Sermon Tone Analysis

*Joel 2:18-32.*

- Review: a terrible day coming the Day of the LORD: Locust beasts (demonic manifestation spoken of in Rev 9), fire, war to end all wars, cosmic shaking.

In view of the nearness of this coming calamity, there was an urgent need to warn others and to prepare ourselves.

Prepare through heartfelt repentance and a desperate seeking of God.

- If God’s people respond in repentance then the LORD Himself will respond.

*READ.

*- this passage quoted 5 times in the NT.

* *

*DELIVERANCE: (18-21)*

*v.18* - if this response is made then He will respond to the remnant of repentant Jews in the land bringing deliverance (v.18-21).

Instead of His fiery wrath burning against them, the LORD’s fiery jealousy will flame for them and His mercy will go out toward them.

If God’s people humble themselves in genuine repentance and earnest seeking of יהוה - if they turn to Him, He will turn to them.

His almighty power will no longer be directed against them but for them.

He will act on their behalf.

Jealously preserved /His people, His land/.

The land of Israel and its people are /His/ - they belong to יהוה.

*v.19* - How wonderful when the LORD turns from being against us to being for us!

What blessings flow in consequence!

No more is יהוה "deaf" - unresponsive - once more He answers, He speaks to us again!

Hallelujah!

And all that which was withheld in judgment now overflows.

The crops had been devastated (ch.1) now there is abundance.

Still His people bear the reproach of being scattered among the nations despite the restoration of the land of Israel - obviously the fulfilment is yet future, for also Israel has yet to come to humble repentance and brokenness -

*v.20 *- The northern army, the instrument יהוה used to execute judgment upon His people will itself be judged for the things it has done.

It did great things - became intoxicated with its military might and victories and went far beyond the command given it - delighting in destruction and slaughter.

Now its iniquity is full and it reaps the reward for its deeds.

It will be removed from over God’s people and will be driven into a desolate waste - just as it made lands desolate so too it would experience what it inflicted upon others.

The army would be scattered - the vanguard in one direction, the rear guard in the other.

Like pharaoh’s army of old, both would be driven into the sea - a watery grave, to trouble God’s people no more.

Hallelujah!

The mighty, "invincible" northern army has been defeated!

It is no more!

Nothing remains but the smell of its rotting remains (*The northern army - Gog and Magog - Ezekiel ch.38:14 *Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you /not know it?

You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly and a mighty army; and you will come up against My people Israel.

It shall come about in the last days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog.”...... 18 It will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” declares the Lord God, “that My fury will mount up in My anger.

In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.

39:4 You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and beast of the field.

You will fall on the open field; for it is I who have spoken,” declares the Lord God.

And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coast-lands in safety; and they will know that I am the Lord...... On that day I will give Gog a burial ground there in Israel.

So they will bury Gog there with all his horde, and they will call it the valley of Hamon-gog.

For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land/.)

*Removal of fear* *v.21* - The enemy will be no more.

Fear had become endemic - so great were the calamities that came one after another that the people knew no other reaction than fear - it had become automatic.

Now there is no cause for it, yet still they fear - they have to be commanded by יהוה to stop being afraid - the cause of fear is no more.

Calamity has been replaced by joy.

The land, which mourned, now rejoices!

Fear will be gone - the land itself will rejoice.

For יהוה has done great things!

Bless His Name!

This is יהוה’s doing!

When He acts on His people’s behalf it brings great joy (*Psalm 126:1-6* /When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us; We are glad.

Restore our captivity, O Lord, Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.

He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him./

).

יהוה is great, His deeds are wondrous, He does /great things/.

Praise His Name!

The LORD’s deeds are great (Psalm 86:10; 72:18; Rev 15:3,4)

*RESTORATION: (22-25)*

*v.22* - Not only remove the scourge, the invading army, also restore what was taken.

Again the call goes out to not be afraid - but this time it is to the animals who fear that there will not be food enough for them.

But יהוה assures them that the land will produce - the desert will sprout, the tree be fruitful and the fig and vine give strong crops.

There is no cause for fear but, rather, reason for rejoicing.

The calamity is over, judgment has ceased, no longer famine but plenty.

No longer curse but blessing.

No more יהוה’s wrath but His favour!

Hallelujah! (Psalm 30:5).

*Fig tree and vine *- both a symbol of Israel *(cf.

1:7,12 Matt 21:18-19 */Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry.

Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He ~*said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.”

And at once the fig tree withered/.*;

24:32,33* /Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door/.)

- that which was cursed will be restored.

*v.23* - The famine, drought, and devastation are ended - the rains have returned - God’s blessing: faithful, regular, dependable, life producing and sustaining.

They are to rejoice, not in the rain or the productivity, in the blessing, but /to rejoice in /יהוה/ Himself/.

He is the Source and Object of our joy.

*Early and later rain (the teacher of righteousness - ? outpouring of the Holy Spirit, ?

Coming of Jesus -* Stumbling Hebrew: (לִצְדָקָה אֶת־הַמּוֹרֶה)“teacher of righteousness” - so alternative to "early rain for vindication" is "teacher for righteousness" - one who guides to righteousness i.e the Messiah (cf.

Essenes at Dead Sea); prophesying Jesus’ first and second comings.

Jesus’ first coming was to give His righteousness to those who believe in Him and His atoning sacrifice.

The latter rain, His second coming, will also be as His first (cf.

Acts 1:11)Rain does not refer to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit); but James says that it refers to Jesus’ second coming (*James 5:7-9* /Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.

The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.

You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door/.)*

**[partial and complete fulfilment]* Jesus is coming again!

He will come and bring deliverance and restoration for Israel! - Messianic reign of Christ from Jerusalem.

* *

*v.24* -*Making up what was lost* When the LORD’s judgment is turned back in response to man’s repentance, His blessing flows in its place.

Hallelujah!

Abundance!

The threshing floor /full/ of grain, the oil and wine vats /overflowing/!

The LORD does nothing by halves - when He blesses, He blesses!

Not just sufficiency but such overwhelming abundance that one hardly knows what to do with it all (Luke 6:38; 2 Cor 9:8).

*v.25* - All that was lost in the devastating years of judgment will be made up for - RESTORATION!

Compare (1:3) - the same locusts but in a different order.

They were יהוה’s army that /He/ sent - this was not the enemy’s work or calamity that had overtaken them - this awful devastation was /sent specifically by /יהוה/ Himself/!

He destroyed, sent His instrument to consume, and now He restores - both come from His hand.

Complete recovery from the disaster - not just a fresh start but all that had been lost in those years of judgment would be given back - /restoration/! /Wholeness/!

/Completeness/!

שׁלם - root meaning wholeness, completeness, peace.

This would be paid back.

All that they had lost, they would regain because יהוה Himself pledged to give it back to them Himself - "/I will/ make up ..."