Just as Jesus said

Matthew 28:5-6 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.”

   After studying Matthew for years, I reflect on an import fact.  In the midst of His ministry work, within a short period of time, Jesus foretold of His death and resurrection three times!

   These occasions are recorded in:

Matthew 16:21

Matthew 17:9

Matthew 17:22-23

   Then soon before going to Jerusalem for His final Passover, Jesus foretold of His death and resurrection yet again.

   That occasion is recorded in Matthew 20:17-19.

   Here during this epic dawn, an angel rolled back the stone which covered the tomb.

   The appearance of that angel struck fear into the Roman guards, and they ended up fleeing their post.

   Then the women arrived.  Piecing together the details from the witnesses of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we learn there were at least five women.  Their encounters with the angels were quite overwhelming to them.  Yet though they were overwhelmed, and though Mary Magdalene remained out of it until her direct encounter with Jesus, even in the midst of their amazement they remembered that Jesus had foretold of His death, as is stated in Luke 24:8.  (Mary Magdalene probably being the exception.)

   They did continue to be overwhelmed.  The first angel who spoke to them said, “Do not be afraid…” (28:5).  Yet soon thereafter Matthew states: “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples” (28:8).  (And note Mary Magdalene separated from the other women either before they started running or while they were running.)

   I understand that this divine miracle would be overwhelming.  Yet Jesus foretold of His resurrection!  Jesus is God the Son, and He knew what was going to happen.

   Why did He not keep it a big surprise?  That would have only added to the excitement for everyone.

   The answer is that Jesus was on a mission, and He wanted His followers to know that His atoning death and resurrection was His plan.  His purpose in dying: The atonement for sins so that we people can be forgiven of our sins.

   Jesus died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for the consequence of sins, which is spiritual death.  Then Jesus was resurrected.

   If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then you will have eternal life.

   Jesus loves you!

Hunter

I add, in case you are interested, a link to the sermon I offered on April 7th as a guest preacher at McClave Community Christian Church, which is on the same subject as the piece above.  Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiAzZzFLKII

The Atonement

   Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jewish people celebrated the Passover Feast in their homes one particular evening.  The Hebrew day always started at sundown, thus the Passover took place at the start of a new day.  And the Passover was the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  That first day of the Feast was commonly termed Preparation day.  All that was permitted to be done during the sunlight hours on this day according to the Mosaic Law was a “sacred assembly,” and the preparation of food, as is stated in Exodus 12:16.

   If a Jewish person went out on his or her roof after eating the lamb feast that special night, in order to think, or to pray, or to look out into the night sky, he or she would have seen the full moon.  Israelites had a lunar calendar, and the Passover was in the middle of the moon cycle when it was “full.”  (That is why the Passover is on a different day in different years.)  The moon had the appearance of any average full moon I suspect.

   Yet under that shinning moon, outside of the Jerusalem city wall to the east, at some point Jesus was praying.  Being in agony, fully knowing that He was about to experience suffering beyond description, there in the middle of the night He was sweating.

   Hours later, at the “third hour,” which would be 9:00 am modern western time, Jesus was crucified, pierced with nails.

   Matthew records: “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land” (27:45).

   Luke adds: “for the sun stopped shining…” (23:45).

   Shortly after the ninth hour, 3:00 pm modern western time, Jesus died, physically and spiritually.

   Three times, Joel foretold of events when the sun would be darkened, as I discussed in one piece during the intense study and pondering of the book of Joel here during Lent of 2024.  However, the sun being darkened when Jesus was dying on the cross apparently is not one of Joel’s prophecies.  Joel does not even give a prophecy regarding the atonement of Jesus.  Yet Joel did foretell of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  And that historic event was only possible because of the sacrificial atonement made by Jesus.

   And Joel does tell the result of the atonement made by Jesus: “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved…” (Joel 2:32).

   Salvation is available because of the sacrifice which Jesus made on the cross.

   Consider the fact that the entire righteous wrath of God, wrath for the terribly hurtful consequences of the sins of all people, including the wrath discussed in the book of Joel, was taken by Jesus in His heart on the cross.  Jesus was the substitute for the sins of people.  The result was that He physically and spiritually died.

   And then Jesus was resurrected.

   Jesus took that punishment for the sins of everyone of all time, because Jesus loves everyone.

   Because of the atonement made by Jesus, if you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be saved from spiritual death, and you will have eternal life!

   I invite you this day to give your heart to Jesus, the One who loves you.

Hunter Irvine

Joel 3:16-21 God is faithful

   The definition of a Mosaic covenant prophet is a person who spoke for God.  In order to do so, he or she had to listen to God.  Joel did.

   And Joel the writer was quite descriptive, with vivid imagery.  We were shown God’s righteous judgment through his creative metaphors.

   God is just.

   God is merciful.

   The last passage of this book displays the beautiful restoration carried out by God.  Joel’s keen writing gives descriptive phrases which create an emotional picture of prosperity:

“…hills will flow with milk;

all the ravines of Judah will run with water” (3:18).

   How interesting that the description by Joel of that restoration includes these two staples of life.  Water and milk were scarce after the locust invasion.  For the original readers of this book, the Hebrew people in the midst of a famine, this promise of an abundance of water and milk would have made a big impression.

   This restoration is a result of God’s faithfulness.

   At the base of Mount Sinai, in the 1400’s B.C., a covenant was established between God and the Hebrew people, with Moses as the mediator.  That covenant was grounded in God’s promise that if the Israelites obeyed His commandments, they would have a long life and prosperity in the land He was going to give them.

   In the history of the Israelites which followed, the Hebrew people often failed to obey the commandments of God, which was their duty under the covenant.  Disaster always resulted.  Such was the case in the time of Joel.  And such will be the case in the ‘end times.’  Yet judgment is not the end of the story for Israel.

   When shifting to talking about restoration after the disastrous locust invasion, Joel stated God is “abounding in love” (2:13).  And in love, God stated at the start of this chapter: “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem…” (Joel 3:1).

   God is going to rescue the Jewish people from the attack of wicked warriors from all nations.  And God is going to secure the land of Judah and Jerusalem for the Hebrews forever more.

   “…never again will foreigners invade her” (Joel 3:17).

   Tragedies and triumphs have both been a part of the Israelite’s history, yet because of God’s faithfulness, the end result will be final restoration for Israel.

   This special book by Joel ends with the subject of a pardon being given to the Jewish people.

   Here at the conclusion of this intense study, I will refrain from carefully examining the nature of the word “pardon.”  I will say the term “pardon” often has the definition of being an act of releasing someone from the punishment which was due to them, without any redeeming payment.

   Throughout the centuries, the Hebrew people have encountered tragic suffering.  Though being in a blessed position as people who were a part of the Mosaic covenant with God, the Hebrew people have also been a people who were in an extremely vulnerable position by being in the Mosaic covenant.  Thus this seems to be a unique pardon by our God at the close of the history of Israel in the fallen world in the ‘end times.’

   Yet personal redemption is still needed by every individual before our just God.  After the epic rescue on the Mount of Olives, Jesus will give the Israelites a grand opportunity to turn to Himself, the true Messiah.

   Even though Joel ends his book on the restoration of Israel, the ultimate “day of the LORD” will be after this.  ‘Judgment Day’ will involve permanent judgment and permanent mercy from our Holy God.

   Salvation was the pinnacle message of the book of Joel in 2:28-32.  And though Joel did not elaborate on the “day of the LORD” which will be the final judgment as revealed in the book of Revelation, Joel did give the key point: “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved…” (2:32).

This salvation is possible because of all that Jesus did, which includes:

Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant.

Jesus died as the substitute for all human beings, taking upon Himself the judgment and punishment we deserved, when He died on the cross at Golgotha.

And now:

Jesus offers the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus offers the Jewish people a New Covenant.

Jesus offers anyone the New Covenant.

   Over 800 years later, an apostle of Jesus named Paul wrote:

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God, for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Romans 1:16).

   Jesus made atonement for all sins on the cross.

   Any person who believes in Jesus has eternal life.

To truly believe in Jesus is to receive Jesus into your heart.

   God has been faithful to the Hebrew people all along.  And our loving God offers forgiveness to us all.

Hunter Irvine

Joel 3:1-15 God is just

God is just.  God is merciful.

Chapter three continues with the subjects of judgment and restoration, yet there is a big shift.  The locust attack was a judgment of God on the Israelites since they had turned away from Him.  In the future, judgment will come upon people against God from all the nations.

   Yet for Israel, permanent restoration by God will take place.  This “day of the LORD” will be the resolution to the tribulation.

   A key phrase to gain the context of this passage: “I will gather all nations…” (Joel 3:2).  A confederation of all nations is something which has never happened, to say the least.  Since Joel spoke of this extraordinary event here, it is a sensible deduction this is the same “day of the LORD” as is foretold by the prophet Zechariah in chapter 14 of his book.  And from Zechariah we can learn what will happen just prior to this judgment and restoration, so we can more fully grasp both.

   Zechariah foretold there will be an attack against the Israelites involving warriors from every nation.  Such a multi-national army attacking Israel sounds fictional.  Yet consider the events which will lead to this “day of the LORD.”

