God Speaks
An Unprecedented Swarm of Locusts; A Call for Repentance; Judgment and Restoration
Verse of the Day: “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. . . .” [Quotes in the original.] (Joel 2:12-13 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Reflection: Joel 1 calls the leaders to gather the people to remember, record, and relate to future generations an unprecedented attack of locusts. The time frame of this event is not given. The devastation was extensive.
Joel 2 continues this call of alarm. There is a before and after depiction as well as a report of people’s emotional reactions. Beginning at verse 11, Joel says that the LORD is leading this attack in order to get all the people to gather together, repent, and turn back to Him. Beginning in verse 18, the rest of Joel relates what will happen as a result.
Joel 3 proclaims that after God has drawn His people back to Himself and restored their prosperity, He will draw the nations that have offended both Him and His people to a great battle and judgment in the valley of Jehoshaphat. There will be a great day of the LORD, but He will protect and provide for His people: “everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (Joel 2:32a NLT). The book of Joel concludes with a comforting note. The LORD declares, “I will pardon my people’s crimes, which I have not yet pardoned; and I, the LORD, will make my home in Jerusalem with my people.” (Joel 3:21 NLT)
https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/joel/ This link connects to the video of an animated overview of the book of Joel.
Prayer: LORD God, You are both a God of judgment and a God of love, mercy, and compassion. Even Your fierce judgment is (or the various disasters You allow are) meant to cause me and others to cry out, “LORD, help us! LORD, save us!” In this current crisis (whatever it is), I turn to You and give You my heart. I know full well You are merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to relent and not punish. Please grant me a reprieve from Your just judgment. Please send a blessing instead of this curse. Oh, for the day when I can offer appropriate sacrifices to You, O God. May all who reverence You gather together and cry out in prayer, “Spare Your people, LORD.” Come, O God, and commiserate with the people who cry out to You for mercy. Please respond by meeting our physical needs. Surely, You do great things, O LORD! Nothing or no one needs to be afraid if they are doing as You, LORD God, planned for them. We can rejoice in Your faithfulness. You are in the business of restoration and reconciliation. I will praise You, LORD God, for doing miracles at my request. As I follow You, Jesus, I will never be disgraced. I realize that You allow all the crises so that all people will know (beyond all doubt), that Ja (YHWH), the great I AM, is indeed LORD. There is no other. Pour out Your Spirit on all people (including me) young and old, male and female, masters and slaves, rich and poor. You promise that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. After this You will send prosperity on Your people and call them together. You will also call the nations to account for how they have treated Your people. You will sit to pronounce judgment on them all. In the midst this judgment, we thank You, that You, LORD, are a refuse for Your people, both those You have chosen (descendants of Abraham, by faith) and those who are called by Your name (Christians). Thank You that both the prosperity and the judgment from You are meant to help us know that I AM is the LORD our God, Creator and Sustainer. You are also the God who pardons His people who repent. To You be the glory, O LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will read and study Joel and other Old (Original*) Testament prophets who both warn of judgment and proclaim restoration of people to the LORD.
- I will cry out to the LORD for mercy, forgiveness, and rescue for myself, my family, my congregation, my community, and my nation.
- I will gather with others to first repent and then rejoice in the LORD.
- I will pray for and help others I know to do the same.
*Because in some people’s understanding the word old has come to connote something that is worn out and is no longer useful, and since the Old Testament of the Bible is the foundation of all the teaching of the New, it is the intention of this blogger to refer to OT as meaning Original Testament. It came first and is the basis of (and is often referred to and/or quoted in) the new testament (NT). Together they form the whole Word of God.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.