Posted on 06/02/2007 5:46:23 PM PDT by WileyPink
Joel 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
1:16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Joel 2:18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.
Joe 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
2:26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
2:30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
“Appropriate God’s Mercy”
Natural disasters have always provided opportunities for serious questions. Some question whether or not God himself sent the disaster. Others question whether God even cares when we experience devastation. I have recently been heavily involved in the recovery and rebuilding process following hurricane Katrina. I have heard it all. Some people have publicly stated that God sent Katrina to warn the people of the Gulf-coast to repent of their sins and get right with God. Others seem to feel that God was specifically punishing certain people for their evil deeds. Still others have admitted that they were not at all sure what God’s involvement was in the storm. Regardless of how or why Katrina came, we have all sensed the need to draw closer to God.
Joel uses a natural disaster to forecast the impending invasion of Judah’s enemies. He recollects the experience of a locust plague that devastated the land and the people. In chapter one, he prefaces his message to the people of Judah by calling upon the people to pay close attention to what he is about to say.
In the focal passage, Joel calls upon the people of Judah to:
1. Regard God’s Warnings – Joel 1:15-16
Alas for the day! The day of the Lord is at hand! The day of the Lord is a term found several times in Scripture and it always refers to a time when the Lord acts in a mighty way either to bring judgment or deliverance. Joel uses this term four times in the first two chapters. In 1:15, he seems to indicate that the day of the Lord is already here. In 2:1 and 2:11, he warns of a day of doom and despair in the immediate future. In 2:31, he seems to be speaking of a time of judgment coming in the distant future.
In chapter 1:15-16, Joel is referring to the plague of locusts and to a worse judgment coming in the form of a military invasion. The Message puts it this way “What a day! Doomsday! God’s judgment day has come. The Strong God has arrived, this is serious business.” Joel is warning the old men and all the inhabitants of Judah to pay attention to what is happening around them. The plague of locusts has come as an act of judgment against them for their sins. We would do well to consider whether our own adverse circumstances might be God’s way of warning us that we too are going in the wrong direction and we need to turn back to God.
2. Respond to God’s Invitation – Joel 2:12-13
In chapter 2:1-11, Joel describes Jerusalem being overrun by invaders from the north. He again warns that the day of the Lord is imminent. He presents the events of the day as darkness and gloom creating a sense of danger and spiritual dearth. It is an experience like Jerusalem has never known. It is a scene of total devastation. Against this backdrop, Joel calls for individual and national repentance. It is a plea not just from Joel but also from the Lord. It must be a genuine heart-felt experience evidenced by fasting and weeping. The result of such repentance would procure God’s mercy, graciousness, and kindness. The ultimate end would be that God would reverse the misfortunes of Judah and restore them to a time of plenty.
3. Rejoice in God’s Promises – Joel 2:18, 25-32
In chapter 2:12-17, the Lord is calling for His people to repent. Verses 18 and 25-32 reveal God’s promises to His people if they do repent. In verse 25-27, God promises to restore the devastated land and to provide plentiful crops. In verses 28-32, God promises to pour out His Spirit upon the nation of Israel. Young and old, men and women, slaves and masters will receive understanding and enlightenment similar to that of a prophet. God also promises to provide physical phenomena to mark the day of the Lord, a time in the future when God will provide deliverance for His remnant.
If we heed God’s warning to turn from our personal and our national sins, then God will pour out His mercy upon us, He will shower us with His Spirit, and He will save all who will call upon His name.
Wiley’s title for this lesson, ‘You ain’t seen anything yet’.
If you’d like to be added or removed from the Sunday School Bible Study ping list, let me know.
Dear Heavenly Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit would guide us in the study of Your Word. We ask for your blessings on this study and on its participants. In Jesus’ name…
Sunday School Bible Study Ping
Thank you. I always look forward to your postings with great anticipation.
A Prayerful Bump—Joel is a tough one Wiley...
Gen. 3:17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Gen. 5:29 He named him Noah£ and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.”