First, all Christians in the world will be ushered away by Jesus.  The Second Coming of Christ will take place in stages.  The first stage is what is commonly termed “the rapture.”  This is the event prophesied by Jesus, (recorded in Matthew 24:29-31), and told of by Paul, (recorded in I Thessalonians 4:16-18).  Not a quiet event, thrilled Christians will be brought to heaven in a supernatural way.

   Thus, the countless Christians of the world will be gone.

Second, chaos is going to break out.  Termed by many Christians as the ‘tribulation,’ circumstances worldwide will quickly become horrible.  (A number of people say it will be a seven year period according to an interpretation they make of a passage within the book of Daniel.)

   Now there will still be an opportunity for people to turn to the Messiah.  I have long recognized this period to be an overtime opportunity for people to be saved.

   However, the summary is: It will be a horrible time.

   And all it will take is one evil world leader, who will blame Israel for the chaos, to convince many people to attack them.

Third, a multi-national army will attack Jerusalem.  Zechariah foretells this with sad details, including the fact that half of the Israelites will be captured and sent into exile.

Fourth, praise be to God, the LORD is going to rescue the nation of Israel in an epic manner!  The multi-national army will not overtake the Jewish people.  The Jewish people will be rescued by the Messiah, as both Zechariah and Joel prophesied.

Fifth, there is going to be judgment and punishment against the nations.  Joel, being the creative writer he was, uses a metaphor of harvesting and preparing grapes to describe the punishment of the guilty.

   Note there is a turn of fortune.  The book of Joel started off with the Hebrews farmers, the common occupation of people in Judah, being the ones who were at the forefront of the judgment of God.

   Yet now, as God sits as judge, Joel’s metaphor has the role of farmers as the individuals who carry out the punishment for God against the wicked warriors who rebelled against Him.  Literally, I understand this to be angels of God, the “holy ones” mentioned in Zechariah 12:5.

   The punishment of the wicked warriors will be death.

   Praise be to God, the story does not end there.

Hunter Irvine

Joel - The sun and moon will be darkened

   Three times Joel speaks of the phenomenon of the sun being darkened. With a little variation, the moon and the stars are also a part of this astronomy wonder.

   On the doorstep of the third and final chapter of Joel, where this phrase will be used for the third time, I briefly address all three as a review, and also so we are ready to soak in the final prophecy of Joel.

   The sun and moon being darkened indicate an aspect of an event where there is judgment, followed by a grand blessing of God.

1.)   “Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine” (Joel 2:10).

   Recall this passage was a prophecy of the Assyrian army overtaking the ten tribes of Israel as they did in 722 to 721 B.C.  Joel’s prophecy happened.

   “The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years.  In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria…” (2 Kings 17:5-6).  (Note that Samaria was the capital of Israel.)

   The author of 2 Kings was not focused on the military details, rather he was focused on explaining the reason for the collapse of Israel.  A long explanation starts with the sentence: “All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.…” (2 Kings 17:7).

   Indeed it is a sad story.  “The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways.  Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’  But they would not listen…” (2 Kings 17:13-14).

   The three year siege surely was devastating, and I speculate the king of Assyria had some record made of his victory, which was a common Ancient Near East practice.  (And usually those same countries would not record their defeats.)

   However, there is no record that I know of explaining a miraculous astronomy event occurring during the Assyrian attack on Israel.

   No, this was not an eclipse considering Joel always states the phenomenon involving both the sun and moon, and sometimes the stars.

   And I do not think this is a metaphor, since it clicks with other “day of the LORD” prophecies which likewise use this phrase in a physical context.

   Key: Such a phenomenon was foretold by Jesus Himself!  He foretold the sun and moon will be darkened at the time of the first stage of the Second Coming of Christ, as recorded in Matthew 24:29-30.  So we know such an astronomy miracle fits God’s intentions.

   Thus, I think there was an astronomy miracle.

   Joel stated judgment would take place, and it did, due to the sins of the leaders and people of Israel.

   The grand blessing from God was that He thwarted the attempt by the Assyrian army to conquer Judah, even though they tried.

2.) “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31).

   Considering the context of this passage after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, it is likely a literal occurrence during an event in the future after Pentecost.

   And considering the context within the prophecy of salvation being offered to everyone, and the blood moon, which is a different detail than Joel’s other statements about the moon, I think this prophecy is for the final judgment which is prophesied in the book of Revelation.

   Permanent judgment will take place against all those who are guilty of sin.

   The grand blessing from God will be the eternal salvation of all those who believe in Jesus, and thus have been forgiven of their sins.

3.) “The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine” (Joel 3:15).

   This literal occurrence happens at the second stage of the Second Coming of Christ.

   Zechariah 14:6 states: “On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost.  It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime – a day known to the LORD.  When evening comes, there will be light.”

   Judgment will take place against all of the people from all nations who rebelled against God during the ‘tribulation.’

   The grand blessing from God is that the Jewish people will be rescued by God and will have their homeland preserved by the Messiah for evermore.

Hunter Irvine

Joel 2:28-32 Salvation

   Wild enough, this passage is the pinnacle in the book of Joel.  So far in the book, the tragedy and the triumph have been epic, but they also have been temporary.  The ruin by the locust invasion was temporary.  But so was the restoration and prosperity for the people of Judah.  In the centuries which followed, more tragedy and triumph came.  And through it all, people only had so many years in this world, like us all.

   Whereas this passage gives a prophecy of a key event in the history of people which had a permanent result:  The pouring out of the Holy Spirit, which happened at Pentecost after the ascension of Jesus.

   Thanks to the apostle Peter, we do not have to debate this prophecy.  Peter made it clear that this prophecy was fulfilled then and there!  Peter quotes this passage, as is recorded in Acts 2:16-21.

   Believers were permanently indwelled with the Holy Spirit, because Jesus made the atonement on the cross.  His atonement made it possible for any person to have eternal life.

   Eternal life!

   The unlimited sacrificial atonement made by Jesus on the cross gave all people the opportunity to be saved.

   Yes, Joel says “…everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved…” (2:32).

   And because of the teachings of Jesus, we know the specifics: a person who believes in Jesus is saved!

   “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).

   Joel mentions again in this passage that there is going to be a “day of the LORD.”  The one he is referring to is commonly called “judgment day,” which is prophesied in the book of Revelation.  Peter likewise wrote about this day in 2 Peter 3:10-13.

   “Judgment Day” will be the final action by God in this world of His justice and mercy.  God will judge the living and the dead in an ultimate and final manner.

   All believers in Jesus will be saved from spiritual death, since all believers are redeemed by the atonement of Jesus!

   We followers of Jesus can know that the ultimate “day of the LORD” will be utterly glorious for all followers of Jesus, since we will share in the glory of Christ.

   To God be the glory!

Hunter Irvine

Joel 2:18-27 Restoration

   This passage of Scripture reveals that God honors the repentance of people.  There is the foretelling that He will restore the land.

   Joel states: The LORD will reply to them: “I am sending you grain, new wine, and oil, enough to satisfy you fully…” (2:19).

   Joel also states: “The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil” (2:24).

   God replies to the people’s remorse.

   Dr. Eric Welch, a professor at the University of Kentucky, and an archaeologist, spoke at Colorado Christian University in the winter of 2016.  His seminar talk was on the subject of olive oil in the Ancient Near East, and it was fascinating.

   Stating that agriculture was the mode of life in the ANE, Dr. Welch noted how the Bible often lists together the three staples of grain, grapes, and olive oil.  He said such a phrase is often used in the Bible as a literary expression to indicate prosperity.

   And the bottom line is stated in Joel 2:26 – “You will have plenty to eat, until you are full…”

   Picture the arid region of ancient Judah with stripped and burnt fields.  Yet then picture autumn and spring rains provided by God.  I speculate it rained more than usual.

   “…for the open pastures are becoming green.  The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches” (Joel 2:22).

   And Joel records God’s statement that He will drive back the Assyrian army from Judah.  This was the response to the people’s repentance by our loving God.

   One big challenge in this passage: Joel states, “…never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations” (Joel 2:19).

   Later in this passage Joel states, “…never again will my people be shamed” (Joel 2:26).

   Then he repeats that: “…never again will my people be shamed” (Joel 2:27).

   Since this specific restoration took place before the Babylonian exile, how can this be the case?  In knowing what took place in the history of the Israelites for many centuries after this, and in knowing what will take place in the ‘end times’ thanks to prophecies from Zechariah and Joel, this statement does not seem to fit.

   In fact, to take this as a general statement, this passage would be a prophecy which would take place after the Second Coming of Christ.

   Is the day of YHWH, which Joel speaks of five times, as I discussed in the last piece, actually the “day of the LORD” from Zechariah?

   No.  Remember that the "day of the LORD" is found in two different contexts in the book of Joel.  In fact, when we get to the next passage, Joel 2:28 states: “And afterward….”  There is a chronological progression here.

   Thus this statement about God’s people being preserved from shame by other nations needs to be taken as a statement made solely to that generation.

   However, I do think there is continued foreshadowing here for all generations of Jewish people.  The day of their glory is coming as Zechariah foretold as is recorded in Zechariah 14:11 and 14:16.

   Not a double entendre, which is a risky literary tool, there is indeed foreshadowing of the second stage of the Second Coming of Christ.

   Yet back to the subject Joel is addressing: How awesome it must have been for the Hebrew people to go from a stripped and charred land to blossoming fields.

   After the trauma of the locust invasion, it may have taken some time for them to truly grasp their livelihood was being restored.  Yet when they did, as was foretold, many Israelites praised the LORD!

Hunter Irvine

Joel 2:12-17 Love

   God is asking the Hebrew people, the people whom He chose to be in a special covenant relationship with Him, to return to Him.

   As I previously mentioned, that is the solution given by God in the wake of the locust disaster and on the path towards the Assyrian disaster.

   Joel gives God’s plea: “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart…” (Joel 2:12).

   Having followed Jesus for over 33 years, I know what brings happiness.  Love brings happiness.

   Joel reveals that God is “abounding in love,” which is recorded in Joel 2:13.

   For those willing to open their heart to God, they will receive His true love.

   Even as our tears flow in this world so full of disaster, may we soak in more and more those revelations of Scripture which show God is love.  And may we soak in more and more the Scriptures which tell of God’s love, such as I John 4:16, which states: “God is love.”

Hunter Irvine

Joel 2:1-11 Judgment

   In this passage, Joel states, “…the day of the LORD is coming” (2:1).  What is the “day of the LORD?”  After an intense period of Scripture study and pondering, the answer was a bit of a surprise to me, yet now makes total sense.

   Since Joel does not give a specific context for this specific “day” in this immediate passage, we need to apply a key Biblical interpretation method.  We need to take this verse in the context of the passage, and the passage in the context of the chapter, and the chapter in the context of the book, and the book within the context of all Scriptures!

   And through it all, we must let the author speak for himself, one whose writing was inspired by God.

   Look at what Joel writes later in this “chapter:” “The LORD will reply to them: ‘I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.  I will drive the northern army far from you…’” (Joel 2:19-20).

   Thus considering this prophecy within the chapter, this specific “day of the LORD” is a prophecy of the attack by Assyria on the ten tribes of Israel.

(Joel is going to get to the day of the LORD I was expecting.)

   Remember that in the wake of King David’s reign, after his son Solomon's reign, the nation of Israel went through the sad split, creating the northern kingdom, which kept the name Israel, and the southern kingdom, which was called Judah.

   However, in 723-722 B.C., Assyria ransacked Israel.

   Taking the class “Western Civilization” as a student at Colorado Christian University with the superb History professor Dr. Stan Dyck, I recall him making the statement in class one time about how vicious the Assyrian army was.

   Do keep in mind that God miraculously protected Judah, thus Assyria never overtook Judah, though they tried.

   So “the day of the LORD” prophesied by Joel in this passage was the vengeance God took on the rebellious northern kingdom.

   In this passage, Joel foretells of that Assyrian attack using the imagery of the locust attack.  Again, he was a gifted writer.

   Please note that in Joel 2:1-11, Joel is not giving a continued description of the locust invasion.  That was done.  The “day of the LORD” was a future event.  And that ‘day,’ the Assyrian attack, tragically happened.

   This view is supported as we look at another Scripture book.  In the book of Isaiah, that prophet speaks of “the day of the LORD” in Isaiah 13:9.  That term was used by Isaiah within his prophecy to foretell that Babylon would be ransacked by the Median empire.

   (That prophecy by Isaiah supports my view that Babylon was conquered in a violent manner by the violent and deranged King Astyages the Mede.  My thesis is once King Cyrus, the Persian, overthrew King Astyages, the weak but proud nation of Babylon slipped back to independence.  But sometime later, King Cyrus conquered them without even having to fight, as is told of by the historian Herodotus.

   The bottom line: Ancient Babylon met its’ demise, just as Isaiah foretold.)

   So the answer to my question: The general term “the day of the LORD” is an occasion of God’s righteous vengeance, carried out by an epic specific event.

   In Joel 1:15, Joel 2:1, and Joel 2:11, the day of the LORD is God’s judgment against the northern kingdom.  And that happened.

   In the case of Isaiah 13:9, the day of the LORD is God’s vengeance against Babylon.  And that happened.

   Thus the term as used on various occasions does not refer to only one single event, yet I emphasis that this term is used only for a handful of turning point events.

   There are a number of Christians who disagree on this important point.  They advocate “the day of the LORD” always refers to a single occasion or single time period.  The occasion usually starts with the day prophesied by Zechariah as recorded in chapter 14 of his book.  In fact, Zechariah 14:1 states: “A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.”

   And some extend the “Day” to go for a thousand years, and then to include the judgment told of in the book of Revelation.  Some advocate it is only 'judgment day.'

   I understand that position and I respect their view.

   (The reason I can see where they are coming from is the fact that Hebrew writing sometimes involved the literary practice of patterns.  Thus a Hebrew writer sometimes took a quick shift from the present to a distant future, and then shifted back to the subject at hand.  Yet I am convinced Joel is not doing that here!)

