My Notes
What Does Amos 7:6 Mean?
"The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD." For the second time, God withdraws a planned judgment in response to Amos's intercession. The word "repented" (nacham) means God changed His intended course of action — He relented, He was moved, He chose a different path. The judgment that was going to happen will not happen because the prophet prayed.
The phrase "this also" means this judgment as well — not just the first (locusts) but this one too (fire). Two separate visions of judgment, two separate intercessions, two separate relentings. God is willing to be persuaded more than once. The mercy isn't a one-time exception — it's a repeated response to persistent prayer.
The formula "saith the Lord GOD" stamps divine authority on the relenting. This isn't reluctant withdrawal — it's a sovereign decision. God officially, authoritatively declares: it shall not be. The judgment is cancelled by divine decree, prompted by prophetic prayer.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Do you believe your prayers can actually change outcomes? What shapes that belief?
- 2.How does God's willingness to relent twice encourage persistent intercession?
- 3.What judgment in your world might be cancelled if someone prayed?
- 4.How do you keep praying when you don't know if the window of mercy is still open?
Devotional
God relented. Again. The second judgment — fire this time — is cancelled because Amos prayed. Two visions. Two intercessions. Two relentings. God is willing to be persuaded more than once.
The repetition is the lesson. God didn't relent once and then refuse the second time. He relented twice. The mercy is repeatable. The intercession works again. The prophet who dared to appeal on behalf of the guilty is heard again, and the judgment is withdrawn again.
The word "repented" applied to God is theologically loaded. God doesn't change His mind the way humans do — from ignorance to knowledge. But He does change His course of action in response to prayer. The change is real. The judgment was coming. The prayer happened. The judgment was cancelled. The prayer changed the outcome.
This is one of the strongest cases in Scripture for the power of intercessory prayer. Not prayer that informs God (He already knows everything). Not prayer that manipulates God (He can't be tricked). But prayer that moves God — that presents a case He finds compelling, that appeals to His compassion in a way that changes what happens next.
Your prayers can change outcomes. Not every outcome — Amos's third vision received no intercession and no relenting. But some outcomes. And you won't know which ones are changeable unless you pray.
Pray anyway. God has relented before. He might relent again.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
The Lord repented for this,.... He heard the prophet's prayer, and desisted from going on with the threatened…
As our Lord repeated the same words in the Garden, so Amos interceded with God with words, all but one, the same, and…
We here see that God bears long, but that he will not bear always, with a provoking people, both these God here showed…
Again the prophet intercedes, in the same words as before, except that he does not pray that God would forgiveHis…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture