Joel 1
Notes
Transcript
Intro/Background
Verse 1
We are going to be taking a break from our study in the book of Genesis to do a 3 part series through the OT book of Joel
Not much is known about the prophet other than his name, which means “Yahweh is God”, and the name of his father Pethuel
We don’t know his occupation, what tribe he was from, or where he lived
We don’t fully know when he wrote this book either. Many OT prophets would state which kings were in power when they served the Lord, but not Joel
While there is still a lot debate on it, many scholars think that Joel gave his prophecy around 835-825 BC and was one of the earliest OT prophetic books written
Other scholars argue that it was between 630-500 BC, and still others say it was 400-180 BC
The good thing is that the timing of this book doesn’t really matter for our understanding and application
If we take the common view that Joel served around 830 BC, that would make him a contemporary of Elisha, and that he served either under the evil reign of Queen Athaliah or the godly king Joash
What we do know is that Joel was sent to be a prophet to the nation of Judah
Remember that after Solomon’s reign, the nation of Israel split into 2 nations
There was Israel in the north which was comprised of 10 of the 12 tribes, and Judah in the south which comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin
Israel never had a righteous king in their history and the people served idols and false gods.
Eventually, they would be conquered and taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC
Judah had mostly evil kings, but there were a few good ones that tried to point the people back to the Lord
They had the temple in Jerusalem to worship at
But eventually, they would fall as well when the Babylonians conquered them over a series of a few different military campaigns starting in 605 BC
While we don’t know a lot about the timing of Joel, we do know the context in which he prophesied - a devastating locust plague.
We’ll read here in just a minute that the land had been laid waste by a swarm of locust and was facing an unprecedented time of agricultural and economic struggles
The book of Joel has 3 different lenses for us to study it through
We can study this book historically, prophetically, as well as personally
Joel wrote historically. He wrote about a real period of time with real suffering
He also wrote prophetically. Joel is going to use the current plague of locust to write about a yet future event that would be even more devastating, the Day of the Lord
He will mention the Day of the Lord 5 different times in this short book
The exact phrase “the Day of the Lord” is mentioned 26 times in the Bible in 14 different books from Isaiah in the OT to 2 Peter in the NT
The Day of the Lord refers to the yet future time of tribulation that will lead to Jesus’ eventual 2nd coming to earth. This is essentially Daniel’s 70th week from Daniel chapter 9, or the events described in Revelation 4-19.
It takes place after the rapture of the church when God pours out His wrath on an unbelieving world that has rejected Him, and concludes with Christ’s 2nd coming to earth where He touches down on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem with all of us, His saints, in tow
Finally, Joel writes for us personally. We can take what he says and apply it to our own walks.
We will be looking at this book through these multiple lenses at the same time.
We’ll understand the history and context that was happening when Joel was ministering.
We’ll look at the future prophecies of what is coming. This is important as Jesus tells us that we should be watchful servants looking for His return. Romans 13 tells us that knowledge that this day is coming should change our hearts and our actions, it should cause us to want to be holy and walk in the ways of the Lord
And finally, we’ll make application personally and see how we can apply the things Joel says into our lives today
Lesson - Joel 1
Verses 1-4
Like I mentioned previously, Joel writes his prophecy during a time of disaster - a plague of locust has invaded the land of Judah and destroyed everything in its path
We don’t really know of the devastation that locust cause in America, but in the Middle East and in Africa, these huge swarms of locust have happened at many points over time
Locust are a species of grasshopper that usually are solitary, but under certain conditions, they swarm and eat every green thing in their path
They also breed rapidly so the locust will eat all the vegetation, lay eggs, and then very quickly another round will be born and do the same thing
Locust swarms can consist of billions of locusts spread over an area of several thousands of square miles, with densities of up to 200 million locust per square mile
In one particular plague in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia from 1966 to 1969, the number of locust grew from 2 to 30 billion, but the area they covered shrank from 39,000 sq mi (About the size of the state of Kentucky) to an area of just 1,900 sq mi (slightly bigger than Eagle County - could you imagine what 30 billion locust would do here???)
In ancient times, plagues of locust have been mentioned in Egypt, Italy, and China.
