The God who loves to relent

The God who loves to relent (Joel and Jonah)

TMG – Bible study – with Heather. Joel 2 – A STUDY.

<Rather than developing a “doom and gloom” theology from this passage (Joel 2 talking about judgement) – let us realize that God is only warning about this approaching judgement in order for His people to return to Him; that He may relent the evil, and “leave a blessing behind him”(v14) rather than “a desolate wilderness”(v3).

Paralleled with the story of Jonah, couldn’t this prophesy of the end time be a “possibility” rather than an absolute? Even in the case of the judgment of the people of Niniveh God proclaimed destruction only to relent when the people repented.>

Jonah 3:4-10

4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then ahe cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

5 So the bpeople of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth cand sat in ashes. 7 dAnd he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his 2nobles, saying,

Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, e let every one turn from his evil way and from f the violence that is in his hands. 9 gWho can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?

10 hThen God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

[1]

<Jonah, stubborn as he was, complained with pretty much the same words that we find in Joel 2:13>

Jonah 4:2

for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.[2]

Joel 2:13

13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.

[3]

[4]

Joel 2:15-18

15 Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. 16 Bring everyone—the elders, the children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room. 17 The priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, will stand between the people and the altar, weeping. Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord! They belong to you, so don’t let them become an object of mockery. Don’t let their name become a proverb of unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Where is the God of Israel? He must be helpless!’ ”

18 Then the Lord will pity his people and be indignant for the honor of his land! 19 He will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.

[5]

<Isn’t this completely in line with God’s character as described in Ezekiel:>

Ezekiel 33:11

11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?[6]

<We serve a God who can best be described as a loving Father. He longs for all of His stray children, and “wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.[7]”

1 Timothy 2:4

Are we walking accordingly? Are we committed to stand in the gap, to seek this rich mercy?

Let us come humbly before our loving Father and agree with Him in His desire to pour out His rich mercy on the world. He has already chosen His vessel for this outpouring. It is the church, the “body of Christ”, if only the body would respond to the cry of its master: >

Ezekiel 22:30

hbefore Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. [8]

<Will God yet again look and find no one? Isn’t the work of Christ far too valuable to be regarded thus lightly? If we truly understand and acknowledge the amazing gift God is offering the world through the death and resurrection of His Son, should we not then do anything that’s in our power to see it released to every person every tribe every nation?

Behold the call is on us; to pray, to stand in the gap, to ascribe God’s infinite worth to people, as we seek, with Christ, to “bring his many children into glory.” Hebrews 2:10

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a [Deut. 18:22]

b [Matt. 12:41; Luke 11:32]

c Job 2:8

d 2 Chr. 20:3; Dan. 3:29; Joel 2:15

2 Lit. great ones

e Is. 58:6

f Is. 59:6

g 2 Sam. 12:22; Joel 2:14; Amos 5:15

h Ex. 32:14; Jer. 18:8; Amos 7:3, 6

[1]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

[2]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

[3]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

[4]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

[5]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 . Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.

[6]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 . Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.

[7]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 . Tyndale House: Wheaton, Ill.

[8]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville