SOUNDING THE ALARM IN ZION - Joel 2:1-17

The Imminent Attack

2:1-11

Chapter 2 continues the themes of judgment and the Day of the Lord. It begins by announcing another Day of the Lord, in the future. It says the day is coming and is near. (1) It is an imminent disaster coming to Zion. 

The command to blow the trumpet is the image of a watchman on the wall around Jerusalem warning that he spots an enemy approaching. It is also used to signify the coming of the Lord. (Exodus 19:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Mount Zion is the name for the mountain on which the Jebusites originally had a fortress which David conquered and took for his city. (2 Samuel 5:7) 

The hill of Mount Zion is south of Mount Moriah on which the temple was built. It came to refer to the city of Jerusalem and, on occasion, the nation of Israel. 

It sometimes refers to the Heavenly City of Jeruslem, such as in the hymn “Marching To Zion”. The chorus says: 

We're marching to Zion

Beautiful, beautiful Zion

We're marching upward to Zion

The beautiful city of God

The Day of the Lord, the day of his coming, will accompanied by signs. There will be darkness, gloom, and clouds. (2) This is reminiscent of the Lord’s appearing on Mount Sinai to give the terms of the covenant to Moses. On that occasion, a thick cloud came on the mountain with thunders and signings and a trumpet blast. (Exodus 19:16)

This is to reinforce the idea that this plague comes from the Lord; it is his coming, not a haphazard natural event. 

Joel then begins describing what at first seems like another wave of locusts, but the attackers change into a different kind of threat as Joel starts using metaphors about military ranks and cosmic catastrophe. (4)

The locusts become a huge army, greater than any seen before. (2)  It destroys everything in its path. (3) It turns the beautiful land into a desolate wilderness. Nothing can stop it.

The cosmic events show that this is the Lord coming in judgment. The earth quakes and the sky comes dark. (10)  Joel tells us this is all the Lord’s coming in judgment, saying: “The Day of the Lord. It’s dreadful, who can endure it?” (11)

The apostle John picks up this theme in the book of Revelation. When Jesus opens the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake accompanies by cosmic signs. All of the people tried to hide, telling the mountains “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lam, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:12-16)

The Call To Repentance

2:12-17

Once more, God speaks through Joel & calls on the people to repent. He tells them to return to him with all their hearts. (12) They have turned away from him, so they need to return to him completely and whole heartedly. 

This is shown by fasting, weeping, and mourning.

It cannot be just an outward show. Thus, he told them to rend their hearts, not their garments. “Rend” means to tear. Tearing garments was a sign in the Middle East for grieving and mourning. They needed a change of heart and mind, throwing off their current affections and returning them to the worship of God and obedience to him.

Another way of expressing this truth in the Bible is the “circumcision of the heart”. The Bible refers to this numerous times.

For example, after Israel made the golden calf idol, God reminded Israel that he chose them and said ”circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no longer stubborn”. (Deuteronomy 10:16)  

They needed to turn from idols and purify their hearts in devotion to God.

So, what is repentance?

Repentance is a fundamental change of mind and heart, a complete turning away from sin and towards God It includes, but is not limited to, genuine sorrow for wrongdoing and commitment to a new, obedient path. It's more than just feeling bad; it's a redirection of one's life. It is demonstrated or proved by fruits of repentance, such as a change in sinful behavior and coming, or returning, to fellowship with God that includes obedience to his commands. 

Repentance is necessary for salvation. John the Baptist preached: “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. (Matthew 3:2) 

Jesus preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. (Matthew 4:17) 

We must turn from our old life of disbelief and disobedience to God, and turn to a life of faith in Christ and obedience to his commands.

Then, as believers, we continue to repent as we discover ways in which our lives are not aligned with God’s laws. Martin Luther famously stated in his 95 Theses: "When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, 'Repent,' he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance”.

