Joel 1

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Introduction

The whole counsel of God
- Our desire to is to teach through the whole Bible…
- Acts 20:27 – “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”
- We finished Hosea – the 28^th book of the Old Testament – 5^th of 16 prophetic books in the OT…
- We will start with Joel – the 2^nd of what is known as the 12 Minor Prophets…

The prophets…
- 1^st – Who were the prophets…
  - The prophets of Israel were sent by God to call Israel to repentance…
  - But there was also an aspect of the Prophets to foretelling the future…
  - Not so much because God wanted His people to know what the future held…
  - But so that when the future came – people would see God knew in advance…
  - Because only the Lord is outside of time – only he sees the end from the beginning…
  - Prophecies are His fingerprint proving He is the author of the Word – Isaiah 46:9-10
- 2^nd – The time of the prophets – the Divided Kingdom…
  - After the death of Solomon the Kingdom of Israel was split in two – 930 B.C.
  - The Northern 10 tribes – called Israel / Ephraim / or Samaria – ruled at first by Jeroboam…
  - Judah and Benjamin – called Judah – ruled at first by Rehoboam…
  - Israel would not be reunited again as one nation until May 14, 1948 – Ezekiel 37:21-22
  - 40 Kings would rule over the two kingdoms – 20 in Israel / 20 in Judah…
  - This is the period of Israeli history that we studied in I and II Kings / II Chronicles…
  - The period ended with the Diaspora – 722 B.C. – the fall of the Northern Kingdom …
  - And 586 B.C. – when the southern Kingdom was taken captive to Babylon for 70 years!
- 3^rd – Major and Minor Prophets…
  - There are 16 prophetic books in the Old Testament – broken up into 2 sections…
  - There are 4 Major Prophets – Isaiah / Jeremiah / Ezekiel / and Daniel…
  - And there are 12 Minor Prophets – from Hosea to Malachi…
  - They are not minor in that they are less important – they are just shorter in length…
  - They tend to be the least read / most unfamiliar books in the entire Bible!

The book of Joel – 3 things…
- 1^st – Who wrote the book of Joel…
  - Pretty straight forward – just look at the name at the top of the page!
  - There is very little dispute over the authorship of this book
  - His name means- Yahweh is God – YH-EL!
  - He was from the tribe of Judah – the son of Pethuel (vision of God) – Joel 1:1
- 2^nd – When was the book written – Joel was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom…
  - Joel prophesied from 835 B.C. – until 796 B.C. – about 39 years in all
  - He prophesied during the reign of King Joash – the 8^th King of Judah…
  - He was prophesying at the same time as Elisha in the Northern Kingdom!
  - The theme of the book – the Day of the Lord – we will talk more about this in chapter 1…
- 3^rd – The division of the book…
  - Chapters 1- The destruction of Judah predicted – the vision of the locusts
  - Chapter 2 – Pouring out of the Spirit – the revival of the people of God
  - Chapter 3 – The day of the Lord – the final judgment

The destruction of Judah… (4 things)

1^st – The coming judgement… vs. 1-7
- 1^st – Sin has consequences… vs. 1-3
  - Joel opens up by telling everyone to listen up – elders / inhabitants of the Land…
    - Something was about to take place such as had never been seen before…
    - God was going to bring complete devastation on the Southern Kingdom!
    - He was going to teach Judah a lesson – and He did not want them to ever forget it!
  - They were to tell their children – grandchildren – great grandchildren…
    - God expected the lesson He taught Judah to be passed on…
    - Because if it was not – then the next generation would be doomed to repeat it!
    - It is not enough for us to know the Lord – learn our lessons – we need to pass them on!
    - Children do not know – they need someone to show them – teach them – Ephesians 6:4
    - If parents do not step up and instruct their children in Jesus – the world will
    - I fear to often children learn their values from TV / school / other kids
    - Rather than learning the truth of Jesus from their parents – the Word of God!
- 3^rd – The illustration of the locusts… vs. 4
  - Joel describes a plague of locusts – divided into 4 different waves of destruction…
    - The locusts are thought to be 1 species – laid out in 4 different cycles of life…
    - The chewing locust – from a Hebrew root that means to devour…
    - The swarming locust – from a Hebrew root that means to multiply…
    - The crawling locust – from a Hebrew root that means to lick up (good to the last drop)…
    - The consuming – the climax of the plague – consuming anything that remains!
    - Very likely fulfilled in a literal devastating plague that hit Judah in the days of Joel…
    - In 1875 a swarm of locusts covered 198,000 square miles (larger than California)…
    - It was estimated to weigh 27.5 million tons – with some 12.5 trillion insects!
  - But the 4 different waves – also represent 4 different Empires that would conquer Judah…
    - Beginning with Babylon – Medo Persia – Greece – and finally Rome!
    - Written some 250 years before Nebuchadnezzar first conquered Jerusalem!
- 4^th – Awake you drunkards… vs. 5-7
  - Joel tells all those who drink wine to weep and wail – because the vineyards were gone…
    - The ‘locusts’ had consumed them – so there were no grapes left to make wine…
    - A strong nation without number – with the fierce teeth of a lion…
    - Speaking of the Babylonian Empire – using the same image as Daniel 7!
  - This empire would ruin the vine of God / and stripped the fig tree – speaking of Judah
    - Predicting the Babylonian captivity – when Judah would be taken captive…
    - Nothing would be left in the land – it would be stripped bare!
    - But notice all this would come on Judah – while they were drinking and asleep!
    - The world around us is oblivious – they live for pleasure / fun…
    - They go about their daily lives assuming tomorrow will be just like today…
    - They do realize that Jesus is coming soon – judgment is right around the corner…
    - God has been patient desiring that people come to Jesus – saved – II Peter 3:9
    - But there will come a day – when people least expect it – when judgment will come!
    - Romans 13:11 – “Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”
2^nd – The results of sin… vs. 8-13
- 1^st – Lament like a virgin for the husband of her youth… vs. 8-13
  - In Jewish culture a couple were betrothed for about a year before they were married…
    - It took a divorce / or death – to break a betrothal!
    - The idea is Judah should weep like a woman whose husband dies before the wedding day!
    - Rather than great joy – instead there would be overwhelming grief!
    - Because although Judah should have been the people of God…
  - Their sin had instead betrayed them – and they would end up rejected by God!
    - The drink offerings have been cut off from the House of the Lord…
    - The land mourns – because fields are wasted – wheat / wine / and oil…
    - The farmers are ashamed because – all the wheat has perished – all the trees withered…
    - With it the joy of men has also withered – misery is all that remains…
    - Because sin cuts off the blessings of God in our lives – it devastates our lives!
  - The Priests put on sackcloth and mourn – those who serve at the altar wail…
    - Speaking of the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar – 586 B.C.
    - Because sin cuts off our fellowship with the Lord – separates us from God!

