Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE

Introduction

Last week we began looking at the Prophet Joel. We said that the name Joel was a common Jewish name and means “Jehovah is God” or “The LORD is God.”

All that we are told about the Prophet Joel is that his father’s name was Pethuel.

Joel was a prophet to the whole nation of Israel, but primarily to the nation of Judah.

One of the key themes of this book is “The day of the LORD.” This phrase generally means a day of judgment or punishment.

1.         This can refer to some extraordinary happening in the present. (Like a locust plague.)

2.         This can refer to some an event in the near future. (Like the destruction of Jerusalem or the defeat of enemy nations.)

3.         This can refer to future events happening in the final period of history:

            a.         This can refer to the seven years of tribulation.

            b.         This can refer to the day of the battle of Armageddon.

            c.         This can also refer to the millennial reign of Christ on the Earth.

Even when the Day of the Lord refers to a present event, it also pictures the final day of the Lord.

The context must determine which time frame is in view.

A plague of locusts had come to discipline the nation. Joel called the people to turn back to God before an even greater judgment occurred.

The message of Joel is this that God judges people for their sins, but is merciful to those who turn to him, and offers them eternal salvation.

To recap what we saw last week in Chapter 1:

I.         THE LOCUST INVASION. (1:1-20)

            A.        The Uniqueness Of The Destruction. (1:1-3)

                        Nothing like this had ever happened before on this large of scale.

            B.        The Completeness Of The Destruction. (1:4)

The event in view here was a massive invasion of locusts which completely destroyed the lands vegetation.

            C.        The Vastness Of The Destruction. (1:5-12)

                        1.         It Affected The Wine. (1:5-7, 12)

                        2.         It Affected The Figs. (1:7, 12)

                        3.         It Affected The Grain. (1:10-11)

                        4.         It Affected The Trees. (1:10, 12)

II.        THE CALL TO REPENTANCE. (1:13-14)

            A.        Gird Yourselves. (i.e. with sackcloth.) An act of humility.

            B.        Lament–“To tear the hair and beat the breasts (as Orientals do in grief); by implication to wail.”

            C.        Howl–“To cry out with a wailing tone.”

            D.        Fast–A period of time when no food was eaten and people approached God with humility, sorrow for sin, and urgent prayer.

            E.        Solemn Assembly–Mostly called in a time of national crisis.

III.       THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PLAGUE. (1:15-20)

This locust plague was meaningful because of its role as a foreshadowing of the future day of judgment– the Day of the LORD (i.e. The Tribulation Period).

            A.        It Will Also Be Unique.

Matthew 24:21–“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

            B.        It Will Also Be Complete.

                        Affecting every aspect of life.

            C.        It Will Also Be Vast.

                        Affecting the entire world.

Tonight we want to begin in Chapter 2:

IV.      THE COMING DAY OF THE LORD. (2:1-11)

In this section the theme of Joel 1:15 is developed more fully as details about the approaching day of the LORD are given.

            Joel spoke of the LORD as a mighty Warrior-King leading His powerful army into battle.

            A.        The Nearness Of The LORD’s Army. (2:1-2)

The trumpet was a ram’s horn, blown by a watchman to alert the people of great danger.

When the trumpet would blow it would cause great fear to come into the hearts of the people.

            B.        The Destructive Power Of The LORD’s Army. (2:3-5)

                        This army would turn a fruitful land into a barren wilderness.

            C.        The Relentless Charge Of The LORD’s Army. (2:6-9)

                        There is no break in their ranks. Not even armed defenders can stop them.

            D.        The Invincibility Of The Lord’s Army. (2:10-11)

                        This army is invincible because the LORD is the one who sends them.

V.        A RENEWED CALL TO REPENTANCE. (2:12-17)

            The nation’s only hope was to turn immediately to the LORD in repentance.

            A.        An Appeal For A Sincere Change Of Heart. (2:12-14)

                        1.         The Appeal. (Vs 12-13a)

The LORD Himself urged His people to repent with genuineness and sincerity.

                                    Repentance is always the desired outcome of the LORD’s judgments.

                        2.         The Motivation. (Vs 13b-14)

The gracious, merciful, loving kindness of the LORD Who is willing to forgive those who repent.

                                    He not only forgives, but He blesses with restoration.

            B.        An Appeal For National Involvement. (Vs 15-17)

                        As a nation, Israel had sinned. As a nation, God called them to repentance.

Not only was the trumpet (ram’s horn) used to warn of approaching danger, but it was also used to call people to religious convocations.

The entire worshiping community was to gather from the oldest to the youngest. Not even newlyweds were exempted. (Cf. Deuteronomy 24:5)

The priests were to lead this solemn assembly by weeping before the LORD in the court of the temple and by offering a prayer for deliverance.

VI.      FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION. (2:18-27)

This section describes the divine response to the nation’s repentance and records the LORD’s comforting words to His people.

The effects of the locust plague from chapter 1 are reversed and the threatened invasion is averted.

            A.        The LORD’s Gracious Response Described. (Vs 18)

In response to the genuine repentance of His people, the LORD was jealous for His land and took pity on His people.

            B.        The LORD’s Promise Of Restored Blessing. (Vs 19-27)

VII.     PROMISES OF A GLORIOUS FUTURE. (2:28-3:21)

            The deliverance experienced by Joel’s generation foreshadowed that of the end times.

The day of the LORD which was narrowly averted by repentant Israel in Joel’s time will come in full force against the enemies of God’s people (i.e. the multitudes there at the battle of Armageddon.)

The promises of 2:19-27 will find their ultimate and absolute fulfillment as three things happen.

            A.        The LORD Intervenes On Israel’s Behalf. (2:28-32)

On the day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32 in conjunction with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 2:17-21).

His introductory words (cf. Acts 2:16, “this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel”) may cause us to think that he considered Joel’s prophecy as being completely fulfilled on that occasion.

But, it is evident that the events of that day, though they were extraordinary, did not fully correspond to those predicted by Joel.

We need to recognize that in the early chapters of Acts the kingdom was being offered to Israel once more. Peter admonished the people to repent so that they might receive the promised Spirit (cf. Acts 2:38-39 where he is alluding to Joel 2:32).

If they were obedient, then shortly thereafter Peter anticipated “times of refreshing” and the return of Christ in response to national repentance

                        (cf. Acts 3:19-21).

It was not until later that Peter came to understand more fully God’s program for the Gentiles in the present age (cf. Acts 10:44-48).

When he observed the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost he rightly viewed it as the first stage in the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.

He believed that the kingdom was then being offered to Israel and that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit signaled the coming of the Millennium. However, the complete fulfillment of the prophecy (with respect to both the extent of the Spirit’s work and the other details) was delayed because of Jewish unbelief.

            B.        The LORD Decisively Judges The Nation’s Enemies. (3:1-16a, 19)

                        This is speaking of the coming Battle of Armageddon.

            C.        The LORD Securely Establishes His People In Their Land.

                        (3:1, 16b-18, 20-21).

                        This is speaking of the millennial reign of Christ.

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!