Joel 1

Bringing the sermon home:

Of all the prophetic books in the Hebrew Bible, the book of Joel is the most difficult to date, as there are no timeframe references within the book itself and no references to Joel’s prophetic ministry in any other book. However, regardless of whether it was written before or after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the return from exile nearly 50 years later, Joel’s primary message is the same as that of the other prophets: return to the Lord, for a great day of judgment is coming.

As with many portions of these prophetic books, the first chapter of Joel is heavy. It begins by describing an invasion of locusts that has brought great suffering upon God’s people. Joel announces that this is but a foretaste of the judgment that is coming if they will not repent. While it’s true that we live in a different day and are under a different covenant, it’s still the case that these words “were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Cor 10:11; cf. Rom 15:4).

Words of judgment help us to more fully appreciate the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin, all with the aim that we would then more fully appreciate the gloriousness of grace that we have been shown in Christ, who bore the punishment we deserve in our place. Also, as with His Old Covenant people, the Lord still disciplines His New Covenant people when they persist in going their own way. As Jesus wrote to the church in Laodicea: “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Rev 3:19).

Outline:

1. The Previous Crisis (vv. 1-4)
2. The People's Cries (vv. 5-13)
3. The Powerful Call (vv. 14-20)

(Special thanks to our guest preacher, William Beckham, for faithfully unpacking God's Word for us on Sunday.)