Forgiveness And Restoration
April 4, 2020
Commentary
Remember what this book is about. The land of Israel is being overrun by hungry locusts. The crops are destroyed. There is nothing left. And it’s because of God’s punishment upon them for leaving their first love. These people have deserved to lose God’s blessing on the land because they took Him out of first place in their lives. The book of Revelation says that God is just in His judgements; that is, He is right in what He does. So, these people deserved what they had gotten. And when we disobey God or walk away or set up idols or ignore Him or get away from His leading, then He will use different tactics to call us back. This is because He loves us, not because He doesn’t.
Joel reached a turning point in his prophesy, moving from prophesying about an outpouring of God’s judgment to prophesying about an outpouring of God’s forgiveness and blessing (v. 18). He tells them how He will answer their prayers in three specific ways:
He will grant them renewed prosperity (v. 19).He will remove their reproach from among the nation (v. 19).He will remove the locust army (v. 20).The Lord works wonders and does great things (v. 21). The land which had been devastated will be completely restored and the fruit trees will prosper (v. 22). Rain will fall to irrigate the parched soil (v. 23), and the land will once more be productive (v. 24). The destruction brought by the locusts will be more than matched by the years of plenty ahead (v. 25-26). Even more important than this He will achieve His purpose and cause His people to know that He is in the midst of them and that He is their God (v. 27).
Application
I am thankful that when I stray from God He doesn’t give me what I deserve but because of His love and mercy His desire is to bring me back to Himself and His blessing.
Joel 2:18– 27 (NET)
18 Then the Lord became zealous for his land; he had compassion on his people.
19 The Lord responded to his people, “Look! I am about to restore your grain as well as fresh wine and olive oil. You will be fully satisfied. I will never again make you an object of mockery among the nations.
20 I will remove the one from the north far from you. I will drive him out to a dry and desolate place. Those in front will be driven eastward into the Dead Sea, and those in back westward into the Mediterranean Sea. His stench will rise up as a foul smell.” Indeed, the Lord has accomplished great things!
21 Do not fear, my land. Rejoice and be glad, because the Lord has accomplished great things!
22 Do not fear, wild animals. For the pastures of the wilderness are again green with grass. Indeed, the trees bear their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield to their fullest.
23 Citizens of Zion, rejoice! Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! For he has given to you the early rains as vindication. He has sent to you the rains— both the early and the late rains as formerly.
24 The threshing floors are full of grain; the vats overflow with fresh wine and olive oil.
25 I will make up for the years that the ‘arbeh-locust consumed your crops — the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust — my great army that I sent against you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, and your hunger will be fully satisfied; you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has acted wondrously in your behalf. My people will never again be put to shame.
27 You will be convinced that I am in the midst of Israel. I am the Lord your God; there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.
Illustration: Rembrandt’s Famous Painting Slashed With a Knife
Can God bring good out of our failures? A few years ago, an angry man rushed through the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam until he reached Rembrandt’s famous painting “Nightwatch.” Then he took out a knife and slashed it repeatedly before he could be stopped. This cherished work of art was severely damaged. But what did officials do? Throw it out and forget about it? Absolutely not! Using the best experts, who worked with the utmost care and precision, they made every effort to restore this treasure. God wants to do the same with the failures in our lives (Source Unknown).