Are You Sitting Comfortably?

Joel 2:1-14

5th January 2003

The book of Joel is set amid a scene of devastation. Like the aftermath of a hurricane, the damage is catastrophic. But it hasn't been caused by the weather. It's been caused by locusts. A mighty swarm of locusts. Every green thing has been eaten. Nothing is left but a wasteland. God's people are desperate, and they are desperately uncomfortable.

Joel speaks his prophecy into the scene of devastation. It's a message from God - God's word to his people in a time of crisis.

1. Wake up! The day of the Lord is coming! (v1) Chapter 2 begins with a terrifying noise. And like an air-raid siren from the war it sets dread into the hearts of all who hear it. It's a warning - an invasion force is on its way, so get ready! But for what? Get ready for the day of the Lord.

It will be terrifying. The devastation around them is a catastrophic visual aid for the people. It's as if Joel is saying to them "Wake up! Look! See what the locusts have done!" The plague is a foretaste, a wake-up call. A warning that the day of the Lord is coming.

The plague has serious implications: no food, no wine, no pasture. But worse than that, no sacrifices (Ch1v13). God has cut off the people from his presence by cutting off the temple sacrifices.

So if this is the foretaste, what will the day of the Lord be like?

2. You can't escape from this army (v2-11) God is about to send a large and mighty army (v2). This isn't Dad's Army! It's a devastating fighting force. It's totally unstoppable.

Most terrifying of all, it's God's army! Attaching God's people. 'The Lord thunders at the head of his army' (v11)

This brings us to the central truth of the passage: judgement. The day of the Lord is the day of Judgement.

It will be awesome and overwhelming. As in verse 11: 'The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?' No-one! That's who!

So we'd better get ready for it. Face the reality of judgement. But it all seems a bit hopeless. Is there no hope?

3. Even now, return to me (v12-14) In verse 12 God invites his people to return to him in two ways: with an obedient heart and with a sorry heart.

First, God invites his people to return with 'all your heart.'(v12) He wants us to be wholehearted! This can be summed up as obedience. It affects the whole of life and it is about making sure our life is going in God's direction. Obedience to God touches every area of life: our marriages; our families; our working lives; our money; And if we're not being obedient to God, we need to plan to do something about it. How could we be more obedient?

Maybe our prayer life needs attention? Perhaps we need to organise ourselves with a prayer diary? Maybe we need to make the effort to attend the parish prayer meeting more often?

Maybe we want to get stuck into the Bible, but don't know where to start? How about some Bible reading notes? Why not try and read through the Bible in a year? What about learning some memory verses? These would all be good ways of planning to be more obedient in 2003.

And remember, we're not talking about earning favour with God! These things are about responding to God's amazing grace shown towards us in Christ.

Second, God invites his people to return with 'fasting and weeping an mourning.'(v12) This is about being sorry. Not about feeling sorry but being truly sorry for all those times we've been disobedient.

Perhaps there is a particular sin that we've put off dealing with that just won't go away? We keep confessing it and then we keep doing it again? Why not plan to do something about that sin in 2003?

Finally, we see in verse 14 an expectant blessing. The temple offerings will be back and God will be restored to his people.

As Christians today, don't we know the reality of that blessing in the death of the Lord Jesus? God's perfect sacrifice that dealt with the sin of the world when he took God's judgement on himself? Out of the hopelessness of judgement comes the hope of eternal life.

If we're trusting in the death of the Lord Jesus for our own salvation then we've nothing to fear when the Lord's army marches in judgement. Our sin has been dealt with. Jesus has paid the price.

To conclude, God is sometimes prepared to make his people very uncomfortable in order that they might see the reality of his judgement and return to him with obedient and sorry hearts.

In the light of God's judgement, we need to consider today how we stand before God. Please don't wait for a wake-up call. It might never come, and then it will be too late.

"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and mourning." (Joel 2:12)

Andy Brewerton

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