One particular plague in northwest China in 311 AD killed 98% of the local population
In modern times, these plagues have continued
In 1915, an infestation in Syria and what is now Israel was so large that it blocked out the sun and caused a famine which killed over 200,000 people
In 2020, a massive swarm hit many areas of the Horn of Africa including Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda
Officials have estimated this swarm to contain up to 192 billion locust.
In 1 day, that swarm would eat the same amount of food as 90 million people 1
If you’re not creeped out enough, here’s a video from Planet Earth to give you a visual of this
Play Planet Earth video from [0:44 to 3:29] - https://youtu.be/6bx5JUGVahk?si=eueSRErBDFuQv5ai
Is your skin crawling yet?!?
This plague that’s happening in Joel’s time is devastating. We’re going to read about the economic impact, the impacts to the food supply, and even the impacts it has in the worship at the temple
This particular plague was so devastating that Joel says in verse 2, “Has anything like this happened in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?”
Today, we hear phrases like “unprecedented times,” “unprecedented challenges,” and “unprecedented events” used all the time to describe the day and age in which we’re living
Whether its the impacts and fallout of COVID that continue to be felt, the massive economic inflation we’re experiencing, all the natural disasters we see like hurricanes and wildfires, the war in Ukraine, or political division and upheaval, I think a lot of us might agree with Joel that nothing “like this has happened in [our] days, or even in the days of [our] fathers.”
Do you know the first thing Joel tells the people of Judah when talking about this event?
He says talk to your kids about it
Verse 3
God desires that we talk to our kids about the things happening in the world around them
We shouldn’t ignore them b/c we’re not sure what to say or b/c too embarrassed to have that conversation, or we just want wait for their teacher or youth leader at church to talk about it. That is our job, our role as parents, to train up our children in the ways of the Lord and talk about what’s happening in the world with them through the lens of the Bible.
Now I’m not saying you sit your 4 year old down and say, “Alright buddy, let’s have an in-depth conversation about what went down at the school board meeting last night...”
But as those things come up, you have an age appropriate conversation and don’t shy away from it!
Why? B/c we want to give our kids truth and hope in a world that seems scary and dark. B/c we want to give them a heavenly perspective of what’s happening vs. a worldly perspective that is trying to be pounded into them
A recent survey conducted by the University of Bath in England of young people between the ages of 16 & 25 revealed that:
75% of them felt the future was “frightening” and
Over half thought “humanity is doomed” 2
Instead of scoffing at those numbers (the next generation is weak!) - we need to understand how they are feeling so we can best minister to them
Your kid comes to you and asks if you’re worried about all these natural disasters they hear about, or the amount of gun violence in our country and if that would ever happen at their school, or why that bully was so mean to them at recess, these are all opportunities to share the hope that’s in you, and to talk about how God has a plan to deal with evil one day, but how His heart breaks for the sinner and ultimately wants each one of them to repent, and how His plan for them is so much greater and wonderful than the emptiness the world is offering
Of course it seems like these big questions always come up at night when you’re ready to go to bed, or at an inconvenient time like after you get home from an exhausting day at work
I’ve been reading a book on parenting by Paul Tripp and the very first chapter in that book is entitled, “Age of Opportunity or Season for Survival?”
Just that title alone punched me in the face.
But Dr. Tripp talks about how so many times we’re just trying to survive these big questions instead of looking at them as opportunities from the Lord to teach and pour into our children.
We did an entire study on it earlier this year that you can go back and listen to, but God’s intention is that the family is the primary source of learning a biblical worldview
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
The church, we’re called to come alongside and aid that teaching.
You can be a godly mentor and disciple a younger person.
But what we can’t do is ignore that responsibility God has given to us as parents, or ask someone else to do that
But its so hard!! I don’t know what to say!
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Joel goes on to describe this plague in verse 5
Verses 5-12
We see here the widespread destruction of the locust plague
It has affected the grapevines, the grain, the oil, the wheat and the barley, as well as all the fruit trees.
The local economy would be devastated. Food would be scarce - its not like the nation could ask for food from another country. Agriculture was local, and local disruptions like drought or locust would have nearly irrecoverable consequences
Verses 6 & 7 tell us that this nation, the locust, has come up against God’s land and laid it waste.
