Joel 2:1-11 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Joel 2:1-11. Let’s go!
Joel 2:1-11 (NIV)
1 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 of old nor ever will be in ages to come.
3 Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste– nothing escapes them.
4 They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry.
5 With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.
7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
8 They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.
9 They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.
10 Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.
11 The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
On verses 1-11: After describing the impact of a recent locust plague on his land in chapter 1, Joel in chapter 2 turns his attention to the future. He sees the locust plague that his land has experienced as foreshadowing what he and other Old Testament prophets call the “day of the Lord”. Earlier in Joel 1:15, Joel already made mention of “the day of the Lord”, but only in passing. Now in these verses, Joel goes into more detail about what the day of the Lord will be like. The day of the Lord is essentially a day in the future, or a time period in the future, when God will assert His power over all of the earth and bring final judgment against His enemies. Joel calls it “a day of darkness and gloom” (v2), great and dreadful (v11). As mentioned previously, New Testament writers like Paul and Peter would equate this day of the Lord with the day that the Lord Jesus returns, not as a suffering servant, but as a conquering king arriving to establish His kingdom.
In particular, Joel describes the appearing of a large and mighty army (v2) that leaves destruction in its path (v3) and causes all the nations to panic (v6). It is an army led by the LORD himself (v11). Like the locusts that had already ravaged Israel, this army would be very difficult to stop (v7), focused and united (v8), beyond counting (v11), strong (v11), coming against the city (v9).
What can we learn from this? God is not only a gracious and compassionate shepherd, but also a mighty warrior who commands an unstoppable army. God’s wrath against sin is no laughing matter; it is as unyielding as the army Joel describes in these verses. So may we give this holy, powerful, wrathful God the respect He deserves and not worship Him as less than who He really is.
Also, praise God that through His Son Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, God has made a way for us to escape the day of His wrath. As 1 Thessalonians 5:9 says, “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.” Praise God that when we have Christ in our lives, we don’t need to fear the day of His wrath.
Finally, when verse 11 says “mighty are those who obey His command”, it reminds me that those who chose to obey God’s commands experience God’s strength. Just as God called weak and fearful Gideon a mighty warrior because He saw in advance how Gideon would obey Him and what Gideon would later become, God looks at us – seemingly weak, frail and broken people – and calls us mighty warriors too. Mighty in Him is what we become when we obey God’s commands and step into His destiny for our lives.
Father, I worship You not only as my friend and shepherd, but as holy, just, mighty and awesome in power. Thank You that through Your Son Jesus Christ there is salvation from our sins and escape from Your wrath. And thank You that I can experience Your strength when I obey Your commands. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