   Joel is a fitting book in which to raise this issue, because Joel uses this term five times, yet in two different chronological contexts.  (Joel 2:31 and Joel 3:14 being the other two times he uses the term.  We will get to those and the subject of a finale “day of the LORD.”)

   We need to go at Joel’s pace.  And we need to understand his literary structure.

   Also, my point is reinforced by the fact “the day of the LORD” in this passage signifies judgment against the Israelites.  On the flip side, as we continue with this book of Joel, he will get to the day of LORD prophesied by Zechariah.  That will take place after the ‘tribulation,’ and God will rescue the Jewish people from an overwhelming attack.  Judgment will come upon the rebellious people of all other nations.  It will be a time for celebration for the Jewish people!

   Thanks to the further revelations we have as followers of Jesus under the New Covenant, we can assume that within all of the prophecies of “the day of the LORD,” there is foreshadowing of the ultimate occasion of vengeance and glory, a day which is recorded in the book of Revelation.  This coming “day” will be the ultimate “day of the LORD," and be a finale event in the history of this world.  This is detailed in Revelation 20:11-15.

   How interesting Joel states at the end of this passage: “…The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful.  Who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11).

   Can something be great and dreadful at the same time?  Something can be great to one person, and dreadful to another.

   Any “day of the LORD” is great, because God’s vengeance is the justice of God being carried out!

   This specific “day of the LORD” was dreadful, because many Israelites physically died.  How tragic.  Yet there was the mercy of God as He protected the Israelites of Judah.

   And the mercy of God continues for all Israelites, and we will see that in the next passage.

Hunter Irvine

Joel 1:19-20 Joel practiced what he preached

   These two verses describe the result of a failed solution attempt, yet also show the genuine solution.

   When I first read this passage, I thought “fire” was a metaphor for the damage done by the locusts.  Yet I do not think that now.  The destruction told of here: wildfires set by people in an attempt to thwart the locusts.

   In modern times pesticides have been a major manner of preventing insects from ruining crops.  That has led to the problem of the harm of bad chemicals to people and the environment.  Safely dealing with insect destruction has become a scientific endeavor.  But people had no such technology in ancient times.  I considered people had no way to stop an army of locusts.  Yet upon reading a Bible encyclopedia statement, I learned farmers had one desperate manner.  They would set a field on fire.  Bugs avoid smoke!

   The massive invasion of locusts was so horrible, a number of people probably set open fields on fire in a desperate attempt to drive away the locusts from their crops.  Rather than rescuing the crops, numerous fires went out of control and added to the destruction.

   Have you ever seen a forest where there had been a wildfire?

   I saw such in the summer of 2012, driving along a scenic highway in Colorado.  Mile after mile, there was just blackish dirt and charred sticks in the ground which had been trees.  Rather than flowing vegetation life, there was vegetation death.

   Likewise, the land of Judah was charred.

   I think Joel was a talented writer.  And being an assertive prophet, in chapter one he used commanding language which often starts with active verbs, with the goal of leading to the solution.  That solution was given in my previous piece.  The solution: “…cry out to the LORD” (1:14).

   And for a fitting finale of this “chapter,” Joel practices what he preaches!

   “To you, O LORD, I call….” (Joel 1:19).

   Joel was a prophet, yet Joel was human.  Back in verse 7, Joel said about the locust invasion: “It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees…”  He was personally hurt by this disaster just like everyone else.

   Joel practiced what he preached: Joel turned to God for help.

Hunter Irvine

Joel 1:8-18 Disaster cause and solution

   Have you ever been hungry?  When I backpacked the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 1990, I had to carry all of my food for five to ten days in my backpack.  Thus I had to ration my food.  I burned so many calories out there, on most days I could have eaten much more.  I had more of an appreciation for food than ever in my life!

   For most of human history, until the past hundred plus years, farming was the livelihood for a majority of people in the world.  I have admiration for farmers!  We all need food, and farmers make that possible.

   In ancient Israel, most people farmed.  Crops were sowed in the soil.  Daily hard work went into planting, watering, and reaping crops.  Fruit trees were watered, pruned, and picked.  Farming was the staple of daily work.

   There was no electricity, no refrigeration, and no cans.

   There was only drying and storing.

   This tragic invasion of locusts in the time of Joel ruined the crops.  As Joel stated, “…the harvest of the field is destroyed” (1:11).

   The result: People were hungry.

   In telling of this disaster, I think it is purposeful that Joel focuses on the fact that grain offerings and drink offerings ceased to be made by most people at the temple in Jerusalem.

   Joel states: “The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD” (Joel 1:9).

   Joel goes on to say: “…Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God” (Joel 1:13).

