Joel Chapter Two
Read Joel 2:1-11 – The Result of God’s Wrath
v.1 “BLOW YE THE TRUMPET IN ZION, AND SOUND AN ALARM IN MY HOLY MOUNTAIN: LET ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND TREMBLE: FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH, FOR it is NIGH AT HAND;
God in his vengeance for their
rebellion and their refusal to turn from their sins; is going to bring a full
measure of his wrath upon
“AND THE SONS OF AARON, THE PRIESTS, SHALL BLOW WITH THE TRUMPETS; AND THEY SHALL BE TO YOU FOR AN ORDINANCE FOR EVER THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS. AND IF YE GO TO WAR IN YOUR LAND AGAINST THE ENEMY THAT OPPRESSETH YOU, THEN YE SHALL BLOW AN ALARM WITH THE TRUMPETS; AND YE SHALL BE REMEMBERED BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND YE SHALL BE SAVED FROM YOUR ENEMIES.” Numbers 10:8-9
The sons of Aaron, the priests of
TRUMPET”, if you will allow the paraphrase, to warn us of impending spiritual danger.
Is our condition really any
different than that of
v.2 “A DAY OF DARKNESS AND OF GLOOMINESS, A DAY OF CLOUDS AND OF THICK DARKNESS, AS THE MORNING SPREAD UPON THE MOUNTAINS: A GREAT PEOPLE AND A STRONG; THERE HATH NOT BEEN EVER THE LIKE, NEITHER SHALL BE ANY MORE AFTER IT, even TO THE YEARS OF MANY GENERATIONS”
God proclaims the extent of his
punishment on
Exodus 10:14-15
“AND THE LOCUST WENT UP OVER ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND RESTED IN ALL THE
COASTS OF EGYPT: VERY GRIEVOUS were they, BEFORE THEM THERE WERE NO
SUCH LOCUSTS AS THEY, NEITHER AFTER THEM SHALL BE SUCH. FOR THEY COVERED THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH,
SO THAT THE LAND WAS DARKENED; AND THEY DID EAT EVERY HERB OF THE LAND, AND ALL
THE FRUIT OF THE TREES WHICH THE HAIL HAD LEFT: AND THERE REMAINED NOT ANY
GREEN THING IN THE TREES, OR IN THE HERBS OF THE FIELD, THROUGH ALL THE
v.3 “A FIRE DEVOURETH BEFORE THEM; AND BEHIND THEM A FLAME BURNETH: THE LAND is AS THE GARDEN OF EDEN BEFORE THEM, AND BEHIND THEM A DESOLATE WILDERNESS; YEA, AND NOTHING SHALL ESCAPE THEM.”
God will wreak total and complete
desolation upon
Zechariah
v.4-6 “THE
APPEARANCE OF THEM (this great horde of destruction) IS AS THE APPEARANCE OF
HORSES; AND AS HORSEMEN, SO SHALL THEY RUN. LIKE THE NOISE OF CHARIOTS ON THE
TOPS OF MOUNTAINS SHALL THEY LEAP, LIKE THE NOISE OF A FLAME OF FIRE THAT
DEVOURETH THE STUBBLE, AS A STRONG PEOPLE SET IN
This great people that God will
bring against
v.7-8 “THEY SHALL RUN LIKE MIGHTY MEN; THEY SHALL CLIMB THE WALL LIKE MEN OF WAR; AND THEY SHALL MARCH EVERY ONE ON HIS WAYS, AND THEY SHALL NOT BREAK THEIR RANKS: NEITHER SHALL ONE THRUST ANOTHER; THEY SHALL WALK EVERY ONE IN HIS PATH: AND when THEY FALL UPON THE SWORD, THEY SHALL NOT BE WOUNDED.”
