Day 30 - 40 Days in the Old Testament
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Old Testament
Day 30 | THE DAY OF THE LORD
40 Days in the Old Testament
Day 30 | THE DAY OF THE LORD
THE DAY OF THE LORD
Joel 2:28
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
As with the other prophets, God sent Joel (whose name means “Yahweh is God”), to warn His people – in this case, the Kingdom of Judah – to stop sinning against God.
A terrible plague of locusts falls on Judah, destroying everything – grain fields, vineyards, gardens, and even trees. Joel describes this as a divine judgment against Judah for her sins. This judgment is described in Joel 1:4: "What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten."
This would get anyone's attention! Joel, the prophet of God, appeals to all the people of Judah to humble themselves, fast, pray, and seek God's forgiveness. And he says that if they do so, God will bring a renewed blessing to the nation.
A central theme of Joel is the "Day of the Lord" – a day of God's wrath and judgment in which God's enemies will be terrified. But whenever the Old Testament speaks of such a time, there is always the hint of the coming of Jesus Christ.
The solution for sin, whether individual or national, is repentance. To turn away from such evil, ask forgiveness from the LORD, and receive God's mercy and grace. A "do-over," if you will; sometimes, we all need that.
Even here in the OT book of Joel, the price Christ paid for ALL sin for all time on the cross is KEY for these people, and us, to receive forgiveness. And God promised that if they will, He will pour out His Spirit on them all.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for forgiveness and a clean slate. Help me to walk daily walk in that clean slate. Amen.
Joel 2:28
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
As with the other prophets, God sent Joel (whose name means “Yahweh is God”), to warn His people – in this case, the Kingdom of Judah – to stop sinning against God.
A terrible plague of locusts falls on Judah, destroying everything – grain fields, vineyards, gardens, and even trees. Joel describes this as a divine judgment against Judah for her sins. This judgment is described in Joel 1:4: "What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten."
This would get anyone's attention! Joel, the prophet of God, appeals to all the people of Judah to humble themselves, fast, pray, and seek God's forgiveness. And he says that if they do so, God will bring a renewed blessing to the nation.
A central theme of Joel is the "Day of the Lord" – a day of God's wrath and judgment in which God's enemies will be terrified. But whenever the Old Testament speaks of such a time, there is always the hint of the coming of Jesus Christ.
The solution for sin, whether individual or national, is repentance. To turn away from such evil, ask forgiveness from the LORD, and receive God's mercy and grace. A "do-over," if you will; sometimes, we all need that.
Even here in the OT book of Joel, the price Christ paid for ALL sin for all time on the cross is KEY for these people, and us, to receive forgiveness. And God promised that if they will, He will pour out His Spirit on them all.
Prayer: LORD, thank You for forgiveness and a clean slate. Help me to walk daily walk in that clean slate. Amen.