The Day of the Lord
It refers to a time when God has, or will, intervene decisively for judgment and salvation. In Joel, this time is depicted as a day of decision
· The day of the Lord is near (Ezek. 30:3; Joel 1:15; Joel 3:14; Obad. 15; Zeph. 1:7; Zeph. 1:14).
· The day of the Lord is coming (Joel 2:1).
· It is characterized as great and terrible (Joel 2:31; Mal. 4:5).
· It's a day of darkness and gloom (Zeph. 1:15)
· It is darkness, not light (Amos 5:18; Amos 5:20).
· People were instructed to wail because it was near (Isa. 13:6).
· It will be a cruel day (Isa. 13:9).
· It will be great and awesome; causing men to ask, who can endure it? (Joel 2:11);
This day is also seen as the time of Christ's return; when He will destroy the enemies of God.
· Paul calls this the day of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:8; 1 Cor. 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6).
· It is also called the day of Christ (Phil. 1:10; Phil. 2:16).
· Peter calls it the day of God (2 Pet. 3:12).
· John refers to it as the great day of God (Rev. 16:14)
· Luke says it's the great day of the Lord (Acts 2:20).
Several years ago someone came up with these graphic design pictures that had a picture hidden in them. If you looked at them just right suddenly the graphic faded from view and a three dimensiol picture came into focus. The amazing hidden graphic seemed to transition from this pattern of colors and shapes into something completely different. It took work to see the pircture; otherwise it remained hidden. You had to deliberately look for it; you couldn't accidentally find it. No one could look at the graphic design and have even a clue there was a picture within it.
Our view of the Day of the Lord is very similar to that. This localized swarm of locust suddenly seem to become an invading army. As bad as the locusts were, they were nothing compared to what it would be like when an invasion came. As we continue to look, this transitions again; to a ultimate Day of the Lord. And again, whatever 'day's' we might have lived through in our life, none would compare to the final and ultimate Day of the Lord. Therefore, we can't miss the point of these days. Let's see what Joel says that point and purpose might be.
Joel 2:1-5
The Day of the Lord was coming and it was also at hand. Each "Day of the Lord" pointed toward an ultimate day, the final Day of the Lord. Joel spoke of the devastating affects of this judgment of locust. Then, it was almost as if he said, "Imagine the day when all the locust are soldiers of an army!" We can imagine the tumpet blast across the land to warn the people as this vast army swarms across the land. The shear size is something they had never seen before; that alone would breed fear. Like the locsut stripping the land bare, this army would bring the fire of judgment on the land. They would lead with fire and leave ashes in their wake. The green and lush land ahead of them would be a desolate ash heap behind them. Joel likens the appearance of this army of locust to military horses swift and powerful. They come over the mountain as if leaping over it; sounding like chariots and the crackle of fire.
While the devastation of the locust judgment was bad, it is nothing compared to what it would be if this were a real army. The locust swarm could be survived, it would make a good story and lesson for generations to come. But an invasion, as judgment from the Lord is another matter altogether. It would be a dark day indeed; a spiritual darkness and gloom as the Lord sent judgment upon the land.
They language goes from appearance to motion to sound.
Note: See Revelation 9.
Joel 2:6-11
I wonder how this message was received by the people in Joel's day. Did this strike fear in them? Did they think Joel was being overly dramatic? Was he just using fanciful and poetic language to make his point? In our day and with the technology we have, this picture Joel paints isn't out of the question; and we still find it frightening because is seems so overwhelming, so vast in nature as to find that mankind has no control over it. There is no fighting back. There is no negotiations. There is no complaint to the would superpowers. There is no UN watching the nations.
The people of God, the Day of the Lord is a day to long for. It is the day when the Lord we serve shows himself mighty and just in His cause. His will be done, His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. For the ungodly people, the Day of the Lord is frightening. It will be a day when they find out they aren't in control of their life and that they don't want what they deserve. It is a day when they will understand they deserve judgment but long for mercy and grace.
We don't know the source of the pain but people will be writhing and flushed with pain and fear. This army doesn't seem to grow tired; nor are they satisfied with a taste of devistation; they want to consume it all. The wall was the greatest defense of the city. This army scales the wall with ease. They are organized, maintaining formation and rank; yet they are everywhere, in the city, on the wall in the homes. The earth will quake, heaven will tremble as the sun and moon grow dark. This is clearly something bigger than an invading army. It is God's weapon of judgment wielding against the land. As frightening and awesome as this army might be, it should be understood that it is only that way because they were sent at the Lord's command. They are executing God's word.
The question is asked, "Who can endure it?" Who can hold out in this day and survive such a devastating time? These people stand in the path of God's wrath because they chose to rebel against God. The Day of the Lord, His will and His ways frighten them because they were so far away from Him. The execution of His word brings judgment; yet they were called to execute His word from the beginning. The law was given; God's word and ways, yet they chose to disobey. God brought the prophets to share His word, they killed the prophets and rejected the word. Obedience to God's word brought grace and mercy for a people seeking the Lord. Disobedience brought justice by the way of judgment by God's word.
Joel 2:12-17
Verse twelve is a call to action. The previous verses give us glimpse of this coming day; that glimpse should move us. We see this as a coming day that is out of our control; we need to be in good standing with the One who is in control. God calls for the people to turn to Him; this might look like fasting, mourning and weeping.
Remember, this was probably during the time when Athaliah was on the throne. She was ruthless in her reign. He children pillaged and ransacked the temple; yet she allowed the service and sacrifice of the temple to go on. Yet, it was just meaningless acts of religon to many. Athaliah led people away from the Lord as she also brought her idolatry and pagan worship to Jerusalem.
