Call on the Name of the Lord

1 I HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS • LAYING AWAKE AT NIGHT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT • SOME PROBLEM I FACE, SOME TRIAL, • GOING OVER AND OVER ALL THE OPTIONS • HOW I SHOULD RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE • WHAT I MIGHT DO TRY TO AND FIX IT MAYBE YOU’VE DONE THIS • NOW I DON’T WANT TO MAKE LIGHT • OF ANYONE’S STRUGGLES • PEOPLE HAVE FACED SOME SERIOUS THINGS IN THIS LIFE • BUT THE TRUTH IS ALL THE THINGS • WE FACE IN THIS LIFE ARE TEMPORARY…. • THERE IS ONLY ONE THING WE FACE THAT IS ETERNAL • AND THAT IS NOT IN THIS LIFE IT IS IN THE NEXT…. • THE ONLY THING WE FACE THAT IS ETERNAL • IS WHEN WE WILL STAND BEFORE GOD • WILL WE STAND BEFORE AS HIS CHILD? • SOMEONE WHO HAS TRUSTED IN CHRIST’S DEATH ON THE CROSS • OR WILL WE STAND BEFORE HIM • IN CONDEMNATION FOR OUR REJECTION OF JESUS CHRIST AS SAVOIR?... • WE ARE IN THE BOOK OF JOEL • LAST WEEK WE LEARNED ABOUT • A LOCUST PLAGUE IN JOEL’S DAY • AND HOW THAT LOCUST PLAGUE AND THE SUFFERING IT BROUGHT • FORESHADOWED THE COMING OF AN ARMY & EXILE • TODAY WE WILL LOOK AT HOW • THAT ARMY COMING AND THE SUFFERING IT BRINGS • FORESHADOWS THE COMING OF THAT FINAL JUDGMENT • WHERE WE WILL STAND BEFORE GOD. • TURN TO JOEL 2:1 • JOEL TELLS US ABOUT 3 EVENTS IN THIS BOOK • PLAGUE, DROUGHT, FIRE • INVASION AND EXILE • DAY OF THE LORD JOEL 2:1–11 BLOW A TRUMPET IN ZION, AND SOUND AN ALARM ON MY HOLY MOUNTAIN! LET ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND TREMBLE, FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING; SURELY IT IS NEAR, A DAY OF DARKNESS AND GLOOM, A DAY OF CLOUDS AND THICK DARKNESS. AS THE DAWN IS SPREAD OVER THE MOUNTAINS, SO THERE IS A GREAT AND MIGHTY PEOPLE; THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT, NOR WILL THERE BE AGAIN AFTER IT TO THE YEARS OF MANY GENERATIONS. A FIRE CONSUMES BEFORE THEM AND BEHIND THEM A FLAME BURNS. • THE LAND IS LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN BEFORE THEM BUT A DESOLATE WILDERNESS BEHIND THEM, AND NOTHING AT ALL ESCAPES THEM. THEIR APPEARANCE IS LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF HORSES; AND LIKE WAR HORSES, SO THEY RUN. WITH A NOISE AS OF CHARIOTS THEY LEAP ON THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS, LIKE THE CRACKLING OF A FLAME OF FIRE CONSUMING THE STUBBLE, LIKE A MIGHTY PEOPLE ARRANGED FOR BATTLE. BEFORE THEM THE PEOPLE ARE IN ANGUISH; ALL FACES TURN PALE. THEY RUN LIKE MIGHTY MEN, THEY CLIMB THE WALL LIKE SOLDIERS; AND THEY EACH MARCH IN LINE, NOR DO THEY DEVIATE FROM THEIR PATHS. THEY DO NOT CROWD EACH OTHER, THEY MARCH EVERYONE IN HIS PATH; WHEN THEY BURST THROUGH THE DEFENSES, THEY DO NOT BREAK RANKS. THEY RUSH ON THE CITY, THEY RUN ON THE WALL; THEY CLIMB INTO THE HOUSES, THEY ENTER THROUGH THE WINDOWS LIKE A THIEF. BEFORE THEM THE EARTH QUAKES, THE HEAVENS TREMBLE, THE SUN AND THE MOON GROW DARK AND THE STARS LOSE THEIR BRIGHTNESS. THE LORD UTTERS HIS VOICE BEFORE HIS ARMY; SURELY HIS CAMP IS VERY GREAT, FOR STRONG IS HE WHO CARRIES OUT HIS WORD. THE DAY OF THE LORD IS INDEED GREAT AND VERY AWESOME, AND WHO CAN ENDURE IT? JOEL CALLS FOR A WARNING TRUMPET TO SOUND ON THE HOLY MOUNTAIN • THIS IS HOW THE ISRAELITES WOULD ANNOUNCE WAR • ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE LAND ARE TO TREMBLE • BECAUSE THE “DAY OF THE LORD” IS COMING • IN THIS CASE JOEL IS NOT TALKING ABOUT • THE FINAL JUDGMENT OF THE LORD • BUT HE DOES USE THIS TERM “THE DAY OF THE LORD” BECAUSE • THIS ARMY THAT IS COMING IS BRING GOD’S JUDGMENT JOEL SAYS THIS DAY IS A DAY OF DARKNESS AND GLOOM • AND THEN HE MENTIONS THE DAWN • BUT HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THE LIGHT OF DAWN • HE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS ARMY COMING • AS SURE AS THE DAWN, AS UNAVOIDABLE AS THE DAWN • SPREADING OUT AS FAR THE DAWN SPREADS OUT • THIS ARMY IS A GREAT AND MIGHTY PEOPLE • NOTHING LIKE IT HAS EXISTED BEFORE • AND IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE • ANOTHER ARMY COMES ALONG LIKE THIS ONE JOEL DESCRIBES THIS ARMY • HE SAYS THE LAND THEY TRAVEL OVER IS DESTROYED • AS IF A FIRE HAD RAGED OVER IT • BEFORE THEY COME THE LAND IS PLENTIFUL • LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN • AFTER THEY LEAVE THE LAND IS A WASTELAND • SOME FOLKS WANT TO SAY JOEL IS STILL TALKING • ABOUT LOCUSTS…. HE IS USING IMAGES • THAT ARE SIMILAR TO LOCUST • AND I THINK HE IS DOING THAT • BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IS TALKING TO • JUST HAD A LOCUST PLAGUE HIT THEM • AND THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND THESE IMAGES • BUT WE WILL SEE HE IS TALKING ABOUT MEN NOT LOCUST • HE TALKS ABOUT WAR HORSES AND CHARIOTS • AND HOW MARCH IN A LINE EACH STAYING IN HIS PATH • HE SAYS THEY DO NOT BREAK RANKS • NOW LOCUSTS DON’T STAY IN RANKS… BUT MEN DO • THESE MEN CLIMB THE WALLS AND • BREAK INTO HOUSES LIKE THIEVES • AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE IMAGES CHANGE JOEL TALKS ABOUT THE FINAL DAY OF THE LORD • AS WE LOOK AT THIS BOOK, WE ARE GOING TO SEE • THAT JOEL TALKS ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT EVENTS • A LOCUST PLAGUE IN HIS OWN TIME • THE COMING EXILE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE TO BABYLON • AND THE FINAL DAY OF JUDGMENT AT THE END OF TIME • JOEL BLENDS EACH OF THESE EVENTS INTO THE NEXT • THE LOCUST PLAGUE WAS BLENDED INTO THE EXILE • AND HERE WE SEE THE EXILE BEING BLENDED INTO THE END TIME • JOEL TALKS ABOUT THE HEAVENS TREMBLING.. • THE SUN AND MOON GROWING DARK.. • THE STARS LOSING THEIR BRIGHTNESS • NO MATTER HOW POWERFUL THE INVADING ARMY IS • THEY COULD NOT DO THESE THINGS JOEL MENTIONS THAT THIS ARMY IS THE LORD’S ARMY • AND THEN HE SAYS THE DAY OF THE LORD • IS INDEED GREAT AND VERY AWESOME • AND HE ASKS THE QUESTION WHO CAN ENDURE IT… • I THINK JOEL BLENDS THESE EVENTS BECAUSE • THE TRIALS WE FACE IN THIS LIFE • MAY FEEL LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD • AND I THINK PART OF WHY WE FACE THEM • IS SO THAT WE WILL TAKE ETERNAL LIFE SERIOUSLY • IF EVERYTHING WENT GREAT YOUR WHOLE LIFE • YOU MIGHT NOT EVER TURN TO GOD FOR HELP… • WHEN WE FACE LOCUST PLAGUES AND INVADING ARMIES • WE ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO TURN TO GOD…. • THE OLD SAYING GOES; “THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS IN FOXHOLES” • JOEL IS USING THESE EVENTS, THE LOCUST PLAGUE • AND THE INVASION AND EXILE • TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE SERIOUSNESS • OF THAT LAST “DAY OF THE LORD” THE FINAL JUDGMENT. JOEL 2:12–20 “YET EVEN NOW,” DECLARES THE LORD, “RETURN TO ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH FASTING, WEEPING AND MOURNING; AND REND YOUR HEART AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS.” NOW RETURN TO THE LORD YOUR GOD, FOR HE IS GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVINGKINDNESS AND RELENTING OF EVIL. WHO KNOWS WHETHER HE WILL NOT TURN AND RELENT AND LEAVE A BLESSING BEHIND HIM, EVEN A GRAIN OFFERING AND A DRINK OFFERING FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD? BLOW A TRUMPET IN ZION, CONSECRATE A FAST, PROCLAIM A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY, GATHER THE PEOPLE, SANCTIFY THE CONGREGATION, ASSEMBLE THE ELDERS, GATHER THE CHILDREN AND THE NURSING INFANTS. LET THE BRIDEGROOM COME OUT OF HIS ROOM AND THE BRIDE OUT OF HER BRIDAL CHAMBER. LET THE PRIESTS, THE LORD’S MINISTERS, WEEP BETWEEN THE PORCH AND THE ALTAR, AND LET THEM SAY, “SPARE YOUR PEOPLE, O LORD, AND DO NOT MAKE YOUR INHERITANCE A REPROACH, A BYWORD AMONG THE NATIONS. WHY SHOULD THEY AMONG THE PEOPLES SAY, ‘WHERE IS THEIR GOD?’ ” THEN THE LORD WILL BE ZEALOUS FOR HIS LAND AND WILL HAVE PITY ON HIS PEOPLE. THE LORD WILL ANSWER AND SAY TO HIS PEOPLE, “BEHOLD, I AM GOING TO SEND YOU GRAIN, NEW WINE AND OIL, AND YOU WILL BE SATISFIED IN FULL WITH THEM; AND I WILL NEVER AGAIN MAKE YOU A REPROACH AMONG THE NATIONS. “BUT I WILL REMOVE THE NORTHERN ARMY FAR FROM YOU, AND I WILL DRIVE IT INTO A PARCHED AND DESOLATE LAND, AND ITS VANGUARD INTO THE EASTERN SEA, AND ITS REAR GUARD INTO THE WESTERN SEA. AND ITS STENCH WILL ARISE AND ITS FOUL SMELL WILL COME UP, FOR IT HAS DONE GREAT THINGS.” THE LORD DECLARES • JOEL TELLS US GOD’S WORDS • AND GOD GIVES A COMMAND TO REPENT RETURN TO ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH FASTING, WEEPING AND MOURNING REND YOUR HEART AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS • THAT IS AN AMAZING DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO REPENT • THIS IS FOLLOWED BY JOEL REPEATING THE COMMAND TO REPENT • RETURN TO THE LORD • AND GIVING THE REASON WHY THEY SHOULD REPENT • GOD IS FULL OF GRACE AND COMPASSION • GOD IS SLOW TO ANGER • ABOUNDING IN LOVINGKINDNESS • WHO KNOWS?...... GOD MAY EVEN RELENT JOEL INSTRUCTS THEM TO COME TOGETHER • AGAIN, THEY ARE TOLD TO BLOW A TRUMPET • BUT THIS TIME IT IS TO GATHER THE PEOPLE • EVERYONE IS TO COME, THE ELDERS • THE CHILDREN AND INFANTS • EVEN NEWLYWEDS ARE CALLED TO THIS GATHERING • THE PRIESTS AND MINISTERS ARE TO WEEP FOR THE PEOPLE • THEY ARE TO PRAY FOR GOD TO SPARE HIS PEOPLE • OUR TRANSLATIONS SAY THEY ARE TO ASK • FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL TO NOT BE • A BYWORD AMONG THE NATIONS • THIS PHRASE CAN ALSO BE TRANSLATED • NOT BE RULED OVER BY THE NATIONS JOEL EXPLAINS WHAT WILL HAPPEN • IF THEY FOLLOW THIS COMMANDS • GOD WILL ANSWER AND RESTORE THEIR CROPS IN FULL • THEY WILL NOT BE RULED BY THE NATIONS • GOD WILL REMOVE THE AMY THAT IS TO COME • BY SENDING IT FAR AWAY TO A WASTE LAND • WHEN GOD SAYS THIS ARMY HAS DONE “GREAT THING” • HE DOES NOT MEAN GOOD THINGS, • NOT ALL GREAT AND IMPRESSIVE THINGS ARE GOOD… • NOW, WE KNOW THAT AS A NATION • THEY DID NOT REPENT RIGHT AWAY • THE ARMIES CAME AND HAULED THEM OFF INTO CAPTIVITY • AND THEN WHILE THEY WERE IN CAPTIVITY • THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL RETURNED TO GOD • AND GOD DID IN FACT RESTORE THEM JUST AS JOEL TALKS ABOUT • THEY CAME BACK FROM EXILE AND SLOWLY OVER TIME • THE LAND WAS RESTORED THE CROPS WERE RESTORED • EVEN THE TEMPLE WAS REBUILT AND THE SACRIFICES RESUMED…. • JUST LIKE ISRAEL, SOMETIMES WE DON’T TURN TO GOD WHEN WE SHOULD…. • WE’VE DONE, OR SAID, OR THOUGHT SOMETHING AGAINST GOD • AND WE KNOW WE NEED TO RETURN TO HIM, TO REPENT • WE MIGHT EVEN SEE THAT ARMY COMING… • THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SIN • AND WE STILL DON’T RETURN TO GOD • WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS FAITHFULL & RIGHTEOUS • SLOW TO ANGER & ABOUNDING IN LOVING KINDNESS • AND IF WE WILL CONFESS AND REPENT OF OUR SINS • HE WILL RESTORE US JUST LIKE HE RESTORED ISRAEL JOEL 2:21–32 DO NOT FEAR, O LAND, REJOICE AND BE GLAD, FOR THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS. DO NOT FEAR, BEASTS OF THE FIELD, FOR THE PASTURES OF THE WILDERNESS HAVE TURNED GREEN, FOR THE TREE HAS BORNE ITS FRUIT, THE FIG TREE AND THE VINE HAVE YIELDED IN FULL. SO REJOICE, O SONS OF ZION, AND BE GLAD IN THE LORD YOUR GOD; FOR HE HAS GIVEN YOU THE EARLY RAIN FOR YOUR VINDICATION. AND HE HAS POURED DOWN FOR YOU THE RAIN, THE EARLY AND LATTER RAIN AS BEFORE. THE THRESHING FLOORS WILL BE FULL OF GRAIN, AND THE VATS WILL OVERFLOW WITH THE NEW WINE AND OIL. “THEN I WILL MAKE UP TO YOU FOR THE YEARS THAT THE SWARMING LOCUST HAS EATEN, THE CREEPING LOCUST, THE STRIPPING LOCUST AND THE GNAWING LOCUST, MY GREAT ARMY WHICH I SENT AMONG YOU. “YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY TO EAT AND BE SATISFIED AND PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO HAS DEALT WONDROUSLY WITH YOU; THEN MY PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME. “THUS YOU WILL KNOW THAT I AM IN THE MIDST OF ISRAEL, AND THAT I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND THERE IS NO OTHER; AND MY PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME. “IT WILL COME ABOUT AFTER THIS THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY, YOUR OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS, YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS. “EVEN ON THE MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS. “I WILL DISPLAY WONDERS IN THE SKY AND ON THE EARTH, BLOOD, FIRE AND COLUMNS OF SMOKE. “THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD BEFORE THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD COMES. “AND IT WILL COME ABOUT THAT WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE DELIVERED; FOR ON MOUNT ZION AND IN JERUSALEM THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO ESCAPE, AS THE LORD HAS SAID, EVEN AMONG THE SURVIVORS WHOM THE LORD CALLS. JOEL DESCRIBES THE GREAT THINGS OF GOD • THE BEASTS ARE NOT TO FEAR PASTURES HAVE RETURNED • THE TREES ALL BEAR THEIR FRUITS • AND BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS THE PEOPLE • REJOICE AND ARE GLAD IN GOD • GOD BRINGS SUFFICIENT RAINS • GOD MAKES UP FOR WHAT HAS BEEN LOST • THEY WILL HAVE PLENTY TO EAT • AND THEY WE NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME AGAIN • FROM GOD DOING ALL THESE THINGS • THEY WILL KNOW THAT GOD IS IN THEIR MIDST • AND THEY WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS NO OTHER GOD • GOD TELLS THEM AN EVEN MORE AMAZING • RESTORATION IS COMING • AT SOME POINT AFTER THIS RESTORATION FROM EXILE • GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND • SONS AND DAUGHTERS WILL PREACH GOD’S WORD • OLD AND YOUNG WILL SEE VISIONS • GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS….. • PETER CONFIRMS THAT THESE EVENTS BEGIN • AT THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN HE QUOTES THIS VERSE IN ACTS 2:17 • AND FOR 2000 YEARS THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN POURED OUT • TO ALL OF MANKIND WHO HAS TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR… • AS A CONCLUSION TO THIS POURING OUT OF GOD’S SPIRIT • GREAT SIGNS WILL OCCUR • THE SUN WILL BE TURNED TO DARKNESS • THE MOON TO BLOOD • AND THEN THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME. JOEL HAS TALKED ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD BEFORE…. • AT THE LOCUST PLAGUE AND AT THE INVADING ARMY • BUT ONLY WHEN HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE FINAL JUDGMENT OF GOD • DOES IT SAY THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD • THE LOCUST PLAGUE WAS A DAY OF THE LORD • THE INVADING ARMY WAS A DAY OF THE LORD • THE FINAL JUDGMENT WILL BE • THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD GOD TELLS US THE GOOD NEWS • “AND IT WILL COME ABOUT THAT WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD • WILL BE DELIVERED;” • THAT WHOEVER REALLY MEANS WHOEVER • AND ALL THEY NEED TO DO • TO BE DELIVERED • IS TO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD • NOW THIS PHRASE CALL ON THE NAME • MEANS TO IDENTIFY WITH • OR PLACE YOUR SELF UNDER • TO THE JOEL’S AUDIENCE THIS PHRASE • MEANT CALL YOUR SELF ONE OF GOD’S CHILDREN • PETER USES THIS PHRASE • IN HIS SERMON ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST • TO PETER THIS PHRASE CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD • MEANS PLACE YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR • AND JOEL TELLS US THAT THE RESULT OF • ANYONE CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD • IS THAT THEY WILL BE DELIVERED. • THEY WILL ESCAPE JUDGMENT AT THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD….. WE ALL FACE HARD TIMES IN LIFE • SOMETIMES IT’S A LOCUST PLAGUE • SOMETIMES IT’S AN INVADING ARMY • WE CAN SPEND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS • TRYING TO FIX THESE THINGS • OR WE CAN CRY OUT TO GOD • REPENT AND RETURN TO GOD • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT AS BAD AS THESE THINGS SEEM • THERE IS A DAY COMING THAT IS FAR MORE SERIOUS • THAN ANY OF THESE DAYS WE LOSE SLEEP OVER • THIS IS THE DAY OF THE LORD AND • THIS DAY IS BOTH AWESOME AND TERRIBLE • IT WILL BE AN AWESOME DAY • IF YOU HAVE CALLED ON THE NAME OF THE LORD • IT WILL BE A TERRIBLE DAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT • IF YOU HAVE NEVER CALLED ON THE NAME OF THE LORD • NEVER TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST • NEVER PLACED YOUR FAITH IN HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS • TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS • IN A MOMENT… 83