Joel 2:11-13, Even Now, Return to Me

# Even Now, Return to Me
## Joel 2:11-13

>>>
+ pre-K: thunder storm, afraid:
  + how **mighty** is our God!
+ in **fearful** times, how **respond**?
  + living in the **latter days**

---

# **Disaster** is upon us --
# **what** do we do?

>>>
+ times of **crisis**:
  + turning pt, decision, judge
+ **reveals** depth of faith
+ not just **personal** disaster:
  + **world** history to a close
  + **warn** so we can **repent**

---

(Jonah 3:4)
**Forty** more days and 
**Nineveh** will be overthrown

<div class="caption">
(img: Gustave Doré,
["Jonah Preaches to the Ninevites"](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3A138.Jonah_Preaches_to_the_Ninevites.jpg),
1866 .)
</div>

>>>
+ Jnh: God's grace, our mission
  + **grace**: opp. to repent
+ Joel: perh. pre-exile, early 6c
  + Isr. already **rebellious**
  + **warn** of coming judgment
  + **still time** to repent

---

## Joel: Even Now, Return
1. **Ruin**: The *Day of the LORD* (1:1-2:11)
2. **Return**: The *Call* of God (2:12-17)
3. **Renewal**: The *Promise* of God (2:18-32)

>>>
+ **ruin** in 2 parts: ch1 + ch2a

---
## 1. The Day of the LORD
+ **Natural** disasters: *famine*, drought (ch1)
 + Wail, you: *drunkards* (1:5-10), 
 *farmers* (1:11-12),
 *priests* (1:13-14)
 + Mourners: the *land* (1:10), 
 *animals* (1:18),
 *people* (1:12)
+ **Human** disasters: *armies* of God (2:1-11)
 + *Sun*/moon/stars darkened (2:10)
 + The *LORD* thunders (2:11)

>>>
+ **Natural** and **human**
  + Both from God, **consequence** of sin
+ Natural: **land**, **animals**, **people**
+ Huge swarm of **locust**
  + Followed by **drought**

---

(1:4)NIV
What the **locust swarm** has left 
the **great locusts** have eaten

<div class="caption">
(img © 2009
[Wild Center](https://www.flickr.com/photos/thewildcenter/5574220011),
CC BY-NC 2.0)
</div>

>>>
+ 4 **stages** of locust growth
+ short-horned **grasshoppers**
  + normally **solitary**, but
  + **swarm** when crowded
  + est 50M/km2
+ 1875 Rocky/W-US: 300k-km2 (BC), 1.5km up, ~3T: Albert

---

(1:10)NASB
The **land** mourns, 
for the **grain** is ruined

>>>
+ 3 categories of **mourners**:
  + **land** + **animals** + **people**
+ 3 categories of **harvest**:
  + **grain** + new **wine** + **oil**

---

(1:18)NASB
How the **beasts** groan!

The **herds** of cattle wander aimlessly 
Because there is no **pasture** for them

<div class="caption">
(img ©
[@VirtualSteve](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARiverina_Sheep_%28during_drought%29.jpg),
GFDL / CC BY-SA 3.0)
</div>

>>>
+ natural **disasters**
  + **broken** creation bc **sin**

---

(1:12)NASB
**Rejoicing** dries up from the **sons of men**

>>>
+ locust + drought ⇒ **famine**
+ ⇒ **economy** in freefall
+ **Human** cost

---
## 1. The Day of the LORD
+ Natural disasters: famine, drought (ch1)
 + Mourners: the land (1:10), 
 animals (1:18),
 people (1:12)
+ **Human disasters: armies of God** (2:1-11)
 + *Sun*/moon/stars darkened (2:10)
 + The *LORD* thunders (2:11)

>>>
+ next: **violence**, war, instability
+ **both** are consequences of sin

---

(2:1)
Blow the **trumpet** in Zion; 
sound the **alarm** on my holy hill.

Let all who live in the land **tremble**, 
for the **day of the LORD** is coming.

>>>
+ *day of the Lord*: **judgment**
+ 3:14 *valley of decision*
  + sharp cut, divide:
  + sheep vs goats
+ God **approaches** w/army

---

(2:10)
Before them the **earth** shakes, 
the **heavens** tremble,

The **sun** and **moon** are darkened, 
and the **stars** no longer shine.

>>>
+ JJ: **heaven** play w/dinosaurs
+ but before that: **judgment**
+ all **creation** trembles
  + before its **Creator**

---

(2:11)
The LORD **thunders** 
at the head of his army ...

