Chapter 3:1-3
In these first few verses Joel refers back to what he spoke on in chapter 2 about the day of the Lord at hand and how He will would judge the nations around Judah (Israel). The nations are being judged because of how they treated God's chosen. They had divided up the land, casted lots against them, and turned them into slaves.
Chapter 3:4-8
I love these verses because God is defending His people with a vengeance. He list in verse 4 the actual cities that have wronged His people and then goes into detail in the next verses about He will show judgement. The basic message that is portrayed is that if these people didn't repent and recompense what they had taken God was going to do worse on them. I am thankful that I serve a just God.
Chapter 3:9-17
In verse 9 Joel is proclaiming to the people to be prepared for war. When things like this are proclaimed from God's messengers the people are to prepare by getting offerings and lifting up prayers. In verse 10, every available person, even the weak, along with anything that can be used as a weapon are called to action. All the people of the nations were then called to go to the valley of Jehoshaphat but while they were thinking it was for battle it really was so that they would all be together for judgement. Based on the how Joel describes all of these events would tell us that he was off in the distance watching all of the signs unfold. God wanted the people of Judah to see that He would protect and take care of them.
Chapter 3:18-21
These verses are just reiterating the fact that God will replenish the land of Judah and they will be taken care of forever. However Egypt and Edom will be quite different, becoming like wilderness and a waste. In the last verse it concludes with the promise from God that He will avenge their blood which have yet to be avenged.
Showing posts with label Joel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joel. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Joel 2:1-32
Chapter 2:1-11
In the first two verses Joel speaks out again that the day of the Lord is near because of the massive locust plague. It says that there were so many locusts swarming that they blackened the light. Joel compares this cloud of blackness to an approaching army that would bring great destruction along with it. Joel writes out a picture of what it appears like to him in verses 5-10. But when it comes to verse 11 we see just how strong our God is. He utters His voices and they follow and carry out His word.
Chapter 2:12-17
Even though all this has happened and it is late it isn't too late for the people to repent and turn to Him. It was a common thing back then for people to tear their clothes when they were mourning or upset. But in verse 13 God doesn't want their garments, He wants their broken hearts. He is a forgiving, gracious, and a compassionate God. In verse 15 Joel says to blow the trumpet and make preparations for a fast. The priest were supposed to be in charge of getting the congregation together and heading up a group wide fast but back in chapter 1 we found out that the priest had abandoned their duties because of everything going on. In verse 17 all the nations around Judah were mocking them and God because they couldn't see how God could be a God who couldn't take care of His people during this rough time. They like so many didn't understand the ways of our God and just how merciful He was actually being toward them.
Chapter 2:18-27
In these several verses the land of Judah are about to see just how gracious their God is. He is jealous for His land and has pity for them. He promises them that He will give them food, clear out the locusts, bring refreshing rain, and restore to them the protection over their land. Among many other things God restores to them what they have lost and reminds them that He is, was, and will always be there. His people will never be put to shame.
Chapter 2:28-32
God would pour His Spirit on ALL the people of Judah to sustain them. Nothing in this contexts indicates that these people would proclaim anything or evangelize to the other nations but instead would have a close relationship with God. In the last verses we see that those who are faithful and call to God will be saved. There will be many signs around us to proclaim that the day of the Lord has come. It isn't a physical membership that brings us deliverance but only when we answer His call.
In the first two verses Joel speaks out again that the day of the Lord is near because of the massive locust plague. It says that there were so many locusts swarming that they blackened the light. Joel compares this cloud of blackness to an approaching army that would bring great destruction along with it. Joel writes out a picture of what it appears like to him in verses 5-10. But when it comes to verse 11 we see just how strong our God is. He utters His voices and they follow and carry out His word.
Chapter 2:12-17
Even though all this has happened and it is late it isn't too late for the people to repent and turn to Him. It was a common thing back then for people to tear their clothes when they were mourning or upset. But in verse 13 God doesn't want their garments, He wants their broken hearts. He is a forgiving, gracious, and a compassionate God. In verse 15 Joel says to blow the trumpet and make preparations for a fast. The priest were supposed to be in charge of getting the congregation together and heading up a group wide fast but back in chapter 1 we found out that the priest had abandoned their duties because of everything going on. In verse 17 all the nations around Judah were mocking them and God because they couldn't see how God could be a God who couldn't take care of His people during this rough time. They like so many didn't understand the ways of our God and just how merciful He was actually being toward them.
Chapter 2:18-27
In these several verses the land of Judah are about to see just how gracious their God is. He is jealous for His land and has pity for them. He promises them that He will give them food, clear out the locusts, bring refreshing rain, and restore to them the protection over their land. Among many other things God restores to them what they have lost and reminds them that He is, was, and will always be there. His people will never be put to shame.
