Everyday Prophets – Joel
January 17, 2021
Joel is a collection of poems, contained in three short chapters, written by a man we know very little about.
We really don’t know when it was written.
Joel is unique because he is announcing judgment, but never mentions any specific sin. He assumes we already know.
Joel 2:1-2 NIV
“Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand— 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was in ancient time nor ever will be in ages to come.”
God warns us because he loves us.
Joel 2:12-13 NIV
“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
Joel knows that repentance can just be a show to get out of trouble.
Joel is reminding us that God wants genuine change.
He’s quoting Exodus 34:6
God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
Joel 2:29,32 NIV
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved …”
True repentance swings open a door for the Holy Spirit to flood our lives.
It’s always been God’s desire to bring His Divine presence among his people to become real and accessible to everyone.
I will pour it out!
Everyone gets the same measure.
The outpouring of the Spirit breaks down:
Generational barriers (Young and old)
Gender barriers (Our sons and daughters)
Economic barriers (Even on my servants)
The Holy Spirit is the great unifier of our age.
Everyone’s a part of the salvation story.
Fast forward, a group of early Christ followers humbled themselves, repented and prayed. What happened next changed history.
Acts 2:1-4 NIV
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Despite all the desolation, the chaos and violence, Joel promises God’s people that all things will be made new.
Joel 3:16-18 NIV
The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. 17 “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her.18 “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias.
There’s nothing that’s been lost that cannot be restored.
