Joel 2
The biggest problem that any human being on this earth will every have to face is the Day of the Lord. If there is something that is worth sounding an alarm about it is the coming of that day when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead. Somehow, so many centuries prior to the final coming of that day, the prophet Joel says that it is near. That can only mean that the smaller intrusions of divine judgment that we experience over the course of human history are a part of the true spirit of the day that will come in fullness in a distant time.
What is the Day of the Lord like? It is like an advancing army that destroys everything in its path. Even though an alarm may be sounded there is no way of escape. The land may be beautiful and plush in front of that army, but by the time they have passed through, all is destroyed. It is like a massive horde of insect life that consumes everything. There is no keeping them out. They find a way to get to their prey. They have no fear, and though each one may be so very small, easily destroyed by a man, how will a whole city defend against them when they descend as a host in massive numbers beyond counting?
It is too late for man to stop the judgment of God when it comes as a taste of the Day of the Lord. It is not too late for God. God speaks through His prophet. There is a note of remaining hope in a situation that seemed completely hopeless. The Lord says, “Yet even now return to me.” It will do no good to return to Him with hypocrisy or empty ceremony. It will avail nothing to claim to love Him insincerely since He knows the hearts of men. What must be done is to return to Him with all your heart. It is not that God cares nothing for outward expressions of repentance. They should weep. They should fast. They should all gather together in a solemn covenant assembly. They should do the other actions that were customary for those who were mourning. All this must be accompanied by hearts that were truly mourning for sin. Since the Lord is gracious and merciful, perhaps He would put off their impending doom.
It is apparent from Joel 2 that this is precisely what God’s people did. The prophet called them to truly repent and they did, young and old, priest and populace. The response of the Lord was dramatic and bountiful. He heard their cries made to Him for the glory of His own Name. He remembered them and helped them. He filled their land with a blessing that was far beyond their expectations. He did great things, and more than restored their fortunes. He sent rain and made the ground fruitful. He restored what the locust horde had destroyed, and promised that they would eat plentifully and be satisfied. The people would praise Him for His greatness, for He would be in the midst of the people as their only God. Instead of the devastating judgment of the Day of the Lord, they would be overwhelmed by the blessing of the Resurrection Day invading their lives.
As if that were not good enough news, God spoke through His prophet about a bigger day coming, beyond their lifetimes. He spoke of spiritual blessings that would only begin to be inaugurated on the day of the first Pentecost in the New Covenant era, blessings that could only find their complete fulfillment in the fullness of the coming age of resurrection. In that day it would not just be a few people who would be filled with the Spirit so as to be mistaken by some as having too much wine too early in the morning. No, in that day all of the Lord’s people would have the Spirit of God poured out upon them.
Yet there was also a note of the coming judgment of that day, a judgment that no one would ever be able to stand, reminding us of the destruction of Pharaoh and his armies in the time of the exodus of God’s people from
The final words of the chapter give us the clue as to how one can pursue the blessing, and turn away from the curse of that Day. Using the language of the Old Covenant, but speaking of a fulfillment that would begin in the New, the prophet gave these important words: “All who call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.”
When this passage is quoted by Peter in Acts and Paul in Romans, it becomes very clear that the fulfillment of Joel 2 is all about a heavenly Jerusalem, and a Mount Zion that is above, one that will come to earth with the return of the Messiah on clouds of glory with an angelic host as they bring forward the Resurrection Age. As Peter and Paul reflect on this ancient prophesy, one other very important detail is taken out of the shadows and brought into the clear light of a new day: The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the one who died on the cross for sinners and rose again, He is the Lord of the Resurrection. It is His Name that we must own in order to receive the fullness of salvation that comes to us by the grace of our merciful God.
The Day of the Lord is coming. It will involve a great judgment against the wicked. Others will have blessings granted to them that no eye has seen or ear heard. The difference between an expectation of curse and a sure hope of blessing can only be found in Jesus Christ. Everyone everywhere should call upon the name of the Lord in covenant assembly with true repentance and faith and be saved.
posted by Pastor Magee @ 6:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home