Chapter 2:28-32
God would pour His Spirit on ALL the people of Judah to sustain them. Nothing in this contexts indicates that these people would proclaim anything or evangelize to the other nations but instead would have a close relationship with God. In the last verses we see that those who are faithful and call to God will be saved. There will be many signs around us to proclaim that the day of the Lord has come. It isn't a physical membership that brings us deliverance but only when we answer His call.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Joel 1:1-20
Background
This book was written by Joel, a prophet, who was an eyewitness of the things he writes about. Based on what he writes it would appear that he knew the Judah area personally as well as Jerusalem. He is pleading with the people to repent in their hearts because he thought that the locust plague was a result of God's judgement on them.
Chapter 1:1-4
The plague of locust that was so destructive is what formed the occasion for the word of the Lord to come to Joel. The plague was followed by a drought which inevitably led to a famine. He addresses the elders mainly because they had seen many plagues in their time. They are to warn their sons and the following generations about these plagues. This particular plague was bad because the locust kept coming in waves, eating what the others had left behind.
Chapter1:5-14
In verse 5 Joel urges the drunkards to wake up so that they will know what is going on around them. The plague was big that there wasn't a number to be put on it. They were so destructive the locust were compared to lions teeth and fangs. In verse 7 he describes the outcome of the fig tree and wine branches which can be compared the outcome of Judah. Verse 8 the image of a bride wailing is mentioned. The distress caused by the plague is compared to a virgin bride who has suddenly lost her future husband and now has wrapped herself in a black sackcloth made out of goat's hair. The remainder of the verse speak on the land and the people who work it.Once again Joel urges the people to repent and turn to the Lord.
Chapter 1:15-18
Joel strongly believes that all that has happened with the plague was an omen from the Lord. When he said that the day of the Lord was near he was talking about the judgement that would come upon them. Before their eyes lands were dried up, no food was in the sheds, and animals were dying off. The people had lost their gladness and joy. It should have been obvious the lessons that were in front of them.
Chapter 1:19-20
Joel cries out to the Lord because both man and beast were suffering. In verse 20 it says that even the wild animals of the field pant for God. At that point everything was destroyed by fire and they had nothing else to turn to but God.
* Here in the south, we have had an outbreak of cicadas and now we are going days sometimes weeks without rain. In no way are we suffering like the people of Judah but we are getting a taste of what it might have been like for them during their plague and droughts. I pray that we see what the Lord is trying to teach us so that we may bring Him praise.
This book was written by Joel, a prophet, who was an eyewitness of the things he writes about. Based on what he writes it would appear that he knew the Judah area personally as well as Jerusalem. He is pleading with the people to repent in their hearts because he thought that the locust plague was a result of God's judgement on them.
Chapter 1:1-4
The plague of locust that was so destructive is what formed the occasion for the word of the Lord to come to Joel. The plague was followed by a drought which inevitably led to a famine. He addresses the elders mainly because they had seen many plagues in their time. They are to warn their sons and the following generations about these plagues. This particular plague was bad because the locust kept coming in waves, eating what the others had left behind.
Chapter1:5-14
In verse 5 Joel urges the drunkards to wake up so that they will know what is going on around them. The plague was big that there wasn't a number to be put on it. They were so destructive the locust were compared to lions teeth and fangs. In verse 7 he describes the outcome of the fig tree and wine branches which can be compared the outcome of Judah. Verse 8 the image of a bride wailing is mentioned. The distress caused by the plague is compared to a virgin bride who has suddenly lost her future husband and now has wrapped herself in a black sackcloth made out of goat's hair. The remainder of the verse speak on the land and the people who work it.Once again Joel urges the people to repent and turn to the Lord.
Chapter 1:15-18
Joel strongly believes that all that has happened with the plague was an omen from the Lord. When he said that the day of the Lord was near he was talking about the judgement that would come upon them. Before their eyes lands were dried up, no food was in the sheds, and animals were dying off. The people had lost their gladness and joy. It should have been obvious the lessons that were in front of them.
Chapter 1:19-20
Joel cries out to the Lord because both man and beast were suffering. In verse 20 it says that even the wild animals of the field pant for God. At that point everything was destroyed by fire and they had nothing else to turn to but God.
* Here in the south, we have had an outbreak of cicadas and now we are going days sometimes weeks without rain. In no way are we suffering like the people of Judah but we are getting a taste of what it might have been like for them during their plague and droughts. I pray that we see what the Lord is trying to teach us so that we may bring Him praise.
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