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Today we will read from the book of Joel. The theme for today is “the day of the Lord.” What will we reflect on is, in light of the end times, how should believers live? Firstly, the day of the Lord, as described in Joel, is a day when God will judge both the people of God as well as the people of all nations. Chapter 1 verse 4 describes that day like a swarm of locusts instantly devouring a bountiful harvest and causing devastation. Such dreadful things will happen on the day of the Lord. We will read chapters 1 and 2 today, and try to learn from the terrible judgment of this day and also the blessings poured out on those who repent. Chapter 2 verse 12 onwards shows restoration and blessing, as well as a vision of the Holy Spirit being poured out on people. Even though the day of the Lord brings severe judgment, abundant blessing will be poured out on those who repent.
Chapter 1 verse 1 says, “The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel.” The name Joel means “Yahweh is God.” This is the only place in the Bible that Joel son of Pethuel is mentioned, and we don’t know for certain the time period in which this prophet lived. But reading the book of Joel, we might guess that he lived around 800 BC during the reign of King Josiah in the kingdom of Judah. Joel saw a vision of the invasion of countless locusts. Verse 4 says, “What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten.” It is a picture of a ruined land, where everything green has been devoured. Not unlike a scorched earth that is left behind after a war. But this vision does not merely prophesy a locust invasion, for verse 6 talks about the destruction of the land, saying, “A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number.” This depicts the severity of the wars between nations that will happen in the end times and the desolate land that may result from them.
Verse 11 says, “Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed.” And verse 12: “The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree—all the trees of the field—are dried up. Surely the people’s joy is withered away.” Next, verse 13: “Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.” This devastation extends to the hearts of the people. It is a situation where worship is hindered and cannot take place. Verse 15: “Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.” The day of the Lord is a day God will judge his people as well as people of all nations. The vision shows worship is disrupted, and one can only gaze upon the desolate land, astonished by the severity of God’s judgment.
Chapter 2 verse 2 says, “a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come.” Verse 3: “Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste—nothing escapes them.” The Garden of Eden will become a desolate wilderness. God’s punishment is severe indeed. And not only is it severe upon the earth, but verse 10 also says, “Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.” On the day of the Lord, his judgment will not only affect the earth but cause abnormalities in the heavens. That is the magnitude of disaster on the day of the Lord. And verse 11 says, “The Lord thunders at the head of his army . . . that obeys his command,” showing God himself will stand at the forefront. The day will surely come when those who do evil are punished.
But at the same time, the day of the Lord is also a day for each of us to return to our merciful God. Chapter 2 verse 12 onwards describes God’s invitation that will take place on that day and the promise of prosperity for those who repent. Verse 12 and 13 say, “‘Even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” Facing a harsh reality, believers turn back to the Lord. And they live by relying on God’s grace. The beginning of verse 16 says, “Gather the people.” And the beginning of verse 17 says, “Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, ‘Spare your people, Lord.’” The priests weep as they pray for God’s mercy. And God answers their prayer. Verse 18: “Then the Lord was jealous for his land and took pity on his people.” Verse 19: “The Lord replied to them: ‘I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.” God responds generously to a prayer of repentance and sorrow. This is also what God will accomplish on the day of the Lord. The lives of believers will not end in ruin and failure.
Next, verse 21 says, “Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things!” Verse 22 says “the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit” and verse 23 says, “Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.” Because of the grace of God through the Cross, we believe in Jesus Christ and are justified, accepted by God as righteous, and saved by him. Rejoicing in our salvation is also one characteristic of the end times. Verse 25 says, “I will repay you.” Verse 26 says, “You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you.” Verse 27: “Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.” Prophecy of the end times contains the sure promise of restoration and prosperity. Restoration will take place, and prosperity will return once more.
One more characteristic of the end times is that God’s Spirit will be poured out. As verse 28 and 29 promises, “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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” The Spirit will not be poured out on only some people. The Spirit will be poured out on all believers. They will have dreams and visions. God promises he will do this on the day of the Lord. After witnessing Jesus’ death on the cross, the grieving disciples gathered in a small room, praying earnestly for the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon them. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon those disciples, and the church was born. This was the beginning of the church. Joel prophesied that, in the blessed period of end times, the Holy Spirit would be poured out and many people would see visions. These end times are the New Testament era. Peter, a disciple of Jesus, witnessed this outpouring of the Holy Spirit and preached a message of the good news based on this passage. This is found in Acts 2:14-21. Guided by the Holy Spirit, he and the disciples proclaimed: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (2:38) On that day, about 3,000 believers were added to the number of disciples, and the church was born.
Now, we await the day when the Lord Jesus returns, the new day of the Lord. The Lord Jesus is the one who will execute righteous judgment. For some, the day of Jesus’ return will be a fearful day. But as believers we await the Lord’s return with hope. For those who have the promise of eternal life, the day of the Lord is a day of hope.
2 Peter chapter 3 says, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare (v10) . . . But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells (v13).”
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