Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Joel was the first ‘writing prophet’, who predominately wrote down his message – versus living it out, singing it out, or proclaiming it in the streets and then writing it out afterward. Joel himself probably didn’t write the book, but rather someone else who heard him and wrote it down – hence the ‘written prophet’.Based on all his references to it, it’s likely his concern was more for Judah than for Israel. It was likely written in 835 and 800 B.C. It was written before anything had happened yet. Idolatry doesn’t even seem to be the predominant sin of the Israelites. Instead, drunkenness was what is held up as the error. A sin that clearly opened the door to others – including idolatry. He speaks of coming judgment and then he speaks of a coming restoration. Both of which have elements of a near and very far fulfillment. Joel coined the phrase ‘the Day of the Lord’ and he clearly spelled out that it was NOT all roses and party favours.

Joel starts with four plagues of locusts. These would have been REAL plagues which he then used to speak spiritual truths. Truths the people would easily grasp because of what had happened with the locusts before their very eyes. These locusts were so bad, Joel specifically asked the older generations whether they had ever even HEARD of anything like them before. They had not. He told everyone to tell their children and their children’s children about it, because nothing else like it would ever happen again. This would be a CATASTROPHIC judgment that would shake the Land, shake the people, and change everything. Drunkards would have to sober up because all the grapes would be eaten. People would die before they could marry, causing mourning throughout the Land. The very trees would wither and die. Joy would perish in the Land. It would be so bad that the Lord was calling them to a fast and a solemn assembly (the first one EVER – God gave them feasts and commanded joyfulness). God wanted them to humble themselves so that He could turn the judgment from them. He wanted them to take it VERY seriously and repent. The Day would be unlike ANYTHING else. Everything would be cut off before their eyes. This was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the nation, but there is still a fulfillment yet to come.

God said it was time to sound the alarm. To blare the trumpets before it was too late to avoid the judgment. There would be darkness, clouds of thick darkness, fires, and a desolate wilderness when they passed. Swiftly, without mercy they would come. It would not be avoidable. It would be inescapable. If it came upon them it would carry them up. No matter how they ran, climbed, or hid. Their enemies would find them. The Land would be consumed. Therefore, God was calling for a return to Himself. He called for them to turn with ALL their hearts with fasting, weeping, and mourning. To TOTALLY submit and not look for ANYTHING outside of God. To rend their HEARTS instead of tearing their clothes in outward expressions. To be honest with their repentance. God told them He was slow to anger (He really is. This was HUNDREDS of years in coming.) and FULL of great kindness. He was EAGER to forgive and remove the judgment. That if they did they would be so prosperous they would have grain left over for offerings and sacrifices. So He called for them to gather everyone, be led by penitent priests, and to truly worship Him so that He could spare them and the Land with them.

“Then Yahweh became jealous for his land and took pity on his people. And Yahweh answered and said to his people, “Look at me, I am sending to you grain, new wine, and olive oil, and you will be satisfied by it. I will not give you over any more as a disgrace among the nations.” (Joel 2:18-19)

The Lord promised that He would be zealous in His blessing toward them. That the northern armies would be removed as a threat. That they would have NO reason to fear. Look what the Lord had done in the past! They could again enjoy relationship with Him. They could be glad and rejoice because He would care for them and for the Land. If they would repent, He would restore what the locusts had taken from them. They would again eat and be satisfied. They would no longer be put to shame. He would pour on them His Spirit. On ALL flesh it would come (Acts 2). Whoever called on His name would be saved (Acts 4:12).

God said there would be a remnant and He would bring them back from Judah and Jerusalem. He would gather the nations and bring them to where He would enter into judgment with them. Those who had cast lots for His people or stolen/sacked their possessions would not be able to avoid it. He would sell them into defeat. They would do all they could, create weapons, declare their strength; but it would fail. All their efforts would fail. He would sit in judgment over the nations. He would harvest the world and the wicked would be judged. They would get what they had insisted upon. The Day of the Lord would be near the Valley of Decision where the judgment was – this could be physical proximity or a time proximity. The Lord would roar from Zion and bless His people. Fountains would flow. The children of God would be blameless and preserved forever. The wicked would be a desolation.

Summary

Key Players: God, Joel

Key Verse(s): Joel 1:1-12, 2:1-9, 25-32; 3:1-3, 12-21