He uses these pictures of a fig tree being stripped bare, or a vine that is destroyed
In the Bible, both the vine and the fig tree typically refer to the nation of Israel
That’s important to know for prophetic reasons which we’ll get more into in coming studies
Remember that this is a multi-focus prophecy
Historically, in Joel’s time, there was suffering that affected the economy, the food supply, and even the worship in the temple (the grain and drink offerings were cut off)
Prophetically, we get a picture that the day of the Lord, that future time of judgement, will be a time of destruction and suffering
Personally, it could lead us to ask the following really hard question, why would a good and loving God allow bad things to happen, especially to good people or to His people?
Have you ever wondered or been asked that before?
I think the false American gospel can make this a harder question to wrestle with
So many churches and teachers unfortunately present some form of a prosperity gospel that says if we do good and follow God, good things should happen. And if bad things happen, it must be b/c I sinned
I want to be clear with you all, this is NOT the gospel that’s presented in God’s word. It ignores grace entirely
Grace means that we don’t deserve any good thing from God, yet in His love, He gives us these blessings anyways
If we had to be good for God to treat us well, that’s not grace, and the doctrine of salvation by grace starts to look more like salvation by works
Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about suffering
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
The Greek word for “tribulation” is the Greek word thlipsis
That word when used in the NT is translated as tribulation (21x), affliction (17x), trouble (3x), anguish (1x), persecution (1x), burdened (1x), or to be afflicted (with G1519) (1x).
The word literally means pressing together or pressure - a good word picture for suffering
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
The early church went through a lot of suffering and persecution
Peter and John were locked up in prison for sharing the gospel
Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, and stoned and left for dead because he was a missionary
The apostle John was boiled in oil, and even though miraculously God delivered him, he was sent to basically a prison camp on the island of Patmos
The rest of the apostles were all killed or martyred for their faith
They were crucified, stabbed, thrown off the temple, beaten, or beheaded
Why did this happen? FOR DOING THE WORK OF THE LORD!
They suffered even though they were doing God’s work!
Even today, millions of Christians around the world face suffering and persecution for living for Christ
The Voice of the Martyrs says that there 70, not 7, 70 hostile and restricted nations around the world that persecute Christians 3
360 MILLION Christians live in countries where persecution is considered “significant” according to Open Doors USA
In 2021, 5,600 Christians were murdered for their faith, over 6,000 were imprisoned, and 4,000 were kidnapped
5,000 churches or religious facilities were destroyed in that same year 4
Suffering does not result from a lack of faith. God doesn’t punish the sinners and reward the righteous with a perfect and easy life
So why do bad things happen then?
May I offer 7 reasons that we see in scripture
#1 - in the OT God would judge His people for their sin
The OT covenant that God had with His people, originally set up with Abraham in Gen 17 if you remember, and then continued as He gave them the OT law, that covenant was based on works, God would judge His people when they turned their backs on Him in order to get His people to repent and return to Him
Deut 28:37-38 - this warning is exactly what happened in Joel’s time
37 And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the Lord will drive you. 38 “You shall carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, for the locust shall consume it.
None is good, no not one, we deserve judgement. Even our righteous actions are like filthy rags in the sight of the Lord
But we live in the NT covenant of grace, there is now no condemnation in Christ (Rom 8:1)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
#2 - We live in a fallen world
Earthquakes, fires, natural disasters, sickness & disease just happen b/c we live in a fallen and broken world
God didn’t create the world that way, but b/c of mankind’s choice to sin, all these things entered the world
It may not be for any reason that you got sick, other than that you live in a broken and fallen world
#3 - God has given us free will
God’s gift of free will is one of His ultimate forms of love, but it allows us the opportunity to make wrong choices and introduce evil into the world
Either bringing about evil by committing some sinful act against someone else
OR by earning a natural consequence b/c of our own choices (ex: cheat on taxes, the IRS is coming, that’s NOT God’s fault!)
#4 - Attacks from the enemy
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
Job
#5 - To try and grow our faith
These are trials meant to grow us, to help us get our eyes off of this world and put our hope in heaven, and to better allow us to serve others who will go through similar things
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
#6 - To bring others to Christ
Like in OT, God can use those to cause people to seek Him. Doesn’t mean He sends them though
How you respond in that suffering can bring others to Jesus
19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
#7 - B/c we follow Jesus
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
We are called to be lights to this world, a city on a hill that is not easily hidden
But by standing up for Christ, there will be those that want to come against us
We may be tempted to hide our faith b/c we’re afraid of that persecution
But as author John A Shedd said, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
But couldn’t God just step in and stop all of this evil??