Rom. 8:20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not
by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
There are many who deny that this is the sort of repentance exhibited in true saving faith. They say it is unnecessary and works based. They are wrong.
Wiley
The locust plague "could" be symbolic of the coming Babylonian invasion, but it is probably safe to just take the normal usage of the text--the Kingdom of Judah was economically decimated.
With every warning of judgment, there is opportunity for repentance and restoration.
As with many of the prophets--they saw future events like a mountain range, which appeared to be all together but would actually span centuries.
Though God chastened Israel they had His promise of a future and a hope. That is why Peter's quotation from Joel at Pentecost would have great meaning to the thousands of Jews present that day. I just finished my lesson, and I haven't even scratched the surface...
I had a discussion with a member from a denomination who believes that some works are necessary and even said that belief and repentance are works. I point to Romans 10:9-10. I don't believe that belief, repentance, or confession are works. It seems that Joel is telling us to repent without condition. That's not works but submission.
This is the comfort I get from God.
The locust plague "could" be symbolic of the coming Babylonian invasion This is why I have such a hard time with Joel, Daniel, Revelation, etc. I'm so uneducated regarding the historical context. These lessons are SOOOO important to me.
Thank you
This verse is of so much comfort to me. I have truly been restored for all the years. Thank you Jesus.
Is this the same "day of the Lord" that Joel speaks of?
Also, Isiah 13:6 says, "Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty."
Almost the same words that Joel uses. Who is using whom? Or is is who? Anyway, you know what I mean.
Precisely. It is included in the definition of true saving faith. To not repent is to not have faith.
Another wonderful posting!
“We would do well to consider whether our own adverse circumstances might be God’s way of warning us that we too are going in the wrong direction and we need to turn back to God. “
I’m sad to admit that the U.S. is not about to repent.
I’m sad to admit that the U.S. is not about to repent.
I do so pray that you're wrong. I reckon that it's time for US to repent, then maybe one at a time, the U.S. will repent. I heard a preacher ask the rhetorical question, "How can Jesus handle all of our problems?" Answer, "One at a time." Revival and restoration of this country can start, one repentance at at time.
In Christ, Wiley
Thank you, Wiley.
I always enjoy your lessons.
That is very true.
I love the verses you posted with your reply.
I totally agree with you.
I think the good works are the result of the love of our Lord.
We aren't saved because of good works.
Good Morning. As I continued my studies last night. One thing about these postings struck me. I haven't been posting THE ANSWER to the question that we're trying to get people to ask.
"How, and can I, come to know Jesus as my personal Savior?"
I believe the Holy Spirit, once again lead me to the last verse in the lesson...Joel 2:32 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:..."
If there is anyone who would like to have that personal relationship with the creator of the universe, please contact me or one of the regulars. We'll be glad to talk and pray with you and show you from the scriptures just how to do that.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Thank you all again for your participation. My studies will continue through the week and hopefully better prepare for next week's lesson.
In Christ, Wiley
My understanding of Joel is that all of it is a prophecy of what will happen just before the end. It is all about end times.
Joe 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
That, to me, is one of the most telling of these verses in that the army of locust, which are men, not insects, are sent by God. He wants to see who will, "call on the name of the Lord, when that " great and the terrible day of the Lord come."
Somebody help me out. I'm seeing some verses in chapter 1 that seem to try to prepare God's children for these times that Joel speaks of. Then, some verses in chapter 2 seem to show God's mercy on His people. Is this to say that we will be here during those times or is this even speaking of the end times of Revelation?
Yes Wiley, we will. God, in many places, tells us we will all be here during the tribulation. As long as we stand on the Rock we are not harmed:
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luke 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Father loves those that stay true to Him and do not follow the false Christ, anti-christ (instead-of-christ) in the end times. Why would He harm those He loves and that love Him? We have work to do all the way until the end of days when our Savior arrives. We are to make His enemies His footstool.
In Acts 2:16, Peter tells us that the words "spoken by Joel the prophet" will happen and that, "shall come to pass in the last days,' saith God...
...Ping
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