (Emeritus) Beach, on numerous occasions asked us to pray for our country. Today, the Fourth is the day that this message regularly went out from Him. So here I offer you our own prayer for the Fourth, from our Book of Common Prayer:
A Prayer for Independence Day
Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessings!