Second Chances

Judah & Us Receiving Second Chances

Deep within my soul, I wholeheartedly believe every person in life deserves a second chance. Why do I feel this way? Well, it's all because a few people in my life never gave up on me. I know I committed terrible errors that have harmed others and myself, yet those who loved me never threw in the towel. They were willing to see me through and to everyone who has given me a second chance. I say thank you!

And in my sphere of life, I have witnessed many friends and family members receive second chances, a new beginning, and where their story shifted from despair to hope. None of these moments would have been possible unless someone gave them another opportunity to change their life for the better.

Therefore, even those in this room or listening from home deserve second chances to make things right when they have charted off course. If we understand the human predicament we know as God's family, we exist in a world where we wrestle with sin and godliness. And while we strive to please God, we continue to hold back those old sinful habits that lurk around the corner. If we're not focused, we will stumble and fall, and that's why we all need redemption. Most importantly, second chances in life.

Who else needs more chances to get it right other than God's former people Israel? For the last three weeks in the book of Joel, we have read about the turmoil of the remnant of Israel named Judah. In a postexilic world, there were very few faithful Jews left, and many of them fell away from the standards of Yahweh. So the Lord calls a prophet named Joel to foretell them about the natural disaster that will befall them because of their undisclosed sin.

What happens next would bring you to your knees—savage leagues of locust devastate the land and consume everything in sight. An impending drought is coming to drain the rest of the lift from the ground. Very soon, a terrifying army will come and ransack Jerusalem leaving the people of God with absolutely nothing. With takes us to Joel chapter 2 to where Joel speaks to Judah alongside God's voice.

Joel 2:12–14 ESV

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?

Even with the impending threat of his judgment, Yahweh speaks to his suffering people. God sounds off the command for his Judah. "Return to me with all your heart." Which should get us thinking? If God is calling them to return, it must mean they have left him for something else.

What Israel was chasing after was not God but something else. We are unsure what their sin was, but we can be sure that their allegiance was off track. Similarly, we, the church, do the same, and we chase after our idols and flee from the Lord through disobedience. But our God is more significant than our failure; he loves Israel, and so too he loves you! He calls back his church to live life in full communion with him and his people.

That's why the Lord goes out of his way to call back sinners into a loving relationship with him. He wishes for none of us to perish to for all to come to repentance.

This is why early church father, Cyprian of Carthage, said concerning repentance, "To him who still remains in this world no repentance is too late. The approach to God’s mercy is open, and the access is easy to those who seek and apprehend the truth."

-CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE

Going back to verse 12, God desires an internal transformation of the individual and community. Superficial piety is not what the Lord requires but a true genuine heart that loves the Lord.

God's Character and Why it matters

The Judahites should be compelled to return because of Yahweh's character. His traits are spoken by God himself in the book of Exodus. When the Lord descended from the mountain in a cloud, he spoke with Moses and declared who he was. What makes Yahweh special - for one he is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Yahweh describes himself as a flawless creator who adores his creation. His characteristics are a reflection of what he does for others.

Situation pending, if Judah repents, God in his free choice may choose not to cause further injury to his people. Instead, Yahweh may leave blessing behind him and in doing so the Jews may begin properly worshipping their God again. This element pictures God's willingness to change the future in light of Judah's decision. He has the ability to restore his people to prosperity in return they will honor God by bring his grand and drink offerings. He can undo anything even the disasters we live in as long as commit our lives fully to his will.

The Lord Calls the Church to Repentance

Joel 2:15–17 ESV

Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

With the previous scripture in mind of genuine repentance, the Priests of Israel are commissioned to gather everyone who belongs to Yahweh. Once assembled there is to be a special fast, a specific consecration and in the midst of a solemn assembly. Once gathered, the Priest are to weep while appealing to God for mercy.

The Church and Her Divine Purpose

The church must return to because the Lord is good.

Specific Applications:

Collectively, we return to the Lord through outward repentance.

Individually, we mediate on God's character and perfect will.

Globally, we cry to the One who delivers us from death.

God is compassionate and merciful to his people and is willing to forgiven them. God's people are often unfaithful to the covenant we have agreed too and fail to accomplish our mission and yet, God is willing to take us back and restore us.

Dominate Thought: Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.