( Joe 2:12-17) The prophet calls God's people to repent. A promise of help to a repentant Judah.ġ. Tough times don't last, but tough people do." Instead Joel said, "You think that was bad? Worse is to come if we don't repent."ī. He might have said, "Hang in there! Things are bad, but they will get better. When the plague of locusts and the drought devastated Judah, you might have thought that Joel would encourage the people. They will be His tool of judgment against Judah - unless they repent. The LORD gives voice before His army: As impressive as this army is, Joel does not want Judah to forget that it's real power lies in that God has sent them. Second they must work hard, with every soldier serving with energy.ī. First they must keep order, with every soldier keeping ranks. If we consider the people of God to be like an army - perhaps based on the military images Paul sprinkled through his letters - then this passage shows us two things that can make God's people more effective. Because they keep ranks and work with energy ( they run to and fro in the city) they bring a devastating attack on Judah. They do not break ranks … everyone marches in his own column: With a chilling poetic flair, Joel describes the discipline and effectiveness of this army. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible who can endure it?Ī. The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great for strong is the One who executes His word. The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness.
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They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. They do not push one another every one marches in his own column. They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. ( Joe 2:6-11) What the mighty army will do.īefore them the people writhe in pain all faces are drained of color. Perhaps he would have waited until Joash was older, but Joel's prophecy showed him that it had to be done immediately.Ģ. A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns: The urgent nature of this prophecy probably spurred Jehoiada to depose the wicked Queen Athaliah and set Joash on the throne, even though he was only seven years-old ( 2 Kings 11:4-21). This is possible, but it seems best on balance to say that he writes of a literal human army that will come against an unrepentant Judah.Ĭ. There are some commentators who believe that Joel is referring back to the army of locusts, and describing them poetically. The 40-year godly reign of King Joash in Judah began right after the time of Joel's prophecy. Probably Joel predicted an invasion that never happened because Judah responded to the invitation to repent and God held back this army. A people come, great and strong: It's hard to know what invasion Joel predicts. In Joel's day Judah was not right with God, so the day of the LORD would be nothing but darkness and gloominess to them.ī. When we are not right with God, we dread the day of the LORD, because when God shows Himself strong, His strength may work against us. We long for Him to show His strength because we know that we abide in Him. When we are right with God, we want the day of the LORD. Since this is all part of "God's day" not "man's day," it is described as the day of the LORD. In Joel 2, he begins by describing judgment that will come - a mighty army set against Judah. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand: In Joel 1, the prophet spoke of the judgment that had arrived in Judah (a plague of locusts and drought). With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.Ī. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses and like swift steeds, so they run. A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness surely nothing shall escape them. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. ( Joe 2:1-5) What the mighty army looks like.īlow 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 is coming, for it is at hand: A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. The Day of the Lord and the Restoration of the Lordġ.