God will Restore the Locust Years

 

Joel 2:18-3:21

Future Restoration and Hope

In the last sermon which covered the first section of Joel, we mentioned that while the plague of locusts was destroying the land and impoverishing her inhabitants, Joel told the people of Judah to listen attentively to what important message God had to say to them through their environment.

Joel also called them to repent and throw themselves at the mercy of their compassionate God so that further damages could be avoided.

Now, we shall look at the second section of Joel that is 2:28-3:21. Up to this point, the book of Joel has focused on God’s judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, but from here on, it described God’s promise of restoration. As the people sincerely repented God would respond graciously.

The LORD’s Promise of Immediate Material Restoration (2:18-27)

God promised to restore his people’s material lives in the immediate future, replenishing their fields, orchards, vineyards, and flocks. The LORD will jealously guard his land and take pity on his people.  He would restore the fruits of the land. God would also eradicate the invading armies from the north. His comforting words, “Don’t be afraid, my people. Be glad now and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.” (vv.18-21)

God also would once again restore the regular pattern of rainfall, and the drought would be reversed. He promised restitution for the terrible damage done by the locusts. “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.” (v. 25)

Let’s repent and turn to God, then we will be able to rejoice. When God rules, his restoration will be complete, so we have nothing to fear. When God pardons, he restores our relationship with him and the loses which we incurred in the locust years. He promises to meet the deepest needs of those who love him by loving us, forgiving us, giving us purpose in life, and establishing a caring community.

Finally, God’s promises of restoration should lead the people of Judah and Jerusalem to praise and adoration, acknowledging that the Lord was in their midst and that he alone is God (vv.26-27).

So, let’s start praising the LORD even while we are still walking in the wilderness; singing, “Blessed be the name of the LORD!”

The LORD’s Promise of Eschatological Restoration (2:28-32)

Then Joel turned his attention to the more distant future. He looked beyond his time to the future day of the LORD, when God would pour out his Spirit in ways never before seen.

Verses 28-29: 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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

In Israel, the empowering gift of God’s Spirit had previously been given only to select individuals such as judges, priests, kings, and prophets. Joel envisioned a time when the Sprit would be given to every one of God’s people, regardless of gender, age, or social position.

The future outpouring of God’s Spirit would be accompanied by signs and wonders, blood and fire and…. smoke. Together with the darkening of the sun and the moon, these are indications of God’s coming in judgment (vv. 30-31).

The LORD has given his people the assurance of His love and His deliverance by pouring out His Spirit on all people - all the Israelites, the lowly and the humble, and those who come to call on the Lord for salvation (v.32).

This calling on the name of God should not be a final act of desperation. It should accompany a lifelong commitment of worship, service, and fellowship with God.

There is nothing more precious than having the Spirit of God filling us and dwelling in us forever, to guard and to keep watch over us. Has the message of Joel been fulfilled? Yes! Acts 2 narrates the coming of the Holy Spirit.

When Peter saw the Holy Spirit coming upon everyone on Pentecost, he declared that this prophecy of Joel had come to past (Acts 2:14-21). We are now living in the end times by the facts that Christ died on the cross to redeem us and has sent down the Holy Spirit to dwell in us.

Today, the Spirit of God will live in your life if you truly repent and trust in Christ’s salvation (John 14:16). The indwelling of the Spirit affirms God’s presence and providence which are lifelong, forever, and lasting.

Thank God that He has loved us so much that He gave us the best—His Spirit. Even if there were plague of locust and other disasters to come, or when we encounter destructions of nations and families and, even death, we shall not be fearful for the Spirit of God shall be with us forever.

The God who is in control of the present, the future, and the past, lives in our hearts. Who or what shall we fear?

But fear only when we fail to believe God genuinely, and do not do as He has told us. Let’s us not grieve the Holy Spirit but live in step with the Spirit to do God’s will and realize his plan in our lives.

Judgement Against Enemy Nations but Blessing for God’s People (3:1-21)

In those days and at that time (end time), God promised to restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem (3:1). God will not only bless His people with everything they need, he will also bless them by destroying all evil and ending the pain and suffering on earth.

This prophecy had three fulfillments: immediate, ongoing, and final.

Its immediate interpretation could apply to King Jehoshaphat’s recent battle against several enemy nations (2 Chronicles 20). Its ongoing fulfillment could be the partial restoration of the people to their land after the exile to Babylon.

God would assemble the armies of all the nations in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which means “the LORD judges”. God would judge the nations’ sins of which include exiling God’s covenant people and victimizing helpless boys and girls in inhuman slave trade (3:2-3).

The Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon and the cities of Philistia were guilty of looting the precious treasures of Jerusalem and selling its people as slaves to the Greeks. The people of Trye, Sidon, and Philistia had enslaved Israelites, so the Lord would punish them by selling their sons and daughters in to slavery (vv. 4-8).

The nations were mockingly called to a futile war against the LORD that would end in their destruction and judgment. Joel ordered the nations to mobilize all resources for the forthcoming battle, even those unfit for war were not exempted.

The battle would take place in the valley of Jehoshaphat, where the Lord would pronounce judgment on them all. God would defeat the nations like a sickle that mows down stalks of grain and like workers who tread grapes in the winepress (vv.9-13).

This prophecy’s final fulfilment will come in the great battle that precedes the Messiah’s reign over the earth (Revelation 20:7-9). Joel described multitudes waiting in the “valley of decision”. The name of the valley is changed because now the LORD’s judgment had been decided. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine (vv.14-15).

The LORD’s voice, like that of a lion, would roar from Zion, shaking heaven and earth and terrifying sinners. Yet this same ferocious lion is also a refuge for his people. His people must learn that he alone is God and that he reigns over all creation from Zion, his holy mountain. The only true security in the present, and the only hope for the future, comes from God’s presence (vv.16-17).

The final word will be God’s; his ultimate sovereignty will be revealed in the end. We cannot predict when that end will come, but we can have confidence in his control over the world’s events. The worlds’ history, as well as our own pilgrimage, is in God’s hands. We can be secure in his love and trust him to guide our decisions.

Thousands upon thousands or billions upon billions of people will be driven into the Valley of Judgment and Decision in each of their own way – dead, living, and yet to be born. Make sure you are closely connected to God. Hide yourselves in Christ, the Rock of Salvation.

Don’t forget to look around you. See your friends—those with whom you work and live. Have they received God’s forgiveness? Have they been warned about sin’s consequences? If we understand the severity of God’s final judgement, we will want to take God’s offer of hope and salvation to those we know.

Blessings would flow from the LORD’s sovereign presence in Zion. There would be superabundance of sweet wine and milk. The Temple, God’s own dwelling on earth, would be the source of a spring that would forever water the arid landscape. Even as Judah is restored, her ancient enemies, Egypt, and Edom would experience God’s judgment for their crimes against his people (vv.18-19).

The picture of this restored land is one of perfect beauty, similar to the Garden of Eden. The life-giving fountain flowing from the LORD’s Temple illustrates the blessings that come from God. Those who trust in him will be forever fruitful (Ezekiel 47:1-12; Revelation 22:1-2).

Egypt and Edom are two of Israel’s most persistent enemies. They represent all the nations which are hostile to God’s people. God’s promise that they would be destroyed is also a promise that all evil in the world will one day be destroyed.

Joel ended with the divine assurance that Judah and Jerusalem will endure through all generations. God’s people in every generation can rest secure in the hope that His Kingdom will reign over heaven and earth (vv.20-21).

Conclusion:

To God’s people who were hit by plague, Joel told them to wake up, get rid of their complacency, and realize the danger of living apart from God. He began by stressing the need for repentance and ended with the promises of forgiveness and restoration that repentance would bring.

Joel’s message to us is that there is still time; anyone who calls on God’s name can be saved. Those who turn to God will enjoy the blessings; those who refuse will face destruction.

Let’s turn back to God. He will restore our present material lose completely. He also will pour out his Spirit on us to empower us to live in accord with his law. He also would intervene in the world to judge the wicked and to establish peace and justice eternally.

Joel presented before us the great God who is in control of all things in this world. He reigns forever. He not only is the God of our present day, nor of the past nor is He only God in the times when the Israelites faced the plague of locusts. He shall still be God when the world comes to an end in the future.

All the lives of humanity, the history of the world, the eternity of the cosmos, are held in the hand of God. He is also the One who is full of grace and mercy, slow in anger and abounding in love.

Since we are aware that God is sovereign over all ages and full of lovingkindness, we should turn to Him and put our trust in Him even when this world is plagued by calamities.

Let’s worship, honor, love and serve Him throughout our lifetime. By this we shall be able to recover our loses of the locust years, and also stand firm in the Valley of Judgment and as well as the Valley of Decision, on the day of the LORD.