6 - Return: God's Response

Lars Janssen

Joel Series • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Return: God Responds

Joel 2:18-27

Joel 2:18–27 ESV

18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people. 19 The Lord answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. 20 “I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things. 21 “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! 22 Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield. 23 “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. 24 “The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. 26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

1. Introduction – Last week we reached a turning point in Joel’s prophecy.

a. The tension throughout the book was building and building. Locusts destroying things…grain offerings and drink offerings were cut off.

i. The people couldn’t worship God in ways they were accustomed to doing.

1. After the first wave of locusts came…a second wave was prophesied…or maybe it was the invasion of an actual army.

a. Joel charged the people to look around at their circumstances – he charged them to see the locusts and the impending invasion not as natural phenomena, but as punishment from God for their sins.

2. He charged them to see it as the Day of the Lord – and the day of the Lord is great and awesome…who can endure it?

a. As we saw last time…only those who come to God in repentance…with outward physical sings that match the inner turmoil and sorrow.

i. And when God is approached with a broken and contrite heart…who knows…maybe, just maybe he’ll relent.

b. It’s an incredible picture. Earlier in chapter 2 we are told that as the army approaches Israel…whether that’s a locust army or an army army…

i. We’re told that before is a land of paradise, but what’s left in their wake…what’s left behind is a desolate wilderness.

1. But when God is approached in repentance, look at v.14…who knows, maybe he’ll leave…not a desolate wilderness in his wake, but maybe he’ll leave a blessing.

a. Specifically, God may leave behind the very things that were taken away…Grain, oil and wine for a grain and drink offering.

c. As we make our way to our passage today – there’s one assumption we have to make.

i. Given what we are about to read…we have to assume that the words of vv.12-17 were heeded.

1. We have to assume that the people gathered, young and old…and we have to assume that they repented, that the came to God with contrition.

a. So what happens when God’s people repent and turn to him with broken and contrite hearts???

i. Hear God’s Word – Joel 2:18-27.

d. What we just read is God’s response to his repentant people.

i. Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to be looking at how God responds to his repentant people.

1. We’re going to look at 2 responses today and 1 more next week.

a. Here’s how the passage breaks down

i. In vv.18-20 we have God’s first response.

1. God responds by relieving the disaster

ii. In vv.21-24 have a series of commands…imperatives that differ drastically from the previous commands in the book.

1. In vv.25-26 we have God’s second response to his people.

a. God responds by restoring what was lost.

2. And in v.27 we see timeless lessons to be learned about God.

2. God’s Response – Remember all that we’ve previously studied…the devastation.

a. The lack of offerings, the mourning, lamenting, weeping…the repentance…and look at how it stirs God.

i. After what we can only assume was a solemn gathering of the people…god responds and he responds by previously undoing all that had previously been done.

1. V.19 – Behold, I am sending you grain, wine and oil.

a. Those things that were mentioned in chapter 1 as being destroyed by the locusts are now being restored.

ii. Grain, oil and wine so the people could have good. Grain, oil and wine so the people could once again worship God in the ways they were accustomed.

1. The physical damage that was caused will be reversed

b. Also, the shame and reproach the priests prayed against in v.17 is also taken away.

i. What this means is God is going to make it abundantly clear that he has not abandoned his people.

1. His people will not be the laughing stock of society.

c. Grain, oil and wine restored…shame and reproach taken away…

i. Now look at v.20. the verse is a little tricky to understand…but here’s the gist of it.

1. God is going to drive the army away from Israel. Not only is he going to drive it away, but he is going to utterly destroy it. Let’s look at the details.

ii. “I will remove the northerners from you…drive into a parched and desolate land.”

1. God is promising to take this army…and here it actually makes more sense if it is a locust army – he’s going to drive this army into the desert…the people are going to experience relief.

a. But then, we get into a tricky description. “His vanguard into the eastern sea…rear garaged into the western sea”

i. Here’s where a geography lesson helps. Remember that Israel is basically a desert…but it does have bodies of water on either side…

1. The Dead Sea to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

a. What God is promising to do here is divide this army in half.

i. He’s going to take the front half…those on the front lines…the vanguard…an drive them eastward into the Dead Sea.

ii. And he’s going to take the back half, the rear guard and drive them westward into the Mediterranean Sea.

iii. That’s a pretty complete devastation.

1. Now – in actuality, after locusts plagues, that’s exactly what happened – eventually the locusts make their way to the desert, to the sea and drown…and the stench from their rotting carcasses becomes unbearable.

a. But God wants the people to know that he did this for them.

i. It wasn’t a random act of nature…it was divine intervention.

1. It was God’s deliverance for their contrition…for their repentance.

iv. God wants the people to be aware of who it was that delivered the,

1. God responds to his peoples’ repentance by undoing what had previously been done…restoring land and goods.

3. Rejoice - And as we make our way in vv.21-24, I can’t help but notice the change in tone.

a. If we went through the first half of the book and did a word study on all the imperatives…all the commands…it would be a really depressing study.

i. They are words like – weep, lament, mourn, put on sackcloth, call a solemn assembly…Rend your hearts…tremble…

1. But contrast that with the commands we read earlier in vv.21-24…

a. Look at those commands…Fear not, be glad…rejoice. What a change in tone!

b. Earlier in the book – in 1:16, we were told that joy and gladness were taken out of God’s house…

i. But here, after the great reversal…after God performed the great act of restoring his people…they are to rejoice over what has transpired and what will transpire.

1. They are to rejoice and be glad…the people, the land and the beasts of the field…because of the restoration.

a. Pastures are green once again, trees bear fruit, fig trees and vines give their full yield.

ii. And look at the reason given to the people…rejoice…why? Rejoice in the Lord your God because of the rain.

1. For most of us, rain is an annoyance…an inconvenience.

a. It rains, you can’t go outside to play. I can’t go golfing…it makes everything wet and it is just downright miserable.

iii. But for Israel…who farmed in an arid climate…basically a desert…they loved rain.

1. Some Ancient Near East countries had rivers in order to irrigate their crops…Israel didn’t.

a. They relied on rain and the collection of rain water in cisterns in order to properly water their crops.

i. When the rain stopped, when drought came…it was particularly devastating for Israel because they had no other way to water their crops.

1. God here is promising not just a little bit of rain…but that the full cycle of the calendar year would be restored.

c. But there’s a spiritual element to the withholding and sending of rain.

i. At the dedication of the Temple Solomon said this in 1 Kings 8: 35-36…

1 Kings 8:35–36 ESV

35 “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

1. See the connection there between a lack of rain and the people’s waywardness?

a. No doubt, Joel saw that his generation was in the very circumstance Solomon described.

ii. Other prophets made this connection between rain and waywardness as well.

1. Amos compared the lack of God’s Word to a drought.

a. Isaiah saw a similar connection – only he made the connection between righteousness and rain.

i. Also, in Deuteronomy, a book I have referenced before…where covenant blessings and curses are laid out…

1. God says that a covenant curse for Israel’s unfaithfulness was drought…a lack of rain.

a. But a covenant blessing for faithfulness is rain and abundant crops.

iii. So here’s the connection – the people who were once wayward and rebellious – have come home.

1. Like the lost son – they saw the error and foolishness of their ways and have come home to God.

a. God called them to repent and return…and they heeded that call with sincere hearts…

i. And now that there was spiritual revival and restortation…God will also supply physical revival and restoration in the form of rain and abundant crops.

2. God will provide rain to the pastures will flourish and the beasts of the field can graze…so that the threshing floor and vats will be filled.

a. The physical restoration is a sign of the inner reconciliation and restoration that happened between God and his people.

4. God’s Second Response – And in vv.252-6, God makes it clear that he is the one who is bringing about restoration.

a. It’s not fate…but a Father…who lovingly disciplines his children and restores them to righteousness.

i. Look at a few phrases…first in v.25 – notice the word years…

1. We weren’t talking about a minor inconvenience here…the locusts weren’t around…the after effects of the locusts weren’t simply around for a few days, weeks or months…

a. Years…years without crops…years without grain offerings, drink offerings…years of inconvenience…

i. Years without rain…years having their normal lives interrupted…

ii. Years of desolation and squalor…only to have God restore them.

b. Next, look at v.26 – eat in plenty and be satisfied.

i. After years of want – their needs will be provided for…And not just scrapping by…but plenty…they will eat and be satisfied.

1. And as a result of the restoration…the plenty…the satisfaction…

a. The people must remember where the blessing came from. Praise the name of the Lord your God…who has dealt wondrously with you.

c. Its pretty easy to forget the source of blessings. We might think its because of our hard work, our ingenuity or maybe we think it was just dumb luck.

i. Even in Joel’s day people might have been tempted to think that the rains came because of their actions.

1. But the rain came…the blessings came because of God…because he is gracious and merciful.

a. And in our lives too…we need to recognize the source of blessing.

ii. Sure, we are quick to blame God when things go array in our lives…but we are also quick to take all the credit when things go well.

1. Maybe we should reverse these 2.

a. We should be quick to give God the praise for the blessings he pours out on us…

i. And we should be quick to blame ourselves when things our poorly.

d. Keep in mind…the whole time that God deals wondrously with this people.

5. Lessons to Learn – And to close things morning – I want us to look at v.27.

a. These are timeless truths…timeless lessons for us to learn about God in difficult times.

i. We need to be reminded of these during difficult times and rejoice over these in times of restoration.

b. First, notice that first phrase of v.27 – During the locust plague – God did not abandon Israel…he is still in their midst.

i. And take note of this…God calls them by name…Israel.

1. That’s something important to keep in mind…in those dark times of life. When it looks and feels like God has abandoned you…he hasn’t

a. He is still with you…he still knows your name…and he will call you by your name.

c. Secondly…look at the second phrase of v.27.

i. I am the Lord your God…and there is none else.

1. God wanted Israel to know that he was still their…the status of their relationship had not changed.

a. Since he entered into a covenant relationship with them…he was their God and they were his people.

i. The word “your” is a word of possession…the people still belonged to him.

ii. And that’s important for us to grasp as well. The status of your relationship with God doesn’t change.

1. Ever since you confesses your sin and came to the Father through Jesus the Son – your have been adopted by the God as his child.

a. And that status doesn’t change. He is you God…and you are his son or his daughter.

d. And finally – the last phrase reminds us that God is God alone.

i. Though it may look like other forces are in control…God is really working behind the seen things of this world.

6. Conclusion – This morning we’ve been looking at what happens when God’s people heed his words and return to him.

a. In short…redemption happens. Restoration happens. Reconciliation happens.

i. Relationships are restored…between people and between people and God.

1. Creation is restored…destruction is reversed..

a. But there’s one more thing that happens when God responds to his repentant people…and you’ll have to come back next week to find out what that is.