Joel 2: Miseria, juicio y gracia

Joel 2
 
Joel 2
En el segundo capítulo, tenemos de nuevo un detalle de las miserias nacionales, pero con un acercamiento cercano a ese gran día final, judicial, que es cerrar, en una visita justa e iracunda, la historia de Israel en la apostacia. El llamado al arrepentimiento se repite con la esperanza de alejar la ira de Dios. Y por muy adecuados que hayan sido para la calamidad de ese día estos llamados del profeta, sabemos que habrá este espíritu de humildad y confesión en los próximos días de su nación, y en la víspera de su liberación. Entonces se derramará un espíritu de gracia, y cada uno debe llorar aparte. El castigo del pecado del pueblo debe ser aceptado. Si la trompeta ha hecho sonar “una alarma”, para hablar del enemigo que se acerca (Joel 2:11Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (Joel 2:1)), se sonará, pero no como una alarma, para llamar a la gente en asamblea al luto (Joel 2:1515Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: (Joel 2:15)).
Para que en esta característica de los días del profeta, podamos rastrear nuevamente las circunstancias morales del día final. La calamidad viene como el juicio del Señor en justicia; el arrepentimiento viene como fruto del Espíritu en gracia. Y entonces, como fruto de este arrepentimiento, todo el sistema en Israel es revivido; toda fecundidad es prometida a la tierra ahora desperdiciada (Joel 2:21-2421Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things. 22Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. (Joel 2:21‑24)); se anticipan tiempos de refrigerio y restitución de todas las cosas; y “Mi pueblo”, dice el Señor una y otra vez, “nunca se avergonzará” (Joel 2:2626And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. (Joel 2:26)). El don del Espíritu es prometido, y los tiempos del “día del Señor” son vistos para terminar en la destrucción de los enemigos, y la liberación del Israel de Dios (Joel 2:31-3231The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. 32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:31‑32)). En todo esto tenemos Mateo 24 y Hechos 2 Combinados: el que nos da una muestra del don prometido; el otro detalla los terrores de ese día que es poner fin a los enemigos confederados de Israel, liberar al remanente de Dios que ha invocado el nombre del Señor, y traer a los elegidos por cuyo bien esos días de terror deben ser acortados (Mateo 24:22).
De hecho, todas las grandes características de este día venidero se agrupan aquí. El derramamiento del Espíritu (Joel 2:2828And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2:28)) — la liberación de los elegidos traídos para invocar el nombre del Señor (Joel 2:3232And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)) — el juicio de la nación apóstata por la mano de su gran enemigo, como en “la gran tribulación” (Joel 2:1-111Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 3A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. 4The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. 6Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 7They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: 8Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. 9They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. 10The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: 11And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? (Joel 2:1‑11)) — la destrucción de ese enemigo, los gentiles confederados, por el Señor mismo, cuando el sol, la luna y las estrellas sean perturbados (Joel 2:30-3230And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. 32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:30‑32)), el reinado pacífico y la gloria del Rey en Sion (Joel 2:19-2919Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: 20But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall come up, because he hath done great things. 21Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things. 22Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 26And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:19‑29)), después de todo esto; Estas cosas están juntas aquí, ya que las encontramos dispersas a través de todos los profetas. Digo, los vemos aquí agrupados. Puede que no seamos competentes para establecerlos en su orden, o para ponerlos en presencia unos de otros, y en sus relaciones, ya que, poco a poco, serán los materiales vivos de la escena alrededor; Sin embargo, contienen ricos principios de verdad, que podemos ser edificados en el conocimiento, y en los que podemos justificar los caminos de esa sabiduría que los ha ordenado, que ahora los está revelando, y a su debido tiempo los cumplirá.