The Bible Series Joel
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Life altering events, devastation, tragedies, have the ability to change or at least alter and consider how we think. These major events in our lives can turn our thinking from temporal things to more eternal or spiritual things as well.
The setting of this brief book (3 chapters) comes after a massive plague of locust has invaded the land, leaving in its trail an aftermath of destruction.
The time is unknown but speculated to be earlier on before the Babylonian captivity.
Joel uses this occasion to deliver God’s message to the southern tribe of Judah.
Looking at this event Joel uses it to discuss “The Day of the Lord”. Joel will look backwards in the past to God’s judgement as well as look forward to a coming day of judgement… a time when God will directly intervene in human history and vindicate His righteousness, His name, His people!
Who Is The Lord?
Who Is The Lord?
Who is the Lord???
Will I obey Him???
Two questions EVERY people group, EVERY generation, and EVERY individual needs to consider both of them and answer carefully…
The narrative addresses a coming day of the Lord and uses the illustration and imagery of Locust
Our HEARTS can go two directions with God’s use of nature, and major life events…
Let me illustrate this morning with a narrative found in Exodus.
There is a narrative that the prophet Joel along with all the Nation of Israel especially the southern tribe of Judah would have been well acquainted with… the narrative, is a tragic one, and is found in Exodus 5:1-2;6:1;10:3-7;10:12-19
And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.”
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ‘For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. ‘They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They will also eat the rest of what has escaped—what is left to you from the hail—and they will eat every tree which sprouts for you out of the field. ‘Then your houses shall be filled and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians, something which neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day that they came upon the earth until this day.’ ” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt and eat every plant of the land, even all that the hail has left.” So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be so many again. For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. “Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and make supplication to the Lord your God, that He would only remove this death from me.” He went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the Lord. So the Lord shifted the wind to a very strong west wind which took up the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea; not one locust was left in all the territory of Egypt.
Torn Hearts
Torn Hearts
We find in this narrative Pharaoh giving good lip service to his repentance BUT poor heart repentance.
With the consequences of sin comes an Outer Tearing of the Garments, remorse regret, and even the lips declaring sin and repentance… YET
There remains no Inner Tearing of the Heart… this is where we see Judah at when Joel writes his prophetic narrative to Judah.
A people comfortable with an external title such as Israelite, they grew up in Judah, from the tribe of Benjamin, God’s chosen people!…
Look at a pagan king and people and thumb their nose in disgust at their false repentance
Thinking ones self better because of background or past
Good thing that does not occur today… people who grew up in a christian home, going to church, attending Awana thinking they are better or even more scary… In a right relationship with God!
Some hold to a prayer they prayed, walking down the isle, or a feeling, or they live a good life… well better than most anyway!
Hell, judgement, God’s punishment… that’s for heathens and pagans.
The warnings don’t apply to me...
Joel’s narrative is a message from God of repentance… and if one does not then you will find yourself in the inevitable place of His wrath and judgment.
THE DAY OF THE LORD!!!
THE DAY OF THE LORD!!!
Joel 1:1-3 opens with a stern reminder to remember!…
The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel: Hear this, O elders, And listen, all inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this happened in your days Or in your fathers’ days? Tell your sons about it, And let your sons tell their sons, And their sons the next generation.
Remember God’s power
Remember the devastation
Remember this was a warning… TEACH THE LESSON!!! (history)
In Joel 2:11;30-31 gives description to the “Day of the Lord”
The Lord utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?
“I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. “The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
This will be a time of destruction, God’s wrath and judgment!!!
Any place in the scripture you see the phrase “The day of the Lord” it is referring to the wrath of God! Other prophets used this phrase as well...
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Zephaniah, Malachi… speak of the coming Day of the Lord
In the New Testament we see it discussed in 1 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians
We find it very clear in 2 Thessalonians and 2 Peter that this coming Day of the Lord is a future event coming!
In Matthew Jesus correlates events in Joel with His second coming
The seven year tribulation period is refereed to as The Day of the Lord
God pouring out His righteous wrath
Christ second coming at the end of the 7 Year Tribulation will bring the final elements of The Day of the Lord
After this, Christ will establish His Kingdom on earth bringing about the Peace and Restoration of Judah spoken of in Joel as He rules on earth
Joel’s Narrative…
Joel’s Narrative…
The book begins by having them look at what was… know how bad that was and what is coming will be worse!
God Illustrates with locust and drought
God demonstrates His powerful hand and His sovereign control
Joel also speaks to Judah about an IMMANENT Day of the Lord…
Joel speaks of an invasion from the North that will be like the locust!
There is a cry for REPENTANCE and if they do God will respond in GRACE and MERCY Joel 2:12-15 this is for ALL people
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God? Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
God challenges the people to look inwardly at their hearts and have a repentant heart
NOT a 360 but a 180!!! True repentance
We see God’s extending of Grace to all… Joel 2:32
“And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the Lord has said, Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.
This brief book ends looking at the ULTIMATE day of the Lord…
God’s wrath and judgement on the gentile nations
God will once again restore Israel
Look at how Joel describes God and this time… Joel 3:14-17
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness. The Lord roars from Zion And utters His voice from Jerusalem, And the heavens and the earth tremble. But the Lord is a refuge for His people And a stronghold to the sons of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. So Jerusalem will be holy, And strangers will pass through it no more.
GOD IS...
GOD IS...
I opened with two questions…
Who is the Lord?
Will I obey Him?
Joel in vivid prophetic imagery boldly declares our God is HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, and SOVEREIGN and POWERFUL!!!
WE MUST OBEY HIM… if not, there is consequences.
God wants a repentant heart, not lip service…
Look at Isaiah 45:22-23 … we can obey now or later
Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.”
Oh may our hearts be torn in true repentance and may we serve and obey Him fully TODAY!!!