Joel was called to give a warning message about the day of the LORD. It is very near. He said, "Blow the Shofar in Zion! Sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all living in the land tremble, for the day of YHVH is coming." The day of the LORD is close at hand. It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Cry out to YHVH.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes. They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. They rush upon the city. Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened and the stars no longer shine. YHVH thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
"Even now," declares YHHV, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Then YHVH will become jealous for his land and have pity on his people.
Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to YHVH your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love and he relents from sending calamity.
Rejoice in YHVH your God! For He will give you the right amount of rain in the fall. He makes the rain come down for you, the fall and the spring rains -- this is what he does first. Then he will give you an abundance of grain and wine and olive oil. You will eat until you are satisfied and will praise the name of YHVH your God. You will know that YHVH is with Israel and that YHVH is God and there is no other. And His people will never again be shamed.
After this YHVH will pour His spirit out on all humanity. At that time whoever calls upon the name of YHVH will be saved. YHVH will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There He will put them on trial for what they did to His inheritance, His people Israel - because they scattered His people among the nations and divided up His land. YHVH shall not leave their innocent blood unavenged.
The Day of YHVH is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon will be darkened and the stars will no longer shine. YHVH will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem. The earth and the heavens will tremble. But YHVH will be a refuge for His people. "Then you will know that I, YHVH your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy. Never again will foreigners invade her!"
This warning message to the people of YHVH and to the nations about the Day of the LORD is both frightening and encouraging. Frightening because there will come a day of reckoning when humanity will finally be confronted by the Almighty Creator God whose demonstration of power will terrify the bravest of men. Encouraging because God loves His people and will have pity on them. He is jealous for them and will avenge them. The question then is: are we His people or against His people? If we are His people we can find refuge in Him. We must seek Him today and walk in the paths of righteousness. If we are against His people, then we are against God and that would not be a very good place to be. There will be no escaping the wrath of God.
Dear Father,
Please let us who seek you find refuge in you. Let us not fear the Day of the LORD, but let us draw each day nearer to you. Let our hearts be one with you. Let our lives reflect you. Let us rejoice for that day when you dwell in Zion and when all nations praise your name.
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