3^rd – A call to repentence… vs. 14-20
- 1^st – Announce a fast – call the people together… vs. 14
  - Gather all the elders before God – and cry out to the Lord…
  - Because of the Day of the Lord is at hand – more on that in a moment!
  - Yet although devastation was coming – there was still time – there was still Grace!
- 2^nd – A great draught hit Judah… vs. 16-20
  - The food is cut off before our eyes – there is a famine in the Land…
    - Joy and gladness from the house of the Lord – because there is nothing to eat…
    - The seed shrivels – the grain withers – people abandon their barns…
    - The cattle and sheep groan – because there are no pastures to feed on…
    - The animals cry out to the Lord – because the streams have all dried up!
    - Fire has devoured the land – burnt up the fields and the trees!
  - Joel cries out – Oh Lord – I cry out to you…
    - Psalm 51:17 – “You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God…”
    - Because God will always receive / CANNOT turn His back – on a truly repentant heart…
    - When we turn from our sin to Jesus – no matter what we have done – and repent…
    - Like the Prodigal son – we will find God comes running to embrace us!
4^th – The Day of the Lord… vs. 15
- The phrase the Day of the Lord – is used 32 times in the Bible…
  - Used 27 times in the Old Testament / 5 times in the New Testament…
  - It is used 5 times in the book of Joel alone – it is the major theme of the book of Joel!
  - The companion term that precedes the Day of the Lord is ‘the Last Days’ – used in Joel 2…
  - Peter uses both terms on Pentecost in Acts 2:17-21 in reference to the birth of the church!
  - The term ‘Last Days’ is often misunderstood – we tend to think of Revelation…
  - The ‘Last Days’ began when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost – Acts 2
  - And will continue right up to the rapture of the church – I Thessalonians 4:16
  - In-between these two events – are the ‘Last Days’ – when anyone can call Jesus!
- 1^st – The Day of the Lord – begins with rapture of the church…
  - The ‘Rapture’ – from the Latin translation of the Greek word – Harpazo…
  - No one knows the exact day / hour – only the Father – Mark 13:32 / I Thessalonians 5:2
  - The ‘trumpet of God sounds’ – the call for the church to go home – I Thessalonians 4:14-17
  - Those who have already died will receive their resurrected bodies first…
  - They will come back with Jesus – to meet us in the air in the rapture…
  - All those who believe in Jesus will be changed – metamorphoo – II Corinthians 3:18
  - Receive immortal bodies – I Corinthians 15:53 – and we will be caught up to heaven!
- 2^nd – The Day of the Lord – will reveal the Antichrist…
  - When the rapture of the church happens – concludes the time of the gentiles – Romans 11:25
    - God against begins to deal with Israel – begins the 70^th week of Daniel – Daniel 9:27
    - It is also known as the time of Jacob’s trouble – Jeremiah 30:7
    - The 7 years of Tribulation laid out in Revelation 6-18…
    - At the start of which the Antichrist – the son of perdition will be revealed…
    - II Thessalonians 2:3 – “That Day [the Day of the Lord] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition…”
  - This man has more than 30 titles in the Bible – the Man of Sin / the Son of Perdition…
    - The big mouth – Daniel 7:8 / we most often refer to him as the Antichrist – I John 2:18
    - He will be a leader who will rise out of Europe – the little horn – Daniel 7:8…
    - He will make a peace treaty with Israel for 7 years after the Magog invasion – Daniel 9:27
    - North of the Dome of the Rock (monument) – in a place called the Dome of the Spirit…
    - He will rebuild the Temple – as proof he is the messiah – and Jews will embrace him!
    - John 5:43 – “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.”
  - He will rule the worlds political system – he will be the government…
    - He will rule the worlds financial system – 666 – mark of the beast – Revelation 13:16-18
    - He will present himself as the Messiah – god come to earth – Revelation 13:3-5
    - But after 3 ½ years of the tribulation – he will enter the temple – into the Holiest of All…
    - There he will demand he is god – the Abomination of Desolation – Matthew 24:15
    - There is a good chance that this man is alive today – waiting for the right time…
    - Because he cannot be revealed until the church is removed – the Rapture…
    - If he revealed himself now – we would all know who he is – II Thessalonians 2:7
- 3^rd – The Day of the Lord – will reveal the wrath of Jesus Christ – Joel 1:15…
  - God pours out His wrath and judgment on a God rejecting world!
    - Laid out in the Book of Revelation – 21 judgments in what we call the Tribulation!
    - They are broken up into 3 sets of 7 judgments – Seal / Trumpet / and Bowl judgments…
    - The terror will be so great – unless God limited it – no one would survive!
    - Isaiah 13:6 – “Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.”
  - The good news is we will not be here for during this time of terror…
    - We will not be raptured at the end of the Tribulation – Post-Trib…
    - Because no man knows the day or the hour – Matthew 25:13
    - If we are in the Tribulation – if we count 3 ½ years from the Abomination of desolation…
    - We would know the exact day that that rapture of the church would take place!
  - We will not even be here for the first half of the tribulation – Mid-trip…
    - I Thessalonians 5:9 – tells us we as believers are not appointed to wrath…
    - Yet the Tribulation is all about the wrath of God being poured out!
    - People hold a mid-trib view because of the last trumpet – I Corinthians 15:52…
    - They see this as last of the 7 trumpets blown in Revelation 11:15
    - Believing the wrath of God only begins half way through the Tribulation…
    - But the wrath of God – the Day of the Lord – is not just the last 3 ½ years…
    - The trumpet judgments come after the 7 seal judgments (before the bowl)…
    - By the time the 6^th trumpet is blown – 60% of the world has already perished!
- 4^th – The Day of the Lord – is the return of Jesus Christ…
  - At the end of the 7 years of Tribulation…
    - The Antichrist will gather his army to the Valley of Megiddo – Revelation 19:11-21
    - Then Jesus will come out of Heaven on a white horse – King of Kings / Lord of Lords…
    - He will return with us – ten thousands of His saints – Jude 1:14
    - With one word he will defeat the Antichrist and his army – II Thessalonians 2:8!
    - And the Antichrist will be the first to be thrown into the Lake of Fire – Revelation 19:20!
  - The Jesus will return to the Mount of Olives – Zachariah 14:4…
    - The mountain will split in two – water will come out – giving life to the Dead Sea…
    - 30 days after the Return of Jesus – 1290 days after the Abomination of Desolation…
    - Jesus will judge the nations – those who survived the Tribulation – Matthew 25:31-46
    - Then Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom – Revelation 20:1-4!
    - Then we – the church – will rule and reign with Him for 1000 years – I Corinthians 6:2-3
  - At the end of the 1000 year reign – the 2^nd Magog invasion …
    - Satan – who was chained in the bottomless pit – Revelation 20:3 – is released…
    - He will deceive the nations into one final rebellion against God – Revelation 20:7-8
    - But God will devour them by fire – and satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire!
  - Then all will stand before the throne of God to be judged for the works of their lives…
    - Revelation 20:11-12 – “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it… And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God…”
    - There will be two sets of books opened – ‘The books’ and the Book of Life…
    - If your name is not found written in the Book of Life – the Books are opened…
    - Then you are then judged according to your works – written in The Books…
    - Every thing you do – every word you say – every thought you think…
    - Not to see if you will go to heaven or hell – but to show you why you go to hell!
- 5^th – The Day of the Lord – is the end…
  - The conclusion of the Day of the Lord – is the destruction of the earth…
  - II Peter 3:10 – “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
  - Then God will then create a – prefect – sinless – New Heaven / New Earth – Revelation 21-22
  - Where those who believe in Jesus will live with Him forever!

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