20151101
The name Joel means “the LORD is God”. It is not certain when the book was written, but Bible scholars points it to be around 800 BC during a time when the nation Judah was enjoying a period of prosperity and security. Usually, in such a materially comfortable environment, corruption occurs and it appears that the people have disobeyed God by indulging in debauchery and other related sins. The plague of the locust is significant as it draws back to the comparison of a similar plague during the Israelites times of disobedience. Prophet Joel was sent to prophesy about this horrifying plague as God graciously gives the people a chance to repent and return to Him.
Prophet Joel warns all Judah’s Elders to tell it to their children, their children’s children and to continuing generations. The extent of the locust plague was going to be so disastrous that the impact was going to last till the next generation. The prophecy continues on to illustrate the complete wipe out of the land as nothing gets left out by the innumerable armies of locusts, stripping the branches white, leaving nothing for even the livestock to survive on.
When we hear a warning from the Lord, do we heed it? Or do we dismiss it as nothing and behave as though God can be mocked by our ignorance? Our God is a holy and jealous God, He desires nothing less than holiness from us – “Be holy as I am holy“. Also, He is our loving Father and knows what is best for us. When we are caught up with things of the world, greed and power are the huge stumbling blocks that will inadvertently cause more harm then good in the long run. God graciously stops us before we go down that route.
In response to God’s warning, Joel encouraged the people at that time to mourn and grieve over their sin. God promised that as long as we repent of our sin, “He is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins” (1 John 1:9). Similarly, after heeding God’s warning, do we repent and turn away from our personal idols and towards God instead? Let us not be bitter at our holy God because of the obstacles and trials He seems to put along our path. Pray for God’s grace, that He will change our perspective and see His, our loving Father, turning us away from the path that will ruin us, turning us away from the world that will fail us. Let us always trust our God who loves us enough to only give the best to us.