The **day of the LORD** is great; it is dreadful. 
Who can **endure** it?

>>>
+ foolish to think I can **handle** it
+ I have my: money, edu, smarts, ethics/morals

---

# Do I **anticipate** the day of the LORD or **ignore** it?

>>>
+ "can't **do** anything about it"
  + ⇒ go about own biz
+ "**too late**, irredeemable"
  + already **messed** up,
  + just go **all the way**
  + ⇒ I **like** my life of sin

---

## Joel: Even Now, Return
1. Ruin: The Day of the LORD (1:1-2:11)
2. **Return: The Call of God** (2:12-17)
3. Renewal: The Promise of God (2:18-32)

>>>
+ v11 Lord **thunders** from army:
  + what does He **say**?

---
## 2. The Call of God
+ **Rend** Your Heart (2:13)
+ **Rally** the Survivors (2:15-17)
+ **Return** to the LORD our God (2:12)

---

(2:12)
“**Even now**,” declares the LORD,

“return to me with **all your heart**, 
with fasting and **weeping** and mourning."

>>>
+ **still** time, not too late yet
  + in midst of **disaster**
+ not just external **apology**
+ rend the **heart**

---

(2:13)
Rend your **heart** and not your **garments**

<div class="caption">
(img © 2012 [Bethany Petrik](https://www.flickr.com/photos/bethanypetrik/7978577868/), CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
</div>

>>>
+ JJ hit mom: pray, **sorry**, done, go play?
+ **punish** him? timeout, spank, etc.
  + ⇒ martyr!
+ can't force a **change of heart**

---

## Revelation 9:20 (NIV)
The rest of **mankind** 
who were not killed by these **plagues**

still did **not repent** of the work of their hands

<div class="caption">
(img: Gustave Doré,
["The Fifth Plague: Livestock"](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3A033.The_Fifth_Plague._Livestock_Disease.jpg),
1866 .)
</div>

>>>
+ **crisis** of plagues
+ ⇒ 2 diff **responses**:
+ even more **rebellious**, or
+ even more **repentant** of sin
  + **reliant** on God's grace
+ (1) rend your **heart**; next:

---

(2:15-16)
Blow the **trumpet** in Zion, 
declare a holy **fast**, call a sacred **assembly**.

**Gather** the people, **consecrate** the assembly

<div class="caption">
(img: © 2010 [@bigbirdz](https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigbirdz/5024081279), CC BY 2.0)
</div>

>>>
+ (2) **rally** the faithful:
  + **corporate** repentance
+ *elders*: civic **leaders**
+ *infant*: **involve**, not exclude
+ *bride*/groom: pre-empt
+ *priests*: weep at the **altar**
+ ⇒ rally to do what?

---

(2:13)
**Return** to the LORD your God, 
for he is **gracious** and **compassionate**,

slow to **anger** and abounding in **love**, 
and he **relents** from sending calamity.

>>>
+ **return** to God, because of
  + the **nature** of God
+ how God (re-)**introduces** self
  + Mt Sinai (Ex 34:5-6)
+ **justice** + **mercy**
  + kindness + severity
+ girl **crying**, upset at dad
  + while **clinging** to his neck

---

# Will we **rend** our hearts, **rally** together, and **return** to our God?

>>>
+ together, not individual:
+ **sin** affects the community,
+ **disaster** strikes us all, so
+ **repentance**  is up to
 + the **comm.** of the faithful

---

## Joel: Even Now, Return
1. Ruin: The Day of the LORD (1:1-2:11)
2. Return: The Call of God (2:12-17)
3. **Renewal: The Promise of God** (2:18-32)

>>>
+ when we **return** to God,
+ there is a **promise**:
+ the same awe-inspiring **power**
  + that **humbled** us
  + now **rescues** us

---
## 3. The Promise of God
+ Renewed **Nature** (2:18-27)
 + Comfort: *land*, *animals*, *people*
+ Redeemed **Spirit** (2:28-32)
 + To all who *call* on His name
+ Restored **Nation** (ch3)

>>>
+ sin corrupted **creation**
  + God's grace can **renew** it
+ sin broke our **relationship** w/God
  + God's Spirit can **redeem** it
+ sin made us the **laughingstock** of the nations
  + God's power can **restore** + vindicate us
+ when we  humbly **repent**:

---

(2:18)NASB
Then the LORD 
will be **zealous** for His land 
And will have **pity** on His people.

