Have you thought of pleading for a people, a nation, or a community? Have you had the burden to cry for the salvation of a people group? Do you yearn to see the Lord bring justice and mercy into a situation outside of yourself for the kingdom of God?
These and much more is what God is desiring of us as we all engage in intercession and plead the case for mercy over judgment and salvation over damnation. In Isaiah, God was rebuking Israel for not carrying these burdens before Him. For example:
“For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.” (Isaiah 59:3-4)
This is exactly what Moses did. He pleaded for mercy and cried out for the greater good of the kingdom of God.
Moses made his own plea to the Lord, not necessarily for himself but for the children of Israel and God granted his plea at least, for a season. This was God speaking and Moses pleaded, and God changed His mind.
“Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” And Moses said to the Lord: “Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Numbers 14:11-21)
This was an appeal. God had made up His mind to wipe these people away and even promised Moses that He will make a new people from Moses but Moses was not buying that. He pleaded for the children of Israel! He made a case that God should reconsider His actions and intentions! He asked for forgiveness and mercy towards the children of Israel.
Beloved, God changed His mind based on Moses’ appeal. If you appeal for your family, community, neighbourhood, or nation, God will hear your petition, and the judgment they deserve can be suspended and erased.
Beloved, you also can plead on behalf of others. You can present your case and how you want the Lord to respond or react to a matter. God heeded the plea of Moses; He will heed yours also.
