Does God Have Your Attention Yet? (No Recording)

Does God have your attention yet?

Joel 2:1-17

Sirens get peoples attention…

Joel is alerting the people about the day of the Lord, He is sounding the siren.

Chapter 1: Joel points to events that were happening at his time, Chapter 2: he is point forward to a future day.

Read/Pray

“day of the Lord” occurs eighteen times in prophetic literature, most often in the books of Joel and Zephaniah. It is not found in Daniel. A similar expression that stands close to it is “on that day,” which occurs 208 times in the Old Testament; half the occurrences are in the prophets.

In the New Testament, equivalent expressions, such as “day of Jesus Christ,”

Let’s listen to Peter on this,

2 Peter 3:10–13 (CSB)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.

11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness

12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat.

13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Because the Day of the Lord is coming we should be alert

Because the Day of the Lord is coming you must be alert, and prepare your heart.

I) (1-11) You must be Alert…

A) Because the Day of the Lord is imminent

Vs 1: The warning should cause us to tremble to be afraid. (some times we need images to shock us into action)

B) Because the Day of the Lord is Dreadful

Vs 2: The Day of the Lord is an invincible foe, look at how it’s described, day of darkness, unstoppable dawn. Like an invincible unstoppable army

C) Because the Day of the Lord is painfully intense

Vs 3: It is a fire. Look at the juxtaposition between eden and the wasteland.

Vs 4: Warhorses

Vs 5: Images and sounds

D) Because The Day of the Lord is Unstoppable

Vs 6-9: Unstoppable army

Vs 10: Not even the Celestial bodies are untouched

Vs 11: Who does this army belong to? Where does this unstoppable force originate? Yahweh, God. Look at the final question, who can endure it? No-one can.

II) (12-17) You must Prepare your Heart…

A) Now

Vs 12: Every heart should prepare for the Day of the Lord.

B) Inwardly not externally

Vs 13: God cares more about your heart than a public display.

C) Because God may bless you

Vs 14: God may leave a blessing, to be used for worship (by turning to Him)

D) Because God desires His people to be holy

Vs 15-17: God desires a holy people

Conclusion: In Joel 2 we see a picture of the coming Day of the Lord. The things that happened in Joel 1 were previews for this future day of the Lord that is described here in Joel and is anticipated by the New Testament writers. Today we are seeing similar troubles at least in our country. This should be a warning to us to prepare our hearts.