<div class="caption">
(img: John Bridges,
["Christ Healing the Mother of Simon Peter’s Wife"](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AChrist_Healing_the_Mother_of_Simon_Peter%E2%80%99s_Wife_by_John_Bridges.jpg),
1839 . Birmingham Museum of Art)
</div>

>>>
+ God acts with both:
  + **zeal**/jealousy: passion
  + *pity*: **compassion**, tenderness
+ v21-23 echo 3 **groups** in ch1:
  + land, animals, people

---

(2:21)NASB
Do not fear, O **land**,

rejoice and be glad, 
for the LORD has done **great** things.

>>>
+ grain/wine/oil: (1:10) (2:19,24) (3:13)

---

(2:22)NASB
Do not fear, **beasts** of the field,

For the **pastures** of the wilderness 
have turned **green**

>>>
+ the **animals** also:
+ from **mourning** to **joy**
+ and bc we **trust** in Him,

---

(2:23)NASB
So rejoice, O **sons of Zion**, 
And be glad in the **LORD your God**;

For He has given you 
the early **rain** for your **vindication**.

>>>
+ **we** also rejoice:
+ our **joy** is God **Himself**
  + not just His **blessings**
+ *vindication*: proved right
  + for our **trust** in God
+ God remem **locusts** too:

---

(2:23)
I will **repay** you for 
the years the **locusts** have eaten

>>>
+ *repay*: shalom, make even
+ **Why** does God bless us?
  + Not bc we're **entitled**
  + Not **suffer** more ⇒ bless more

---

(2:27)
Then you will know that I am **in Israel**, 
that I am the LORD **your God**, 
and that there is **no other**; 
never again will my people be **shamed**.

>>>
So we will know:
1. God is **here** (midst) (Canada)
2. God is **our** God (rl, covenant)
3. God is the **only** God
4. God is our **vindication**

---

(2:28)
And afterward, I will pour out 
**my Spirit** on all people

<div class="caption">
(img: Jean Restout,
["Pentecôte"](http://www.wga.hu/html/r/restout/jean2/pentecos.html),
1732 . Musée du Louvre, Paris)
</div>

>>>
+ **redeem** broken rl w/God
+ Acts 2: Pentecost
+ miraculous **signs**:
  + both **awesome** and **awful**

---

(2:31)
The sun will be turned to **darkness** 
and the moon to **blood**

before the coming of the great 
and dreadful **day of the LORD**

>>>
+ echo 2:10
+ next: the LORD **speaks**/thunders
  + what does He say?

---

(2:32)
And everyone who calls on 
the **name of the LORD** will be **saved**

... even among the **survivors** 
whom the Lord **calls**.

>>>
+ **calls** from all nations (Ro10)
+ not rely own **might**/wisdom:
  + I can handle it, **prepared**
+ not rely own **righteousness**:
  + tried my **best**:
  + surely **good** enough?
+ but call on **name of the LORD**:
  + Rely fully on **grace**
+ 3:15-16 Lord **roars** once more:
  + to rebellious: ⇒ **judgment**
  + to obedient: → **refuge**

---

# Am I **prepared** for the **day** of the **LORD**?

>>>
+ I don't **think** about it:
  + **Far** off, irrelevant
  + Can't do anything **about** it
  + Leads to **wackos**
+ I'm not **worried**, I'm ready:
  + can **handle** it (own **might**)
  + tried my **best**
    + (own **righteousness**)

---

(2:32)
And everyone who calls on 
the **name of the LORD** will be **saved**

>>>
+ **God** calls to us:
  + **rend** your heart
  + **rally** the congregation
  + **return** to Lord our God

---

>>>
+ locust (1:4) (2:25)
  + nation invades (1:6) (2:2)
+ weep, wine drinkers (1:5)
  + land mourns (1:10) (2:21)
  + grain/wine/oil (1:10) (2:19,24) (3:13)
+ wail, farmers (1:11)
  + trees + joy (1:12) (2:22-23)
+ lament, priests (1:13) (2:17)
  + grain/drink offering (1:9,13) (2:14)
  + fast/assembly (1:14) (2:15-17)
+ beasts groan (1:18) (2:22)
+ .
+ reproach, where is God (2:17) (2:27) (3:17)
+ Spirit (2:28-29)
+ call on Lord, escape (2:32)
+ .
+ army (2:1-10) (2:20) (3:9-11)
  + wine press (2:24) (3:13): judgment
  + sun/moon dark (2:10 army) (2:31 day) (3:15 decision)
  + **LORD roars** (2:11) (2:32 calls) (3:16 refuge)
  + water (1:10-12) (2:21-24) (3:18)