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Oh, That Jacob May Stand, For He Is Small!

Keraza Magazine issue 51-52 December 25, 2015

When the Lord prepared grasshoppers and fire to discipline his people, He caused Amos the prophet to foresee those disciplines in two sequential visions. He cried out at the first one saying, "O Lord God, forgive, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!" (Amos 7:2). And at the second: "O Lord God, cease, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!" (Amos 7:5). The Holy Bible mentioned the Lord's answer to those two cries: "So the Lord relented concerning this. 'It shall not be,' said the Lord" (Amos 7:3). As if this cry was as an arrow that cut a path to the divine mercies and was immediately able to make them poured upon his people.

With other arrow prayers, like that prayer, other men-of-God were able to breach to His very great mercies. Behold the Psalmist crying out to Him: "Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever" (Psalm 74:19). And Jeremiah the Prophet cries out: "O Lord, correct me, but with justice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing" (Jeremiah 10:24). And Daniel pleads: "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name" (Daniel 9:19).

Today's world is disturbed and distressed by the weight of sin, and the image of God has grown faint in it, therefore, God's faithfulness and love for humans led Him to hand them over to discipline, either individually, or as nations and countries. God's chosen people, who meditate the Economy of His love, who understand the purposes of His salvation, who are disturbed by the barbaric forces of darkness to whom God handed over humans, can do no more than to cry out with Amos the Prophet saying, "Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!" (Amos 7:2).

In truth, this prayer needs to be the prayer of this generation who must shake the whole heavens with it night and day. We must, whenever we hear of wars, rumors of wars, the destruction of lands, or the evacuation of people, and whenever we see the church, the bride of Christ, crying over her children who went astray, and whenever the evil one chokes us in an injurious spiritual warfare that just about extinguishes our lamp, we must cry out: "O Lord God, cease, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!" (Amos 7:5).

Yet, no one can utter the words of this prayer unless he genuinely feels that he is truly small. Although it is an arrow prayer, yet it is hard to be uttered by the mouths of the great, the mighty, the rich, and the wise. It is a prayer exclusive for the poor in spirit. Since the answer to Amos' request came hundreds of years later, by the incarnation of the Son of God and His fulfilling redemption, declaring that this small Jacob will not rise except by the resurrection of Christ, how and when will Christ's answer come to the requests and pangs of our hearts night and day: "How can this generation stand, for it is small"?

Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States