Special days seem like nothing compared to the special
day that Joel speaks of here in these chapters. He calls it the “day of the
Lord” to remind the people of recent disasters of a devastating locust plague. He
tells the Israelites about this to warn them of a greater judgment to come.
Joel calls this a “great and very terrible day.” This day does not need to be
terrible for God's people. It will be a day of decision of whether to follow
God or to go our own way (Satan's way). When we decide to follow God, He
promises to be a shelter for his people. God always wants to bring us to a deep
repentance that will lead to the renewal and restoration of our souls. A day of
the Lord is still to come when he returns for His people. If we belong to
Christ, we can look forward to that day of the Lord with great anticipation. Joel
encouraged the Israelites to remind their children of the locusts that God had
sent on their land, so the children would learn the lesson God was teaching
Israel. The prophet Joel lived during the time of prosperity in Judah. The wealthier
and more prosperous the people became, the more complacent they became toward
God until they had forgotten Him completely. So, God sent locust to devour the
land. Joel declared that this plague was a wakeup call. We dare not forget the
source of our prosperity. God owns everything, and we are responsible to Him
for how we use His resources. In the middle of this book filled with warning
and judgment stands a profound picture of God's mercy. Over the clamor of
invading armies and devouring locusts, God issues a clear invitation “turn to Me
with all your heart.” During judgment, God offers mercy to those who repent. He
is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. Regardless of
the circumstances, God says turn to Me. When we call out to our gracious and
merciful God, He hears and answers. God delights in doing miracles. He loves
turning hopeless situations into delightful possibilities. Joel warned his
people that a terrible army would invade their land and destroy their hope. Even
the very heavens and earth would tremble at the devastation. in the face of
such disaster Joel spoke of a day when God would do more marvelous things.
God's works are truly marvelous. We should praise the name of the Lord. Joel
predicted that God's grand invitation to turn to Him would be offered to all
people. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Christians are
the beneficiaries of God's outpouring. The world has not been the same since
the day a small band of apostles were energized by God's spirit on the day of
Pentecost. On that day Peter quoted this passage from Joel and encouraged
people to repent and believe in Christ. All who accepted this call and receive
God's spirit fulfill this prophecy of God's grace. Please read the chapter
listed so that you can understand God’s Word better. If you have missed any lessons,
you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.J.Vernon
McGee Thru the Bible. Nelson’s Quick Reference. Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.
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