In verse 13, Joel begins speaking instead of the Lord, starting with the word “return”. (It is an odd verse break there.) 

Joel’s urging for the people to return to God is based on the character of God (his attributes). God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. These are the words God used to describe himself to Moses on Mount Sinai when God forgave Israel after they made the golden calf. (Exodus 34:6) Joel knows Scripture.

God often relents from sending disaster when his people repent. We see this in the book of Judges. Joel does not promise this, but says, based on God’s character, that he may relent and bless them. (14)

This need for repentance is so important that it must be done nationally. A solemn assembly of the whole population should be called. It must include the leaders and even the children. It is so important that even those about to be married should leave their ceremonies and attend the assembly. (15-16)

The priests should lead the way. They should cry out to the Lord, asking him to relent for the sake of his name and reputation. (17) 

Takeaways

God is faithful. He is faithful even when we are unfaithful as shown by the fact that Israel was often unfaithful.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will convict you of anything for which you need to repent. When you receive that, repent immediately and reset your course to holy living. 

THE DAY OF THE LORD IN JUDGMENT - JOEL 1

 JOEL BIBLE STUDY

The Prophets

Before we begin our study of Joel, here is a short primer on the Old Testament prophetic writings to keep in mind.

The prophets were spokesmen for God. They spoke within the context of the Mosaic Covenant. They called God’s people back to obedience to the covenant. They reminded them of the curses for disobedience. They also reminded them of the blessings of obedience.  The announcement of curses concerned things soon to happen or actually happening. The blessings were often looking toward end time fulfillment, especially those that promised restoration. 

Joel is considered a “minor prophet”. The books of the minor prophets are found at the end of the Old Testament. It is often said that these prophets and their books are seen as minor not because they are less important but because their books are shorter. Yes, the Book Of Zechariah has more chapters than the Book of Daniel. But, it has only two thirds the number of words. The original writings did not have chapter divisions. 

In the Hebrew Bible, the Minor Prophets are grouped together in a book called “The Twelve”. They were originally collected as a single book. Joel is the second book of The Twelve.

The arrangement of the “Book of the Twelve,” or the Minor Prophets as we know them, is loosely chronological. They begin  with the pre-exilic (before the Exile to Babylon) books followed by the post-exilic books. 

Background Of The Book Of Joel

Joel was an Old Testament prophet. His name means “The Lord (Yahweh) is God”. Little is known about the prophet himself, except that he was the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1). There is much debate about the dating of the book, whether pre or post exhale. 

The theme of Joel is the “day of the LORD.” This phrase refers to a time when God supernaturally intervenes in the course of human history, pouring out his righteous judgment on sinners and his blessing on the penitent. The prophet ties this current event with the future, giving the people a preview of the future, eschatological day of the LORD. 

No biblical prophecy is ever given in a historical vacuum, with no meaning to the original audience. Rather, each prophecy addresses the need present at the time it was given, which provides a historical event from which to understand the eschatological event. 

The best known example of this is the prophecy of a virgin birth given by Isaiah to King Ahaz in Isaiah 7. The Lord promised Ahaz that the partnership of Israel and Syria against Judah would not lead to Judah’s defeat. Ahaz, however, was still afraid. So, the Lord gave king Ahaz a sign that a virgin would conceive and bear a son and call him Immanuel. And before the boy could attain the age of discernment of good and evil, Syria and Israel would be defeated. 

Matthew then said the Lord’s words were fulfilled by the birth of Jesus. (Matthew 1:22-23) Matthew shows that the time had come for the savior of Israel to be born and that Mary, a virgin, would bear him. 

The book of Joel is composed of three chapters of prophetic poems. The Jews in Jesus’ time knew the books, as shown by Peter quoting one of its famous passages in his sermon on the day of Pentecost: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions” (Joel 2:28; cf. Acts 2:16–18).

Finally, Joel never accuses Israel of any specific sin. Like the other prophets, he announces that God’s justice is coming to confront Israel’s sin, but he never says why. This is because Joel assumes that, like him, you’ve been reading the books of the prophets and already know all about Israel’s rebellions.

In chapters 1 and 2, Joel focuses on “the Day of the Lord.” This is a key phrase in the prophets that describes events in the past when God appeared in a powerful way to save his people or to Judge, as with the plagues in Exodus. 

But these past events also point to a future time when God will once again judge, confronting evil and bringing salvation to the entire world. These opening chapters bring two parallel poems that focus on this theme.

Let’s look at chapter one. 

The Prophet

1:1

The book begins by saying the word of the Lord came to Joel, identifying him by his father’s name. This is a claim that Joel is a prophet, speaking the word of the Lord. It is a common introduction for the Minor Prophets. See, for example, Hosea 1:1. 

Verse 2 then begins the prophesy, the word of the Lord. 

The Word

1:2-4

The Lord, through Joel, begins by calling the leaders (elders) and the people to hear God’s message. (2)

Joel pointed to an event not yet named or described, calling it something that had not happened before. He instructed them to tell their children about it and for them to tell their children about it. They were to teach the message to future generations. That was the same instruction God gave Israel about the law. It was to be taught to each generation. (Deuteronomy 6:1-2)

This tells us that the current event is unique and important.

Verse 4 tells us that the current event is a plague of locusts. Four kinds of locusts are named, resulting in the total destruction of the crops. The description alludes to the Day of the Lord against Egypt, specifically the eighth plague from Exodus chapter 10, except now the locusts are sent against Israel!

This is also something God said he would do as part of the covenant curses for disobedience. Deuteronomy 28, like Leviticus 26, contains these curses. For example, Moses said: “You shall carry much seed into the field and shall gather in little, for the locust shall consume it. You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm shall eat them.” (Deuteronomy 28:38-39)

From Partiers To Mourners

1:5-7

The Lord calls for the drunkards to mourn because the supply of wine has been cut off. This likely means the locusts have destroyed the grape vines. It reminds me of our three year drought which brought many grasshoppers into the area. They ate vegetable gardens, flowers, shrubs, and other plants, leaving many areas bare of vegetation. 

The Army of Locusts

1:6-7

The Lord likens the locusts to an attacking nation with a vast army. It laid waste to the grape vines and the fig trees, stripping them of even their bark and killing them. 

A Cause for Grief And Sadness

1:8-12

The Lord calls on the Israelites to grieve and mourn their situation. They should be as sad as a young woman whose fiancé has died. They cannot worship with their grain and drink offerings because the fields have all be destroyed. There is no grain and no wine. (10)

All of the edibles of the land are gone, including the grains of wheat and barley, the grape vines, and the trees, including the figs, pomegranates, palms, and apples. As the fields have dried up, so has the gladness of the people. (12)

 

A Call To Repentance

1:13-18

The Lord called for repentance from the priests. They should wear  sackcloth, the clothing of mourning, because there are no offerings to be made for worship. 

They should also declare a fast and an assembly so the people can pray, calling out to the Lord for relief. As their food supply is cut off, so is the joy of worshipping the Lord. (16)

The Prophet attributes this plague to God. He said the Day of the Lord is near, coming like destruction. So, this Day of the Lord is judgment. 

The Prophet’s Prayer

1:19-20

The chapter closes with the prayer of the prophet, calling on the Lord for help and confessing that their plight is desperate. Since God brought the calamity, only he can end it.

As the Day of the Lord approaches, repentance is necessary. John the Baptist called for repentance before the arrival of Jesus. (Matthew 3:2) And we must preach repentance to the lost before the ultimate Day of the Lord. 

THEOLOGICAL ISSUES #11 - THE HOLY SPIRIT AND REGENERATION

 THEOLOGICAL ISSUES #11

STATEMENT

The Holy Spirit gives a spiritual new birth or new life before a person has faith in Jesus Christ.

26% of respondents strongly agreed with 23% somewhat agreeing. So, 49% of respondents agreed to some degree. 19% strongly disagreed and 9% somewhat disagreed, so 28% disagreed at some level. 25% were unsure. I imagine many people have not thought about it. 

This is about the doctrine of regeneration. 

So, we could restate this sentence as “The Holy Spirit regenerates a person before that persons comes to faith in Jesus Christ. 

DEFINITION

Regeneration is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit of granting spiritual life to spiritually dead sinners so that they are now able to repent and trust in Christ as a new creation.

This is not a work in which man contributes. It is a work of God alone. “Of his (God’s) own will he brought us forth by the word of truth…”. (James 1:18) “As an infant receives no credit for being born, man receives no credit  for being regenerated by God. The grace of regeneration is the power of God that grants humans the ability to exercise faith and new inclinations towards God.

Why do we need regeneration?

We need regeneration because, in our natural state, we are spiritually dead. Ephesians 2:1-3 says:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body, and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

This is not talking about physical death, but spiritual death. We are not born as children of God, but as children of wrath. 

What does “children of wrath” mean? 

In the Bible, to be a “child of” something was to be characterized by that trait. That trait defined the person and his or her destiny. For example, when  Paul instructed Christians to live as “children of light,” or as people defined by their association with the truth and holiness of Christ (Ephesians 5:8)

We are children of wrath because, prior to knowing Christ, we all are under the judgment of God. Because of Adam’s original sin and the way we continued to sin, we all deserved God’s wrath. 

God is just. Deuteronomy 32:4 says “his work is perfect,

for all his ways are justice”. The just response to our sins is condemnation. Consider these verses in Romans. 

Romans 5:18 says “one trespass (Adam’s) led to condemnation for all men”. 

Romans 3:23 tells us “for fall have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. 

Romans 6:23 tells us “For the wages of sin is death”.

We need regeneration because we will not otherwise come to Christ for salvation. Thus, regeneration precedes faith. John 5:1 says “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God”. Jesus said “no one comes to me unless the Father who sent me  draws him”(John 6:44) meaning that coming to Christ in faith is not just a human choice, but requires God the Father to actively draw or enable people through the Holy Spirit; it is a core concept in Christian theology about divine initiative in salvation. 

Without regeneration, the “natural person”, the one who has not been regenerated and come to faith in Christ, “cannot accept the things of the Spirit of God for they are folly to him and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

This does not mean they cannot understand the words. It means they cannot accept them as true and understand the need to come to Christ. Romans 1 tells us the unregenerate person is foolish and his or her mind is darkened. 

Jesus explained this to Nicodemus. He said: “Unless one is born again (regenerated) he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:2). Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus meant. He said: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4). 

Nicodemus failed to see that Jesus was using a human metaphor (birth) to describe a spiritual reality. Nicodemus wanted to know what he could do and Jesus told him what must be done to him.

God may have regenerated Nicodemus, though. He defended Jesus before the Sanhedrin, though that could have just been that he respected Jesus and wanted him to get a fair trial. (John 7:50) But, more telling, is that Nicodemus helped Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, prepare Jesus’ body for burial. (John 19:38-40) That was a very public act that would upset his fellow members of the Sanhedrin. 

Yes, the believer does choose Christ. But it is only because the Spirit has breathed new life into his dead spirit and shined new light to open his blind eyes. 

Previously we were blind to the “light of the gospel”. Paul wrote: “and even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:3-5)(

But when God said, “Let light shine out of darkness”, suddenly and instantaneously he “has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). 

We are like Lydia in the book of Acts; until the “Lord opened her heart” she did not believe in the Lord Jesus (Acts 16:14).

SUMMARY

1. Regeneration is the supernatural work of the Spirit.

2. Regeneration is not the work of man but God of alone.

3. Regeneration precedes faith.