Joel: Deliverance from God

LINK: Joel 2:18-3:21

by Katrina
(with the help of Dr. Charles Feinberg from his book The Minor Prophets)

BACKGROUND
We left off yesterday with a call to repentance. We begin today with God's promise of deliverance. God never fails to hear even the faintest cry of the penitent heart. He forgives. He restores. He blesses.

One day God will pour out His Spirit upon all Israel. There will be salvation and physical deliverance. You may recognize these verses as ones quoted by Peter at Pentecost. There is a connection between this passage and Acts 2, but if you read both passages carefully, you'll see that Joel's prophecy wasn't fulfilled in Acts. Peter used the prophecy of Joel as an illustration of what was happening that day. It's like Peter saw that if God could do what He did at the day of Pentecost, then surely God would one day fulfill the prophecy of Joel in Israel.

In chapter three we read that not only will God restore Judah and Jerusalem, but He will also judge the nations. When the Lord returns, the nations will be gathered together and judged by Him. Jesus seems to be describing these events in Matthew 25:31-46.

Joel concludes with a description of great blessings on Judah. Even the mountains and hills, usually not the most productive land, will flourish. The brooks will flow with water even to the valley of Shittim, which is usually a rather dry place. Egypt and Edom will be desolate as punishment for their mistreatment of God's people. But Judah and Jerusalem will last forever. God's people will remain.

REFLECTION
I love how God is so disposed to hearing our cries, accepting our repentance, and blessing us despite our sinful nature. It's like He is always keeping an ear toward His children, hoping to catch the faintest sound of repentance. And He is quick to forgive us. Do you remember how God described Himself to Moses as He passed by him in a cloud? -- "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin" (Exodus 34:6ff).

APPLICATION
Praise the Lord today for His forgiveness. You might meditate on Psalm 32 as you do so.

PRAYER
What a blessing it is, Lord, to have my sin forgiven!! It's indescribable! You forgive me and make me clean. When I continue in my sin without confessing and repenting of it, I am miserable. But as soon as I come to You with a heart full of repentance, You hear me and forgive. I rejoice in Your forgiveness! Through the blood of Jesus, amen.