Good Morning “Recognizers of Urgency.” Today we are in Joel 1.
Scripture doesn’t tell us a lot about Joel or his short book. Jewish tradition places him in the days of Uzziah, about 750-795 B.C. For reference Isaiah began prophesying during the reign of King Uzziah. Because of the nation’s sin (during Uzziah’s reign), there was a great earthquake and a famine resulting from locust infestation. Considering Joel’s account of the locust plague and his description of the earthquake (in chapter 2), it’s seems Joel fits toward the end of Uzziah’s reign.
As we’ve studied the prophets, we’ve often identified multi staged prophecy:
1) Present-day/immediate future prophecy
2) Jesus’ first coming/earthly ministry prophecy
3) End Times/Jesus’ return and fully established Kingdom prophecy
We’ve seen all of these found in the same single Word from The Lord. The same is true here. All three stages carry the same message: Return to the Lord!
Not only does God give us a near countless number of prophecies in Scripture, He’s ordained world events in such a way, that multiple events from multiple time periods fulfill a single section of prophesy. Man could not have fabricated it (as some suggest) even if he wanted to. Gods Word and prophecy is simply too complex, too multifaceted. Fulfillment of His prophecy is a mathematical impossibility. God is not man, He is not bound by our calculations!
Joel spoke of things happening in his own time. There was an actual famine caused by locusts and a real earthquake. Within 150 years, a whole other sort of “three-fold” plague of locusts would swarm Judah and destroy
her completely - The Babylonians.
Joel’s message was both timely and prophetic. Joel’s prophecy also reminds us of the messed up condition of Israel when Jesus was born, and… it reminds us of Jesus’ words concerning a time yet to come (Matthew 24:9-14)
There, Jesus spoke of the immediate future concerning the persecution of the early believers. But He also spoke directly of the end times, which it seems we are living in now. No matter the time period - the prophetic message remains the same… Return to the Lord!
Remember King Josiah in 2 Kings 22? The Lord was about to bring judgment upon Israel, but because King Josiah humbled himself (and the people followed suit), God held back His judgment against that generation. Is the same true for us right now? Based on God’s Word, our nation has definitely earned some judgment. What is He waiting for? What is His message for our generation?
The message is still the same. Return to the Lord, and bring as many people with you as He allows! Live It and share It!
Love you all! Dig in and live It out!
Scripture doesn’t tell us a lot about Joel or his short book. Jewish tradition places him in the days of Uzziah, about 750-795 B.C. For reference Isaiah began prophesying during the reign of King Uzziah. Because of the nation’s sin (during Uzziah’s reign), there was a great earthquake and a famine resulting from locust infestation. Considering Joel’s account of the locust plague and his description of the earthquake (in chapter 2), it’s seems Joel fits toward the end of Uzziah’s reign.
As we’ve studied the prophets, we’ve often identified multi staged prophecy:
1) Present-day/immediate future prophecy
2) Jesus’ first coming/earthly ministry prophecy
3) End Times/Jesus’ return and fully established Kingdom prophecy
We’ve seen all of these found in the same single Word from The Lord. The same is true here. All three stages carry the same message: Return to the Lord!
Not only does God give us a near countless number of prophecies in Scripture, He’s ordained world events in such a way, that multiple events from multiple time periods fulfill a single section of prophesy. Man could not have fabricated it (as some suggest) even if he wanted to. Gods Word and prophecy is simply too complex, too multifaceted. Fulfillment of His prophecy is a mathematical impossibility. God is not man, He is not bound by our calculations!
Joel spoke of things happening in his own time. There was an actual famine caused by locusts and a real earthquake. Within 150 years, a whole other sort of “three-fold” plague of locusts would swarm Judah and destroy
her completely - The Babylonians.
Joel’s message was both timely and prophetic. Joel’s prophecy also reminds us of the messed up condition of Israel when Jesus was born, and… it reminds us of Jesus’ words concerning a time yet to come (Matthew 24:9-14)
There, Jesus spoke of the immediate future concerning the persecution of the early believers. But He also spoke directly of the end times, which it seems we are living in now. No matter the time period - the prophetic message remains the same… Return to the Lord!
Remember King Josiah in 2 Kings 22? The Lord was about to bring judgment upon Israel, but because King Josiah humbled himself (and the people followed suit), God held back His judgment against that generation. Is the same true for us right now? Based on God’s Word, our nation has definitely earned some judgment. What is He waiting for? What is His message for our generation?
The message is still the same. Return to the Lord, and bring as many people with you as He allows! Live It and share It!
Love you all! Dig in and live It out!
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