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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Joel Chapter 2

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Joel
Date Penned: BC 835-796
Overview: To Warn Judah of God's Judgement (c 1-3)
Theme: The Day of Locusts (c 1-2)
Message: Joel warns of the approaching judgement (v 1-12) The Return of the Lord Your God (v 12-27)

Joel: Chapter 2 Commentary    


(2:1) Joel was still describing the devastating effects of the locust plague and the alarm showed that the crisis was at hand. Joe implied that the locust plague wa tonly the forerunner of an even greater crisis if the people did not turn from their sins.

(2:3) The Garden of Eden was Adam and Eve's first home (Genesis 2) Known for its beauty, it is used here to describe the beauty of the land prior to its destruction.

(2:12,13) God told the people to turn to him while there was still time . Time was running out and destruction would soon be upon them. Time is also running out for us. Because we don't know when our lives will end, we should turn to the Lord now, while we can. Don't let anything hold you back from turning to God. 

(2:13) Deep remorse was often shown by tearing one's clothes. But God did not want an outward display of penitence without true inward repentance (1 Samuel 16, Matthew 23), Be sure their attitude toward the Lord is correct and not just your outward actions.

(2:18) Joel reaches a turning point in his message. He moves from prophesying about an outpouring of God's judgement to prophesying about an outpouring of God's forgiveness and blessing. But this would come only if the people sought to live as God wanted them to, giving up their sins. Where there is repentance, there is hope. This section of the book inspires that hope. Without it , Joel's prophecy would only bring despair. This promise of forgiveness would have encouraged the people to repent.

(2:21) Joel contrasts the fear of God's Judgement (2:1) with the joy of God's intervention. Sin will bring judgement on the day of the Lord and only God's forgiveness will bring rejoicing. Unless you repent, your sin will result in judgement. Let God intervene in your life and you can rejoice in that day because you have nothing to fear. Before, there were fasting, plagues, and dirges. Then there will be feasting , harvesting, and songs of praise. When God rules, his restoration will be complete. In the meantime, the Lord does not promise his followers prosperity now. When God pardons us, he restores our relationship with Him, but this does not guarantee individual wealth. Instead, the Lord promises to meet your deepest needs for those who love him.

(2:26,27)  If the Jews would never again experience a disaster like the locust plague ("shall never be ashamed") how does one explain the captivity in Babylon, the Jews slavery under the Greeks and Romans, or the Jewish persecution under Hitler? It is important not to take these verses out of context. This is still part of the  "blessings" section of Joel's prophecy. Only if the people truly repented would they avoid a disaster like the one Joel had descried. God's blessings are promised only to those who follow him. God does promise that after the final day of judgement, his people will never experience the this kind of disaster (Zechariah 14, Revelation 21)

(2:28-32) Peter quoted this passage on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was predicted by Joel that occurred on Pentecost. While in the past God's Spirit available to Kings, Prophets, and Judges. Joes visualized a time when the Holy Spirit would be available to every believer. Ezekiel also spoke of an outpouring of the Spirit (Ezekiel 39)  God's Spirit is available now to anyone who calls upon the Lord for Salvation.

(2:31,32) Judgement and Mercy go hand in hand. Joel had said that if the people repented, the Lord would save them from judgement. In this day of Judgment and catastrophe, therefore, some will be saved. God's intention is not to destroy but to heal. However, we must accept His Salvation or we will certainly perish with the unrepentant.

 


Dave Burnette's Life Application


Time

 

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Joel with Chapter 2. In our text today we see Joel again warning of the approaching judgment of sinners emphasizing how time was running out. In making application we see that the Lord extends grace for repentance for a specific period of time. Just as we do not know the specific time of the second coming of the Lord we do not know if we will have more than one opportunity to respond to the Lord when convicted of our sin. All we know is that today is the day of repentance. How about you? Do you see that the we are not promised tomorrow. Let us learn from our text today and the warning from Joel to see that there is a time when we will no longer have the opportunity to repent reminding us that today is day of repentance.

 

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Joel 2

Joel 2

 1Blow ye 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 cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

 2A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

 3A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

 4The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

 5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

 6Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

 7They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

 8Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

 9They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

 10The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

 11And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

 12Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

 13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

 15Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

 16Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

 17Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

 18Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

 19Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

 20But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

 21Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

 22Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

 23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

 24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

 25And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

 26And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

 27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

 29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

 30And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

 31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.

 32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.