Yes He could, He is powerful enough to do so, but as followers of Jesus we need to believe and trust that God may have good reasons for allowing evil.
As humans, we are limited in our knowledge, we don’t know the whole story, we don’t have the whole picture, we can’t see the future
We can’t say that God is not justified in allowing evil, even if we don’t know what that justification is
And b/c evil comes from sin and this fallen world many times, those moments break His heart
But think of it this way - as a parent, have you ever intentionally yet lovingly allowed your child to experience pain b/c you knew that in the end, it was better for them?
I intentionally introduced pain into my child’s life when I took them to the doctor to get a shot
That short term pain brought long term benefit
Or like when we give our children a consequence for exercising their free will in a sinful way
That consequence can be painful, a timeout or missing out on some event or losing the car keys or their phone, but that “suffering” is meant to bring about heart change
Or when we allow our children to work through a struggle like losing a friend at school
Out of care and love you want to jump in and fix things for them, but you know that they will grow more if they learn to handle that situation on their own
As parents we will allow suffering in the lives of our kids for their greater good, and it’s the same with God to us, His children.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
The next verses give us the response that God commands His children to have in the midst of their suffering
Verses 13-20
Cry out to the Lord
Prayer - vs 14 & 19
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Going to church - verse 14
Gather into the house of the Lord to comfort and strengthen each other, pray for one another, worship and get our eyes off of our situation and onto our heavenly Father, and to be encouraged & instructed in God’s Word
Fasting - verse 14
Fasting is giving something up temporarily in order to focus our attention on God
Its typically done with food, but it can be other things too
You spend that time intentionally seeking the Lord through prayer and reading His word - its not just a diet plan
16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Fasting makes a difference!
Jesus told the man who brought his kid who was demon possessed to the disciples to be healed
21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
As I was studying this passage this week, the Lord spoke to me and said that as a church, we need to fast for all the struggles and issues going on in our body and in our community
Fast on Tuesday at lunch for all the hard things going on
If you have dietary things or a medical condition, or maybe you’re schedule doesn’t allow it, fast from something else, like watching Netflix Tuesday evening, or from listening to your favorite podcast on the way home from work.
But commit that time to praying for our church family, for our community, and for our world
Here’s how its going to work - if you have a need that you want us to pray for, put it on the back of the connection card and put it in the tithe box in the back of the church, or submit one on our website
I will put those together in a list to email to our prayer team on Tuesday morning
If you’re not on the prayer team, sign up at the Info Desk!
This will give you a list of things to pray for
If you forget to sign up for the Prayer Team, take the time to pray still, God knows what’s going on so ask that His will be done
This is not a magic potion fix all type thing, but we are going to trust in the Lord that His will is accomplished and that He will move.
Fasting doesn’t change God, it changes us
Communion
Our hope is in heaven b/c of the cross
We don’t live under OT covenant
B/c the worst possible suffering happened to the best possible person in Jesus, we can be free from condemnation & judgement
Celebrate communion to remember His suffering for us that we deserved
Close & Pray
1 Wikipedia contributors. (2023, August 18). Locust. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:39, August 30, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Locust&oldid=1170972802
2 Featherstone, L., Peet, R., Seo, H., Otten, T., & Taft, M. (2023, August 30). 75 percent of young people are frightened by the future. that’s the only sane reaction to climate change. The New Republic. https://newrepublic.com/article/163683/75-percent-young-people-frightened-future-thats-sane-reaction-climate-change#:~:text=While%2084%20percent%20of%20the,and%20guilty%20about%20the%20climate.
3 Who we serve. The Voice of the Martyrs. (n.d.). https://www.persecution.com/whoweserve/
4 Bandow, D. (2022, March 7). Christianity Is the World’s Most Persecuted Religion, Confirms New Report. Cato.org. https://www.cato.org/commentary/christianity-worlds-most-persecuted-religion-confirms-new-report