Joel 2:28-3:21
“Did I do that?”
“Wo hoo!”
“I’ll be back.”
“How rude!”
You’ve heard these before – they are famous catchphrases that get repeated so many times they become ingrained in our memories forever. If only we’d remember what God’s told us – He’s certainly repeated it enough. Joel is going to give us another round of repetitions that we need to hear. He keeps going with more non-descript, non-specific referencing in his poems, referring to different days of judgment (Egypt, the exiles, etc.), along with other prophetic imagery. By summarizing other scriptures, he is doubling down on the importance of making God your top priority—trust in and live in accordance with His mercy. Joel is repeating what others have said to get them to listen! You’ve heard me talk before about this: if God says something over and over again, we need to listen!
God Will Send a Message
God certainly has something He wants to say! The nation of Israel is focused—if maybe not a bit obsessed—with the end. The coming of the Messiah was everything in Jewish culture; this was the point when everything would be reconciled and made right. Picture, if you will, the Jews tossing their palm branches on the road as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. To them, this is it, their Messiah is about to take over! So here, Joel has the Israelites thinking some future craziness will be the end of things, but it’s not. There is a promise here of an afterward. Afterward comes the Spirit of God on all flesh! Then things get a bit weird. There is a planned period of time with people running around on earth carrying the Spirit of God who will then show wonders and do incredible and powerful things. George Breaden was so convinced of his call to Lebanon that they left their house with literally nothing and trusted God to pay their way to the Middle East. He saw medical miracles and many people come to Christ as a result! (CMAlliance.org) This is to give everyone the opportunity to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. Those who are saved will escape the destruction, the day of the Lord, the judgment. God’s mercy knows no bounds and He is literally doing everything to protect and save people from His wrath, this coming day of the Lord, where evil will finally be dealt with.
God Will Confront Evil
It’s funny how ingrained this idea of the comeuppance of evil is in our society. Think about all the books, movies, shows, and stories that all see good rewarded and evil brought to justice. This is simply how people see the world; there is a good and a bad, and while evil may put up a fight, it will never win. Because judgment is coming. This is a promise for all. For those who called on the name of the Lord, they will be spared and saved. For everyone else, the wages of sin is death. This day of the Lord will be a battle against evil and it will pull out all the stops, but no matter how many spears are created from pruning hooks, the voice of the Lord will be heard. Judgment will come. Evil will lose. “If the witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice, she might have interpreted the deep magic differently, that when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor’s stead, the stone table will crack and even death itself will turn backwards” (Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe). As CS Lewis depicted in his novel, there is no greater power than the righteous and merciful love of God. Evil cannot, and has never stood up to complete, sacrificial, goodness and love.
Creation Will Be Renewed
Like in every final battle, the land will be filled with blood and death, but when the Lord roars from Zion (Rev 1:15-16), the conflict will end, the holy land (Jerusalem, Eden, Heaven) shall be made holy, clean, and unscathed. Evil will be fully shut out and land will run with flowing milk and water. Evil (represented by Egypt) will be decimated, but God’s land will be full and fruiting. Everything shall be set right and in its proper place. Imagery Joel started with at the beginning is now made complete at the end: it is the day of the Lord, and though is started as a dark and stormy day (because the point was repentance), to the ones in the family of God (those who repented), that day is not death and destruction, but restoration and fulfillment. We can truly sing Come, Jesus, come! Because for us who are in Christ, we shall experience true and lasting victory.
Next Steps
God will restore in His rich mercy. Things may be bleak now, but one day they will be made right. One day we will all be healed. One day sin will no longer keep breaking us with whips. This is the true excitement of Palm Sunday. This is the hope that gives us breath.
- Repent and submit to the Lord through His merciful Christ
- Read Ephesians 6:10-20 every day, asking God to equip you with His armor to stand against evil in the power and Spirit of God
- Gather in a group and encourage each other to hold on in the challenges
This cannot be said enough—God will restore with His rich mercy—so lean on Him – follow Him, obey Him, pay attention to Him! He’ll be back!
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