Joel 1

1The locust plague was only a foretaste of the judgment to come in the day of theLORD. This is a timeless call to repentance with the promise of blessing. Just as thepeople faced the tragedy of their crops being destroyed, we, too, will face tragicjudgment if we live in sin. But God’s grace is available to us both now and in thatcoming day.IMPORTANCEGod is the one with whom we all must reckon—not nature, the economy, or a foreign invader.We can’t ignore or offend God forever. We mustpay attention to his message now, or we will facehis anger later.Forgiveness comes by turning from sin andturning toward God. It is not too late to receiveGod's forgiveness. God’s greatest desire is foryou to come to him.God is in control. Justice and restoration arein his hands. The Holy Spirit confirms God’slove for us just as he did for the first Christians(Acts 2). We must be faithful to God and placeour life under the guidance and power of hisHoly Spirit.

1. The day of the locusts

The LORD gave this message to Joel son of Pethuel.

Mourning over the Locust Plague

22 Hear this, you leaders of the people.Listen, all who live in the land.In all your history,has anything like this happened before?

3Tell your children about it in the years to come,and let your children tell their children.Pass the story down from generation to generation.

4After the cutting locusts finished eating the crops,the swarming locusts took what was left!After them came the hopping locusts,and then the stripping locusts,* too!

5Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!Wail, all you wine-drinkers!All the grapes are ruined,and all your sweet wine is gone.

6A vast army of locusts* has invaded my land,a terrible army too numerous to count.Its teeth are like lions’ teeth,its fangs like those of a lioness.

7It has destroyed my grapevinesand ruined my fig trees,stripping their bark and destroying it,leaving the branches white and bare.

8Weep like a bride dressed in black,mourning the death of her husband.

9For there is no grain or wineto offer at the Temple of the LORD.So the priests are in mourning.The ministers of the LORD are weeping.

10The fields are ruined,the land is stripped bare.The grain is destroyed,the grapes have shriveled,and the olive oil is gone.

11Despair, all you farmers!Wail, all you vine growers!Weep, because the wheat and barley—all the crops of the field—are ruined.

12The grapevines have dried up,and the fig trees have withered.The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees—all the fruit trees—have dried up.And the people’s joy has dried up with them.

13Dress yourselves in burlap and weep, you priests!Wail, you who serve before the altar!Come, spend the night in burlap,you ministers of my God.For there is no grain or wineto offer at the Temple of your God.

14Announce a time of fasting;call the people together for a solemn meeting.Bring the leadersand all the people of the landinto the Temple of the LORD your God,and cry out to him there.

15The day of the LORD is near,the day when destruction comes from the Almighty.How terrible that day will be!

16Our food disappears before our very eyes.No joyful celebrations are held in the house of our God.

17The seeds die in the parched ground,and the grain crops fail.The barns stand empty,and granaries are abandoned.

18How the animals moan with hunger!The herds of cattle wander about confused,because they have no pasture.The flocks of sheep and goats bleat in misery.

19LORD, help us!The fire has consumed the wilderness pastures,and flames have burned up all the trees.

20Even the wild animals cry out to youbecause the streams have dried up,and fire has consumed the wilderness pastures.Locusts Invade like an Army

21Sound the alarm in Jerusalem*!Raise the battle cry on my holy mountain!Let everyone tremble in fearbecause the day of the LORD is upon us.

Wicked Queen Athaliah seized power in a bloody coup butwas overthrown after a few years. Joash was crowned king,but he was only seven years old and in great need of spiritualguidance. Joash followed God in his early years but thenturned away from him.A plague of locusts had come to discipline the nation.Joel called the people to turn back to God before an evengreater judgment occurred.God judges all people for their sins, but he is mercifutto those who turn to him and offers them eternal salvation.Elisha (848-797 B.C.), Jonah (793-753 B.C.)Climate of the times.........Main message.Importance of messageContemporary prophetsalso foreshadows the fina/ day of the LORD. This final event ofhistory has two aspects to it: (1) the last judgment on all evi! andsin and (2) the final reward for faithful believers. Righteousnessand truth will prevail, but not before much suffering (Zechariah14:1-3). If you trust the LORD, looking toward this final day shouldgive you hope, because then all who are faithful will be unitedforever with God.1:15-19 Without God, destruction is sure. Those who have notpersonally accepted God's love and forgiveness will stand beforehim with no appeal. Be sure to avail yourself of God’s love andmercy while you have the opportunity (2:32).2:1ff Joel was sti!! describing the devastating effects of thelocust plague (see 2:25). The alarm showed that the crisis wasat hand. However, Joel implied that the locust plague would beonly the forerunner of an even greater crisis if the people didn'tturn from their sins.