While God preferes that His kindness would lead us to repentance, He is willing to scare us to repentance by bringing judgment on the land. Joel then responds to God's call to repentance. They didn't need to put on a show, tearing their garments and weeping and wailing; anyone would tear their clothes in grief without real repentance. Real repentance brought change; a change of dirention, a change of ways. They needed to rend their hearts. Their hearts needed to be broken over their sin and separation from God. Their hearts needed to turn to the Lord completely. God isn't playing a game of 'gotcha' hoping to capture us in out sin. No, in fact, God is clealy gracious and merciful and doesn't want to bring judgment. In fact, he might well relent from the judgment were the people to actually repent and turn their hearts over to Him. Not only that, He might even leave a blessing behind.
The same trumpet that brought warning could also be used to call for a fast or holy convocation. This call for repentance was for young and old alike. All were to be gathered; there wasn't supposed to be a 'business as usual' attitude; the situation was dire and there was no time for conducting weddings. The Bridegroom and the bride were to be more concerned with repentance than getting married.
The people of the land didn't even realize they had fallen so far. The changes are subtle, the compromises all offered a little at a time. The ways of God gave way to the wills of men. The laws had become suggestions that were considered outdated, ancient ways. They saw themselves as progressive in their culture; seeking their will and ways.
Joel 2:18-27
The Lord called for repentance, for the gathering of all the people, for weeping and fasting. It was a right response to a clear understanding of the apostasy and the dire consequences of remaining there. This repentance included a clear understanding of the judgment they deserved but crying out God for His mercy because He is a merciful God. Then, verse 18 says, the Lord will have pity, He will respond to the rending of their heart.
The army of the Lord would be removed from the land. They were the Lords tool, now they are a stench – the smell of death and destruction – none of which pleases the Lord. He calls for the people (God said, "His people," in verse 18) to set aside their fears and to once again find gladness and rejoicing in the things the Lord has done. God didn't leave the people, they left Him. In repentance, they would return to Him; once again establishing themselves as His people. The trees will once again bear fruit; the pastures will again grow as land for animals to graze. The fig tree and vine that were once barren and useless will be productive. The crops would be nourished by rain and the the threshing floors shall be busy. They would have bread from their harvest as well as new wine from the vine, and new oil from the olives. This is what God does in 'His land' for 'His people'.
The years would be restored. Judgment had been as if the locust had eaten the years. Life in the time of judgment would be day to day with no eye to the future. The days might seem like weeks, weeks like months, months like years. The days were marked with hopelessness for tomorrow as they struggled to survive today. By God's hand, in response to repentance, there was a reversal of all that had happened in judgment. Note that the locusts in verse 25 are in reverse order from 1st mention in Joel 1.
In the picture that revealed judgment that was immediate, immenent and ultimate we can also see a hope that was immediate, immenent and ultimate. That hope is for the people of the Lord and found in the Lord alone.
Spurgeon said,
"It will strike you at once that the locusts did not eat the years: the locusts ate the fruits of the years' labor, the harvests of the fields; so that the meaning of the restoration of the years must be the restoration of those fruits and of those harvests which the locusts consumed. You cannot have back your time; but there is a strange and wonderful way in which God can give back to you the wasted blessings, the unripened fruits of years over which you mourned. The fruits of wasted years may yet be yours."
Joel 2:28-32
The 'afterward' of verse 28 points us to a later time; we might consider it end times language but only if we call 'end times' the church age. It's in these days that He would pour out his Spirit on all mankind. This was unheard of for the people of that time. Even Joel would have not understood this. God's spirit was given to certain people for certain times for a specific purpose. There had been no times when God's spirit came upon common men. They couldn't imagine God's spirit upon common maidservant or average old man. How strange and far off these days must have seemed!
Peter quotes this passage of Joel as recorded in Acts 2:17-21. Peter points to this passage and confirms that the last days had begun. The pouring out of God's spirit at Pentecost was a confirmation of what Peter was saying. It was a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy and the ushering in of the church age and the last days. The pouring out of the Spirit is irrespective to age, sex, or status.
No one knows how long this age might be. Peter thought it was very near. Paul, John and others all wrote and spoke as if it were at hand. And it was, and it still is; because we don't the day or the hour. We live in this time of the pouring out of His Spirit and we live in anticipation that the next line could begin any moment. We shouldn't be surprised if we see wonders in the sky and on earth. We watch for verses thirty and thirty-one because these will be the next step toward the ushering in of the ultimate day of the Lord. (See also Zechariah 12 & 14).
As Peter preached at Pentecost he indicated the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus had ushered in this new Covenant time. Peter called the peole to repentance. He links that day, in which he stood and preached, to the prophecy of Joel. When they heard Peter preach they were cut to the heart; this is a rending of their heart, much like what God called for through Joel. Then Peter gave the application as Joel did. Peter said,
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;"
This was consistent with Joel's amazing promise of that day that anyone calling on the name of the Lord would be saved.
Matthew 7:22 says,
"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
This day of the Lord is coming. It might be right upon us; it might be today. Are you ready? This verse from Matthew isn't talking about the unbelieving pagan running in the world. This is talking about those that believe in the Lord and know of the Lord. It's talking about those who were practicing some form of religion in that there were works in the name of the Lord. Yet, the Lord would declare he didn't know them. They had no relationship with the Lord.
©2016 Doug Ford
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