The Message of Joel

Joel 2: 21-27

The prophecy of Joel reveals the hand of God, the hand that controls destiny, the hand that moves history. For centuries humans have been looking for the principle upon which all the events of history turn. Greek philosophers believed that history moves in cycles. Other more modern thinkers believed that history was due to political, economic, or sociological influences. In part, all are true, but what is the basis of all such things? The Bible says that behind the whole course of human history is God. The hinge
on which history turns is spiritual — God’s Spirit at work among people.

Joel was given a word from the Lord that was as both applicable to the events of his own day, and also to the final stages of God’s dealing with human events. Joel points out that God allows catastrophes to occur to make people aware of the spiritual background to life.

Every moment that God deals with us in judgment, he is capturing our attention, waking us up. Through these difficult things, God in grace is simply saying to us, look and listen, stop and wait. Life is not merely a cycle of eating and drinking and getting money to do so. The message of Joel shows us that there is hope! Joel reminds us, that with our God it is never too late. There is hope for our churches, our nation and our future. Because the future is in the hands of one who is preparing something that “eye has never seen and ear has never heard. Neither has it ever entered into the heart of man, the wonderful things that God is preparing for those who love him.” (1Corinthians2:9)

Pastor Darryl

Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash