By the Rev. W. Grist, M.A.,
Vicar of St. Philip and St. Tames, Ilfracombe
THE values of this book for today are: —
1. Disasters and calamities in the world are not mere unrelated happenings. They constitute a call from God to adjust our relationships to Him.
2. Accompanying these occasions of suffering is a revelation of God’s love and goodness. This is the ground of the appeal to get right with God.
3. There is an age long purpose of God which will have a glorious consummation in holiness and peace. The love and mercy of God which are found amidst the judgments abroad in the world will there have their consummation in that final “day of the Lord.”
All this is presented by Joel in three scenes.
1. The immediate—a devastating plague of locusts from which his country had suffered.
2. The near—this plague is a shadow picture of a coming invasion of a great army.
3. The far—this invasion again foreshadows the final day of the Lord when nations assembled in armed might will reap the results of their past attitudes to God and to man, particularly the Jew. There is then set the glad scene of God’s Kingdom established on earth in its purity, plenty and permanence.
The Immediate—The Locust Plague (1:1-20).
This is unprecedented (1:2, 3); it is described (4-12). This is not just a misfortune to be endured. It demands repentance. Joel himself takes the lead (19). Can we thus read our own times? — the dearth of spiritual food (9) as well as war effects in every realm of life (6:7), “joy is withered from the sons of men” (12). This constitutes a call to repentance—let the people of God first repent (13). Let each surveying his own life and attitude to God say: “To Thee will I cry” (19).
The Near (ch. 2).
There is sounded an alarm of an approaching invasion of an army likened to that plague of locusts. These are depicted darkening the morning; the land before them is like Eden, behind is a desolate wilderness, nothing escapes them (3). The whole description is right up to date, and might well be of Poland, Norway and other devastated lands today. Accompanying this harrowing description of these invaders is a call to turn to God, based on the mercy and grace of God (12, 13). Upon such attitude there is complete reversal of these dark scenes (18-27), rejoicing replaces repining; there is fruitfulness instead of barrenness. “I will restore the years that the locust hath eaten” (25). “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:2020Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20)).
The Promise of the Holy Spirit (2:28, 30).
“It shall come to pass afterward I will pour out My Spirit.” Joel could not say when, only “afterward.” Acts 2:1616But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; (Acts 2:16) shows there was a partial fulfillment of this at Pentecost. For since then each individual believer can be filled with the Spirit, but when Joel’s prophecy has its full fulfillment the Spirit will be upon “all flesh.” This will characterize the time of earth’s blessedness when Christ is here as King, and is the explanation of human co-operation to the rule of Christ which will mark that time of blessedness.
The Far—The Final Day of the Lord (ch. 3).
There are to be signs in the skies before “this great and terrible day of the Lord” (2:30, 31, and Matt. 24:29,29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (Matthew 24:29) which associates this scene with our Lord’s return to this world). This is the goal to which God’s love for man and His overruling providences are directed. In “that day” there will be a vast armed assemblage of nations, gathered all unknowingly for judgment (13). The slogans of that day are already those of today, “Prepare war,” “Wake up,” “Ploughshares into swords” (9). The issue will be determined by the intervention of God, Himself (3:16) in the Person of Christ to be the world’s resident Ruler (cf. Rev. 19:1414And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14); Matt. 24:2727For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:27). Zech. 14:33Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:3))
A Closing Picture of World Blessing (3:17, 21).
Because God, in the person of Christ, dwells in Zion, the Kingdom of God for the first time is now established on earth, centered in Jerusalem, the very place where once mankind combined to reject His rule.
The issue will be holiness first (17), then prosperity, nature becoming endued with new life by the permeating presence of the Lord. Never again shall the Jews be snatched from their land (20). Then “shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
The present hour evidences the activity of God marshalling world forces to the coming consummation. Its immediate call is that adjustment of heart and life towards God which is repentance. The basis of that call, as also the assurance of the coming reign of Christ and world blessing, lies solely in the revealing of the character of God here given: “He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil” (2:13).