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 King Astyages (called Darius) 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 involving the second coming of Christ.  That occasion usually starts with the "rapture," or the attack on Israel, the tragic event 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.”  (Yet though judgment comes once again on the Israelites, soon there is a miraculous rescue by Jesus.)

   And some extend the “Day” to go for a thousand years, and then to include the final 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.  Thus theoretically a prophet could be talking about a present crisis and then jump to the subject of final judgment.  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

Scripture Love Blog

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

Christmas love!

   Upon arriving in Joseph’s hometown, instead of love, Joseph and Mary were shunned by some family members, at first.  Their residence was Nazareth, in the region of Galilee, which had been a region within ancient Israel.  But the ten northern tribes, called Israel at the time of their demise, were conquered by the Assyrians in 722-721 B.C.  Yet Joseph was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah, and a descendant of King David.  Thus when the Roman emperor demanded a census, the newly married couple had to travel south to Bethlehem, the town of Joseph’s lineage, to register.

   Scripture gives the brief explanation as to why they had to spend the night in a stable: “…there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).  Could not an innkeeper do anything possible to take in a woman about to give birth?  Ancient near east inns were more than likely to be dens for liquor and adultery.  Since business was hopping, the beautiful realm of birth was shut out.  However, most Hebrew travelers would stay with relatives in Judea.  I have long been convinced that Joseph and Mary, at a desperate hour, were trying to get a room in the inn at Bethlehem since all of their relatives had refused to welcome the couple into their homes.  Why?  Mary had become pregnant out of wedlock.  Relatives shunned Mary thinking she had committed adultery.  They responded in the opposite manner of Elizabeth, a relative of Mary, who was aware Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit, and who was elated to have Mary stay with her during the time of her early pregnancy (see Luke 1:42-43).  Thus, Mary had to give birth in a stable, or barn.

   How incredible that from such suffering by Mary and Joseph, God the Son gloriously entered into this hurting and needy world.  And Jesus will bring goodness from the suffering of all of us who are obedient to Him.  Jesus Christ 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, you will be saved, and you will have everlasting life.  Jesus loves you!!!

Merry Christmas!  love, Hunter