The Day of the Lord: A Prophetic Warning

READ JOEL 2:1-17.

We are going to review, and then take a look at these verses, and then Lord willing, end with a time of discussion on how what Joel said to them then impacts us now.

Review.

Last month we began our look at the prophecy by a man named “Yo’el” or Joel, which means “Yahweh is God”. We don’t know much about him, other than his father’s name is Pethuel. This makes it notoriously hard to nail down the exact context he is prophetically speaking in. However, this also makes it wondrously relevant for our times as well.

This prophecy is focused on “the Day of the Lord”. We see him refer to it 5 times in these short 3 chapters.

We discuss last month as well that the Bible prophecy often has both a near and far fulfillment.

Last month, in chapter 1, we saw that a locust plague, and all of its consequences, acted as a precursor, or a near fulfillment, about the future coming of the day of the Lord.

Joel says, “Shema” or “hear this” in Joel 1:2.

The LORD’s Army (vv. 1-11)

A shofar blast (v.1).

To prepare the nation for what was coming, as if to wake them from slumber, or as if to press them out of their lethargy, Joel says to sound the trumpet, or the Shofar.

If the “shema” of the chapter 1, didn’t wake them up to their spiritual state at the time of the locust invasion, maybe the Shofar blast would wake them up to their spiritual state as truly the day is coming.

Shofars had many purposes in Israel, but the one prescribed in the Torah is during the Yom Teruah, or what is know as now “Rosh Hashanah”.

This is the Feast of Trumpets.

It begins the “Spiritual Calendar” of the Jewish People.

Primarily, it begins the 10 days of penitence and fasting as seen in Leviticus 23:23-25.

These ten days are meant to help the person repent and turn to God.

This culminates in Yom Kippur, which is the Day of Atonement. Rather than having an ungrateful heart and just going through the motions of Jewish Life.

Therefore, Joel calling for this Shofar blast, is seen as a preparation for repentance.

We’ll see that later on in verses 13-17.

A Mighty Army (vv. 2-10).

What we see here is a vivid description of: please notice is can be all three of these. That is on purpose.

A Locust invasion.

v. 2: the Locust swarm clouds out the sun.

v. 3: The land flowing with milk and honey is devastated.

v. 4-9: They are running in formation.

v. 10: the devastation is total, to the point that the ground is shaking.

An Army Invading.

v. 2: the army that is coming is vast.

v. 3: the army devastates the land as it invades, trampling every good thing down.

v. 4-9: the army is well trained to accomplish its mission.

The cataclysmic return of Christ.

v. 2: the signs in the heavens (Matthew 24:29-31).

vv. 4-9: Christ’s returning judgment cannot be thwarted (Revelation 19:11-16)

v. 10: the devastating birth pains (Matthew 24:7, 8).

The LORD’S Army (v. 11).

This Army is the LORD God’s, and it is bringing judgment against His own people.

Isaiah 10:5-7.

Habakkuk 1:5-11.

In order to catch the full gist of what Joel is saying here, we need to realize that The Day of the LORD is coming against God’s people.

We often interpret it to see that Christ is putting down the wickedness in the world, to come and set up His kingdom.

Yes, and AMEN.

Here, however, like many other places, Joel brings this judgment upon his people.

Why?

Usually there is some sort of description of the nation of Israel’s sin, but there is none here Joel.

this brings it home for us. Often the call to repent goes unheeded among the Church these days, because when we got saved, we did our repentance.

In Matthew 3, John the Baptiser calls people to repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

In Matthew 4, Jesus begins public ministry by preaching the same message.

In 6 out of the 7 Churches of Revelation 2 and 3, King Jesus calls them to repent.

The LORD’S Mercy (vv. 12-17).

As we’ve been talking about on Monday Nights during Men of Resolve, God’s discipline, or His judgment, in His people’s lives is graciously used by Him to bring His people to repentance and holiness. In these verses, we are going to see what repentance looks like.

God’s grace (v. 12).

Whatever the sin, God extends His grace to the person who will return to Him!

A matter of the heart (vv. 12, 13).

Repentance is not just a matter of physically doing things and saying things differently. True repentance results in the changing of the heart, which leads to a changing of the actions.

Let’s dwell on that phrase “with all your heart” for a moment.

Deuteronomy 6:4,5.

“The Greatest Commandment.”

Deuteronomy 4:9 ““Only keep yourself and keep your soul very carefully, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. But make them known to your sons and to your grandsons.”

Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”

Borrowing from Moses at Mount Sinai, we see that their repentance as drawn out by the character of God (Exodus 33:6, 7).

A matter of importance (vv. 15-17).

There is that Shofar again, calling for the solemn, penitent assembly.

The Elders were to come.

The children were to come.

Infants were to be removed from feeding to come.

The honeymoon was to be interrupted for this repentance.

The priests were to stop their priestly duties within the temple to repent.

They were stop the prescribed sacrifices, because repentance was more important.

They intercession was to be made upon His character as well.

Application Discussion:

How can we apply this call to return to the LORD to the way that we live and minister at this present time.