Joel 2: 12-17
Joel has just told them how "the despicable person" (Antiochus) will come and destroy and persecute Israel, and that the antichrist will appear in the last days and be even worse.
So he encourages them in what they can do to put off these prophesies, if possible.
(12) "Yet even now," declares the Lord,
"Return to Me with all your heart,
And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
(13) "And rend your heart and not your garments."
Now return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
And relenting of evil.
(14) Who knows whether He will not turn and relent
And leave a blessing behind Him,
Even a grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?
The Lord always wants us to turn to Him, because He is our Source for everything. Not just of prosperity and wealth, but of life itself, and the breath in our lungs, and the beat of our heart.
He is infinitely compassionate and gracious, and when we turn to Him with all our heart, honestly, sincerely, passionately, then He will respond to us and show us His Truth, and draw us into His own family.
And if the Jews would turn to Him emotionally, fasting and weeping and mourning over their sins; not outwardly with ripping of their clothes, but inwardly in their inner being, letting their heart break, then He might put off this judgment for a while longer, and give them enough crops and grapes to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, trusting that He will also supply food for them.
(15) Blow a trumpet in Zion,
Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
The ram's horn (shofar) was sounded as an alarm to warn of an invading force. Now they are to sound it to institute a solemn assembly, a prayer meeting.
(16) Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and the nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom come out of his room
And the bride out of her bridal chamber.
Everyone was to come to the prayer meeting, the leaders, the kids, the families, even the bride and bridegroom, before they get married, this comes first. Stop everything and come to pray.
(17) Let the priests, the Lord's ministers,
Weep between the porch and the altar,
The leaders, the priests were to stop before they even approached the altar, to break their hearts for the people they were responsible for, the congregation.
And let them say, "Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not make Your inheritance a reproach,
A byword among the nations.
Why should they among the peoples say,
'Where is their God?'"
They are to beg God to have mercy on them, and to spare them from this harsh judgment they deserve. They are to care for the people, but they are to care more for the Lord's reputation among the other nations surrounding them. The prayer is to show the people who worship other gods and idols that the Lord God of Israel is kind and compassionate, and more powerful than all those other gods put together, and the only One worthy of worship.
Even today, when evil people attack good people, or when a natural disaster devastates a populous region, they ask, "Where is God?" Anne Graham Lotz (Billie Graham's daughter) had the correct answer. When we shove Him out of our lives and schools and government, and say we don't want or need Him to interfere, then, being the Gentleman He is, He will back away, and wickedness is let loose. So it is our own fault.
Each one of us is born with the damaged DNA from our first father, Adam, which is called "original sin," or the "sin nature," or "sinful flesh." This is why we think we can do whatever we want as long as we don't get caught. Our culture teaches us that it is getting caught that is wrong, not whatever harmful thing we want to do.
But God is just, He must judge all that is contrary to the good He created for us to have. Because He loves us so much, he will not shy away from taking us to the woodshed for a good licking now and then. It's called "tough love." It's being strong and courageous to teach our children what is right by allowing them to experience the consequences of wrong and evil choices.
God's character is sterling, it is strong and compassionate to discipline His children and to punish every wicked thing. He is fair to give each of us exactly what we need; and in the end, He will even all the odds, settle every debt, and level every path.
Joel is telling the people to throw away their idols and to worship only the Lord God Almighty. To be serious and passionate for the Lord, depending on His faithfulness to His own character.
And then maybe He might answer them.
O my Father, thank You for being our God. Thank You for Your goodness, and Your faithfulness to do what You said You would do.
Father, You are just, and You must administer true justice. But You are also compassionate and merciful, to relent in Your judgment for a while, as You did for Nineveh, when You sent Jonah to preach to them. They deserved the wrath You were ready to pour out on them, but when they all responded to Your word in humbling themselves before You, from the king down to the lowest servant; You relented and held off the disaster for the next generation.
O Father, You have had mercy on America in giving us our President, who is trying to clean out as much of the filth and evil that he can. He is powerfully working to bring Your goodness back into our national life, for the good of our people. And the wicked minions of Satan are vicious in their attempts to get rid of him.
Father, strengthen all of Your children, all over the world, to withstand the attacks of the enemy, and share Your love with all. Let Your peace in the midst of turmoil show our enemies Your care for us. And draw all Your embryonic children to the birth into Your own family.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