   I think Joel focuses on the end of those offerings at the temple since he is giving a preface for the reason for the disaster.  Jumping ahead to Joel 2:12: “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart…”

   And in 2:13, Joel stated: “…Return to the LORD your God…”

   Many people had decided to ignore God.  Many people were doing what they wanted to do.  The result was devastating.

   Sometimes when suffering is so terrible, it is overwhelming for a writer to get into the details.  Joel tactfully gives a description of the terrible condition of Israel: “How the cattle moan!  The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering” (Joel 1:18).

   How terrible.

   Yet God gives Joel a solution, and Joel delivers the instruction: “…Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD” (Joel 1:14).

Hunter Irvine

Joel 1: 1-7 The locust invasion

   A humongous disaster hit ancient Israel - an invasion of countless locusts.  Scholars do not know the date.  Yet Joel recorded it.

   Farming is an essential pillar of human civilization.  All people must eat.

   Now ancient farmers, like modern farmers, were hardy men and women.  They often dealt with adversity.  And locusts were probably common in the ancient near east.  Note that John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey when living out in a remote desert area of Judea.

   I add that during the pandemic in 2020, I read a BBC article which told of a locust threat at that time in a region in Africa.  Thus locusts are even an issue here about 2,700 years later.

   Yet the magnitude of this locust invasion was unprecedented. Those locusts stripped crops which would have otherwise fed people and livestock.  And it probably involved waves of locusts, considering Joel’s statement in verse 4.  Whatever the details, the prophet Joel asks, “…Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?” (Joel 1:2).

   In ancient Israel, this swarm of locust ruined the crops.

   Imagine if you went to your local grocery store, and there were only a few food items on the shelf, for months.  That is a rough example for the way it was for the Hebrew people.  Their food was eaten by countless gliding grasshoppers.  It is most likely that plenty of people were hungry, and for a long time.

   When I was a new Christian, I did not read much from the Scripture books of the prophets, because in giving them some brief looks, the writing seemed to primarily speak of gloom and doom.  Yet in following years as I started carefully reading the prophets of God under the Mosaic covenant, I learned there are incredible messages of hope.  We must keep reading Joel in order to get to such prophecy of hope, including the prophecy of the epic event which took place on Pentecost, around seven centuries after Joel wrote this Scripture.  And Joel foretold of an event which would take place thousands of years after his time.  How incredible and how important to know that prophecy remains a hope in our future.

Hunter Irvine

Who is the Redeemer?

About 700 years before the arrival of the Messiah, the prophet Isaiah foretold of a Redeemer to come.

For example:

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD.

(Isaiah 59:20)

“…Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

(Isaiah 60:16)

“…you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.”

(Isaiah 63:16)

Yet first, what is redemption?  (And we need the definition as established in ancient times.)

   The apostle Paul stated: “For [the Father] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

   Thus redemption here is tied in with being forgiven.

   In my early youth, glass bottles were still commonly used for sodas.  I remember drinking the original sports drink out of a glass bottle.  It tasted so good.  Yet glass bottles were being steadily phased out, since aluminum cans had taken over.

   In one of the first mass recycling endeavors in the United States of America, a number of states passed a law that a person could take her or his glass bottles back to a store and “redeem” them for a nickel a piece.  This was to keep people from littering glass or throwing away glass bottles.

   Thus redeeming was exchanging an empty bottle for money.  The purpose was achieved: the state prevented the bottle from being wasted.

   That definition of the word was quite eroded from the subject of forgiveness, yet it illustrates the basic concept of the word.  There was a payment to get the bottle back.

   The redemption by the Redeemer was a payment so people can be forgiven of sins.

What was that payment?  Death.

What does death have to do with sins?

   As Paul states: “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).

   Death, physical and spiritual, is a consequence of sins.

Who is the Redeemer?

   Paul completes the sentence: “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

   Jesus made forgiveness possible by an exchange of His life for the sins of people.  Jesus took the sins of all people, past, present, and future, in His own heart, and died on the cross.  The payment was His own death.  Then Jesus was resurrected by the Father.

   I often speak of Jesus as my Savior.  Indeed, the angel who spoke to David in a dream stated: “[Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

   Likewise, Redeemer is a title which richly embodies the salvation which Jesus has made possible for us.

   The result of giving your heart to the Redeemer, who is the Messiah: “They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD…” (Isaiah 62:12).  And the gift of eternal life becomes yours, as we learned from Romans 6:23.

Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  He was the substitute for the consequence of sins, which is death, physical and spiritual.  If you believe in Jesus, the Redeemer foretold by Isaiah, then you will have eternal life in Christ.

Hunter Irvine

How should we address God?

   We learn from the Bible about how to address God in prayer.  Christians can address God using more than one term.  Yet we have a clear foundation for addressing, thanks to the teachings of Jesus.

Heavenly Father – Jesus gave us a manner of prayer, teaching us what is now termed by Christians as “The Lord’s Prayer,” as recorded in Matthew 6:9-13.

He taught to address God in a prayer as “our Father, who art in heaven.”

Thus addressing God as “Heavenly Father” is an utter privilege!

Holy Father – In the longest prayer by Jesus recorded in the Scriptures, recorded in John 17:1-26, (specifically 17:11), Jesus addressed God the Father as “Holy Father.”

Righteous Father – Likewise in that prayer recorded in John 17:1-26, (specifically 17:25), Jesus addressed God the Father as “Righteous Father.”

Father – And to begin that prayer in John 17:1-26, Jesus simply began saying: “Father….”  A follower of Jesus has been adopted as a child of God, thus a follower of Jesus has the ultimate privilege of calling God “Father!”

Father God – The spark for writing this piece was the prayer of a man at a Christmas event I attended, an event which was my surprise blessing of the Christmas season.  This term is how that man addressed God.

From careful examination of the revelations of Scripture, you can learn God is revealed as three Persons and one Being.  Thus to refer to the Father, or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, as God, is accurate.

Jesus – Speaking of the “Trinity,” Jesus is God the Son.  Sometimes we Christians directly address Jesus when praying.  I understand this personal address.  Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).

And after ascending to heaven, Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father, as generally stated in Hebrews 8:1.

This is a personal address, which I use often in personal moments.

I do add that when praying publically, I go with addressing our Father, and then by closing in the name of Jesus.

For example, I close many prayers by saying, “It is through the loving name of You Lord Jesus I pray.  Amen.”

Christ – Jesus is the Messiah.  So including the title “Christ” along with His name fits.

Holy Spirit – It is rare I address a prayer to the Holy Spirit, yet I am mindful that the Holy Spirit likewise is the third Person of God.

In fact, there have been times where I have addressed all three Persons of the Trinity when in prayer.

Lord – I often hear Christians referring to God as Lord when praying.  The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Savior and Lord of anyone who believes in Him.

Lord God Almighty - There are many other terms for God which we can draw on from the Old Testament.  This is one.  And it is not simply some Old Testament term needing to be retired.  This address is given to God in the future as revealed in the book of Revelation.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).

I write this piece on Martin Luther King Day here in America.  The profession of Dr. King was a career as a Baptist minister.  In his classic speech, “I Have a Dream,” Dr. King referred to God in the final closing sentence as “God Almighty.”

   Titles for God as revealed in the Scriptures are numerous!

I offer one example of several titles given by the prophet Isaiah in one single verse:

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace

(Isaiah 9:6)

   Touching on Isaiah, I must mention Isaiah’s prophecy of “Immanuel” as recorded in Isaiah 7:14, which was acknowledged by an apostle of Jesus named Matthew in his ‘gospel’ book, in chapter 1, verses 22-23.

   And think of John’s address for Jesus being the Lamb of God!

   Recorded in the ‘gospel’ of John in chapter 1, verse 29: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

This single title summarizes the atoning sacrifice Jesus made on the cross!

   Back in the 1990’s, I was on a Christian retreat with “Salt and Light,” the singles group of my church.  In a small chapel at the retreat center, on one upper wall near the ceiling, there was a list of numerous names for Jesus which are revealed in the Bible.  It was amazing and powerful to see so many names for Jesus so artfully printed on a wall!

   You can find lists on the Internet of the many names for Jesus revealed in the Bible.  This is not a comprehensive list.

   Just as the Trinity goes beyond my imagination, so does the nature of God.  So I do not think Jesus restricts us to one title in which to address God.  I think your address of God needs to be personal for you.

   On the flip side, I think this is an important subject to consider, since God is honored when Christian brothers and sisters address Him in a Biblical manner as a family.

   Recorded in the book of Exodus, God identified Himself as “I AM.”  Then God revealed His name of YHWH, which is probably derived from “I AM.”  This all happened at the “burning bush.”  The term YHWH is called the Tetragrammaton by scholars today.  Yet no vowels or vowels, it was a revealed name of God.  But it sure was not personal.

   What an incredible shift to being able to refer to God as Father.  That is totally because of the sacrificial atonement made by Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead by the Father.  For all people who believe in Jesus as their Savior and Lord, they are adopted as children of God!

   Thus I bring this subject home by saying that in prayer, a believer in Jesus is privileged to address God as “Father!!!”

+ Heavenly Father, I thank You for adopting me as one of your children through the atonement of Jesus.  I have life in Christ.  And after some big ups and downs of the past week, I take this moment to say thank You for enabling me to have joy and peace in the midst of the challenges and in the midst of the victories of the past week.

It is through the loving name of You Jesus I pray.  Amen.

love, Hunter