Like men driven mad by blood lust;
these warriors will literally swarm over the land, climbing walls, marching
relentlessly onward. In addition here
v.9-10 “THEY SHALL RUN TO AND FRO IN THE CITY; THEY SHALL RUN UPON THE WALL, THEY SHALL CLIMB UP UPON THE HOUSES; THEY SHALL ENTER IN AT THE WINDOWS LIKE A THIEF; THE EARTH SHALL QUAKE BEFORE THEM; THE HEAVENS SHALL TREMBLE: THE SUN AND THE MOON SHALL BE DARK, AND THE STARS SHALL WITHDRAW THEIR SHINING:”
Joel continues to describe the punishment to be brought about by God’s wrath. The language used in these few verses and characteristic of that used to try to persuade men concerning the terrible consequences of defying Almighty God. Jesus describes the final judgment:
Mark
He showed a similar vision to the Apostle John:
Revelation 6:12-17
“AND I BEHELD WHEN HE HAD OPENED THE SIXTH SEAL, AND, LO, THERE WAS A GREAT
EARTHQUAKE; AND THE SUN BECAME BLACK AS SACKCLOTH OF HAIR, AND THE MOON BECAME
AS BLOOD; THE STARS OF HEAVEN FELL UNTO THE EARTH, EVEN AS A FIG TREE CASTETH
HER UNTIMELY FIGS, WHEN SHE IS SHAKEN OF A MIGHTY WIND. THE HEAVEN DEPARTED AS A SCROLL WHEN IT IS
ROLLED TOGETHER; AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND
AND SAID TO THE MOUNTAINS AND ROCKS, FALL ON US, AND HIDE US FROM THE FACE OF HIM THAT SITTETH ON THE THRONE, AND FROM THE WRATH OF THE LAMB: THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH IS COME; AND WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?”
v.11 “AND THE LORD SHALL UTTER HIS VOICE BEFORE HIS ARMY: FOR HIS CAMP is VERY GREAT: FOR he is STRONG THAT EXECUTETH HIS WORD: FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD is GREAT AND VERY TERRIBLE; AND WHO CAN ABIDE IT?
“WHO CAN ABIDE IT?” “WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?” Yet men stand in defiance of God in the
actions of their lives every day. The
power of God is beyond what any finite mind can understand. Represented here by an army that could not be
numbered, a camp that could not be overcome, again we’re reminded that the DAY
OF THE LORD” is coming, not only for
Zephaniah 1:17-18 “AND I WILL BRING DISTRESS UPON MEN, THAT THEY SHALL WALK LIKE BLIND MEN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD: AND THEIR BLOOD SHALL BE POURED OUT AS DUST, AND THEIR FLESH AS THE DUNG. THEIR SILVER NOR THEIR GOLD SHALL BE ABLE TO DELIVER THEM IN THE DAY OF THE LORD’S WRATH; BUT THE WHOLE LAND SHALL BE DEVOURED BY THE FIRE OF HIS JEALOUSY: FOR HE SHALL MAKE EVEN A SPEEDY RIDDANCE OF ALL THEM THAT DWELL IN THE LAND.”
Read Joel
v.12 THEREFORE ALSO NOW, SAITH THE LORD, TURN YE even TO ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH FASTING, AND WITH WEEPING, AND WITH MOURNING:”
Now Joel gives
Hosea 12:6 “THEREFORE TURN THOU TO THY GOD: KEEP MERCY AND JUDGMENT, AND WAIT ON THY GOD CONTINUALLY.”
Petition God with prayer, fasting, weeping and mourning for
the sins committed. Be even as the heathen of
Jonah 3:5 “SO THE
PEOPLE OF
v.13 “AND REND YOUR HEART, AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS, AND TURN UNTO THE LORD YOUR GOD: FOR HE is GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL, SLOW TO ANGER, AND OF GREAT KINDNESS, AND REPENTETH HIM OF THE EVIL.”
“REND YOUR HEART, AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS”, tearing their, tearing their garments, wearing sackcloth, sitting in ashes were all outward symbols of repentance but God wants men to go further. The heart, the mind, the conscience is the source of our actions. That is what must be changed:
Psalms 51:17 “THE SACRIFICES OF GOD are A BROKEN SPIRIT: A BROKEN AND AN CONTRITE HEART, O GOD, THOU WILT NOT DESPISE”
When we change, when we repent and turn; God is merciful, God will forgive; God will turn an ear to our prayers. God is only bringing His discipline to us to bring us back to him, to correct our living and our lives, not to destroy; for our God is a loving and merciful God to those who love him.
Psalms 86:5 “FOR THOU, LORD, art GOOD, AND READY TO FORGIVE, AND PLENTEOUS IN MERCY UNTO ALL THEM THAT CALL UPON THEE.”
The writer repeats this assurance:
Psalms 86:15 “BUT THOU, O LORD, art A GOD FULL OF COMPASSION, AND GRACIOUS, LONGSUFFERING AND PLENTEOUS IN MERCY AND TRUTH.”
v.14 “WHO KNOWETH if HE WILL RETURN AND REPENT, AND LEAVE A BLESSING BEHIND HIM; even A MEAT OFFERING AND A DRINK OFFERING UNTO THE LORD YOUR GOD?”
By repenting and turning back to
God
“WHO CAN TELL if GOD WILL TURN AND REPENT, AND TURN A ROM
HIS FIERCE ANGER, THAT WE PERISH NOT?” Jonah
3:9
We know from our earlier study that this is exactly what
happened.
Read Joel
v.15-16 “BLOW THE TRUMPET IN ZION, SANCTIFY A FAST, CALL A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY: THE PEOPLE, SANCTIFY THE CONGREGATION, ASSEMBLE THE ELDERS, GATHER THE CHILDREN, AND THOSE THAT SUCK THE BREASTS: LET THE BRIDEGROOM GO FORTH OF HIS CHAMBER, AND THE BRIDE OUT OF HER CLOSET.”
BLOW THE TRUMPET IN ZION”, not to
sound an alarm this time but to call the people to worship God. This was the method God specified to
“AND WHEN THEY SHALL BLOW WITH THEM, ALL THE ASSEMBLY SHALL
ASSEMBLE THEMSELVES TO THEE AT THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION.”
Numbers 10:3
The entire congregation was to gather, they were to come in clean garments, clean hearts, clean minds, sanctified or cleansed to be fit to be in the presence of God. This was commanded through Moses as well:
“AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, GO UNTO THE PEOPLE, A SANCTIFY THEM TO DAY AND TO MORROW, AND LET THEM WASH THEIR CLOTHES,” Exodus 19:1
v.17 “LET THE PRIESTS, THE MINISTERS OF THE LORD, WEEP BETWEEN
THE PORCH AND THE ALTAR, AND LET THEM SAY, SPARE THY PEOPLE,
O LORD, AND GIVE NOT THINE HERITAGE TO REPROACH, THAT THE
HEATHEN SHOULD RULE OVER THEM: WHEREFORE SHOULD THEY SAY
AMONG THE PEOPLE, WHERE is THEIR GOD?”
The picture that comes to mind from
this verse is a scene in the tabernacle or temple with the priests of God
standing between the court or porch occupied by the people and the altar of
sacrifice weeping, unworthy of approaching God. Unworthy even to provide the sacrifice of repentance
that God requires. They needed to pray
repeatedly as Moses petitioned God concerning the sins of
“I PRAYED THEREFORE UNTO THE LORD, AND SAID, O LORD GOD, DESTROY NOT THY PEOPLE AND THINE INHERITANCE, WHICH THOU HAST REDEEMED THROUGH THY GREATNESS, WHICH THOU HAST BROUGHT FORTH OUT OF EGYPT WITH A MIGHTY HAND” Deuteronomy 9:26
For God to destroy them now would bring nothing but reproach upon God and upon his chosen people. The heathen around them who believed that their gods protected them personally would question the power of Almighty God, asking “WHERE IS THEIR GOD?” So “THE PRIESTS, THE MINISTERS OF THE LORD” were to weep, pray and petition God for deliverance out of his wrath.
v.18-19 “THEN WILL THE LORD BE JEALOUS FOR HIS LAND, AND PITY HIS PEOPLE. THE LORD WILL ANSWER AND SAY UNTO HIS PEOPLE, BEHOLD, WILL SEND YOU CORN, AND WINE, AND OIL, AND YE SHALL BE SATISFIED THEREWITH: AND I WILL NO MORE MAKE YOU A REPROACH AMONG THE HEATHEN:”
God has made a covenant with the descendants
of
He will pity, show compassion and mercy upon even the vilest of sinners if that sinner repents and turns to him. God stands ready, always, to provide his richest blessings, both physical and spiritual, his greatest gift, salvation upon those who will but love and obey him.
v.20 BUT I WILL REMOVE FAR OFF FROM YOU THE NORTHERN army, AND WILL DRIVE HIM INTO A LAND BARREN AND DESOLATE, WITH HIS FACE TOWARD THE EAST SEA, AND HIS HINDER PART TOWARD THE UTMOST SEA, AND HIS STINK SHALL COME UP, AND HIS ILL SAVOUR SHALL COME UP, BECAUSE HE HATH DONE GREAT THINGS.”
Joel continues with the fruits of
repentance that
v.21-22 “FEAR NOT, O LAND; BE GLAD AND REJOICE: FOR THE LORD WILL DO GREAT THINGS. NOT AFRAID, YE BEASTS OF THE FIELD: FOR THE PASTURES OF THE WILDERNESS DO SPRING, FOR THE TREE BEARETH HER FRUIT, THE FIG TREE AND THE VINE DO YIELD THEIR STRENGTH”
In the symbolic language of
prophecy, God reassures
Zechariah 8:1”FOR THE SEED shall be PROSPEROUS; THE VINE SHALL GIVE HER IT GROUND SHALL GIVE HER INCREASE, AND THE HEAVENS SHALL GIVE THEIR DEW; AND I WILL CAUSE THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE TO POSSESS ALL THESE things.”
v.23 “BE GLAD THEN, YE CHILDREN OF ZION, AND REJOICE IN THE LORD YOUR GOD: FOR HE HATH GIVEN YOU THE FORMER RAIN MODERATELY, AND HE WILL CAUSE TO COME DOWN FOR YOU THE RAIN, THE FORMER RAIN, AND THE LATTER RAIN TN THE FIRST month.”
All those blessings that the people of God had lost through their disobedience will be restored when they have repented. They will have cause to rejoice again in God’s blessings. Just as we rejoice in the salvation of one soul, their salvation will bring that same joy, as Habakkuk writes:
Habakkuk
Deuteronomy 11:13-15 “AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, IF YE SHALL HEARKEN DILIGENTLY UNTO MY COMMANDMENTS WHICH I COMMAND YOU THIS DAY, TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND TO SERVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, I WILL GIVE you THE RAIN OF YOUR LAND IN HIS DUE SEASON, THE FIRST RAIN AND THE LATTER RAIN; THAT THOU MAYEST GATHER IN THY CORN, AND THY WINE, AND THINE OIL. I WILL SEND GRASS IN THY FIELDS FOR THY CATTLE, THAT THOU MAYEST EAT AND BE FULL.”
v.24-25 “AND THE FLOORS SHALL BE FULL OF WHEAT, AND THE VATS SHALL OVERFLOW WITH WINE AND OIL. I WILL RESTORE TO YOU THE YEARS THAT THE LOCUST HATH EATEN, THE CANKERWORM, AND THE CATERPILLAR, AND THE PALMERWORM, MY GREAT ARMY WHICH I SENT AMONG YOU.”
Their threshing floors would be filled with wheat, their bounty would be so great that the vats set to receive the output of the grape and olive presses would overflow. God would restore all that he had taken away from them, yea, blessing them with even greater blessings that they had enjoyed before.
v.26-27 “AND YE
SHALL EAT IN PLENTY, AND BE SATISFIED, AND PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR
GOD, THAT HATH DEALT WONDROUSLY WITH YOU: AND MY PEOPLE SHALL NEVER BE ASHAMED.
YE SHALL KNOW THAT I am IN THE MIDST OF
The Holy Spirit through the pen of
Isaiah tells
Isaiah 45:5 I am THE LORD, AND there is NONE ELSE, there is NO GOD BESIDE ME:...”
There is no other God but Jehovah
God, (that includes Allah of Islam today).
He dealt with
Leviticus 26:5 “AND YOUR THRESHING SHALL REACH UNTO THE VINTAGE, AND THE VINTAGE SHALL REACH UNTO THE SOWING TIME: AND YE SHALL EAT YOUR BREAD TO THE FULL, AND DWELL IN YOUR LAND SAFELY.”
Hebrews 8:10 “FOR THIS is THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAITH THE LORD; I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MIND, AND WRITE THEM IN THEIR HEARTS: AND I WILL BE TO THEM A GOD, AND THEY SHALL BET ME A PEOPLE:”
And thus
Joel
v.28 “AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS AFTERWARD, that I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS:”
So the Holy Spirit through Joel now
moves from the immediate concerns of
First let’s look at another prophesy of the same event, one that we may not be as familiar with:
Zechariah 12:10 “AND I WILL POUR UPON THE HOUSE OF DAVID, AND UPON THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND OF SUPPLICATIONS: AND THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED, AND THEY SHALL MOURN FOR HIM, AS ONE MOURNETH FOR his ONLY son, AND SHALL BE IN BITTERNESS FOR HIM, AS ONE THAT IS IN BITTERNESS FOR his FIRSTBORN.”
That out pouring was promised by Jesus to his disciples:
John 14:26 “BUT THE COMFORTER, which is THE HOLY GHOST, WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME, HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, AND BRING ALL THINGS TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE, WHATSOEVER I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU.”
See also John
Acts 2:16-17 “BUT THIS IS THAT WHICH WAS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET JOEL; IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAITH GOD, I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH: AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS:”
v.29 “AND ALSO UPON THE SERVANTS AND UPON THE HANDMAIDS IN THOSE DAYS WILL I POUR OUT MY SPIRIT.”
This blessing from the Holy Spirit was indeed given to those who obeyed God, who held the word of God in high esteem and followed His son. It was not reserved for a special priesthood, class or group of people; but was given to simple Galilean fishermen and others as God desired. Examples:
Acts 21:9 “AND THE SAME MAN HAD FOUR DAUGHTERS, VIRGINS, WHICH DID PROPHESY.”
I Corinthians 12:13 “FOR BY ONE SPIRIT ARE WE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY, WHETHER we be JEWS OR GENTILES, WHETHER we be BOND OR FREE; AND HAVE BEEN ALL MADE TO DRINK INTO ONE SPIRIT.”
Galatians 3:28-29 “THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK; THERE IS NEITHER BOND NOR FREE, THERE IS NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE: FOR YE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS. IF YE BE CHRIST’S, THEN ARE YE ABRAHAM’S SEED AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE.”
v.30-31 “AND WILL SHOW WONDERS IN THE HEAVENS AND IN THE EARTH, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND PILLARS OF SMOKE. SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND THE TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD COME.”
Ultimate judgment will be brought upon mankind. Punishment for the sins of the generations will be brought upon man. The fury and wrath of God will indeed be terrible to see. Many signs and symbols of the coming of final judgment are given both here and by Christ himself.
Matthew 24:29 “IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS SHALL THE SUN BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON SHALL NOT GIVE HER LIGHT, AND THE STARS SHALL FALL FROM HEAVEN, AND THE POWERS OF THE HEAVENS SHALL BE SHAKEN:”
Luke 21:25-26 “AND THERE SHALL BE SIGNS IN THE SUN, AND IN THE MOON, AND IN THE STARS; AND UPON THE EARTH DISTRESS OF NATIONS, WITH PERPLEXITY; THE SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING; HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR, AND FOR LOOKING AFTER THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE COMING ON THE EARTH: FOR THE POWERS OF HEAVEN SHALL BE SHAKEN.”
But God will also provide a way of escape for those who chose to accept it.
v.32 “AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, that WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE DELIVERED: FOR IN MOUNT ZION AND IN JERUSALEM SHALL BE DELIVERANCE, AS THE LORD HATH SAID, AND IN THE REMNANT WHOM THE LORD SHALL CALL.”
“WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL ON THE NAME
OF THE LORD” shall find deliverance
from the wrath and fury of God. God
shall call the remnant, the children of
“AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY, that THE LORD SHALL SET HIS HAND AGAIN THE SECOND TIME TO RECOVER THE REMNANT OF HIS PEOPLE, WHICH SHALL BE LEFT, FROM ASSYRIA, AND FROM EGYPT, AND FROM PATHROS, AND FROM CUSH, AND FROM ELAM, AND FROM SHINAR, AND FROM HAMATH, AND FROM THE ISLANDS OF THE SEA.” Isaiah 11:11
And indeed as the gospel of Jesus the Christ was taught and preached throughout the world; Jews living in all of these places became Christians, spiritual children of God. When Paul went from city to city he first went to the synagogues of the Jews:
Acts
Fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah and of Joel that indeed a remnant would be saved, a fact confirmed through the pen of the Apostle Paul to the Roman church:
Romans