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Created page with "Hosea's message grew out of personal heartbreak in his own family, while Joel's message grew out of national calamity. Joel's book records two plagues--that of th..."
[[Hosea]]'s message grew out of personal heartbreak in his own family, while [[Joel]]'s message grew out of national calamity.
[[Joel]]'s book records two plagues--that of the locusts and the terrible drought. The combination of the two brought the land to a place of famine. [[Joel]] saw in these calamities the disciplining hand of [[God]] upon the people for their sins. But [[Joel]] looked far beyond the locusts and saw another army, a literal Gentile army, attacking Jerusalem and the Jewish people. [[Joel]] used the immediate judgment of [[God]] (the locusts) as an illustration of the ultimate judgment in the Day of the Lord.
The Book of [[Joel]] is divided into two parts--the present message about the plague of locusts (chapter 1:1--2:27) and the future message about the Day of the Lord (chapter 2:28--3:21). [[Joel]] uses the phrase, "Day of the Lord," five times in these three chapters. This time of tribulation will take place after the [[Church]] has been taken to heaven, and during the period known as the Tribulation Period. It is described in more detail in Revelation 6--19. It will end with the Battle of [[Armageddon]], and [[Jesus Christ]] returning to the earth to defeat His enemies and establish His Kingdom.
There is a personal application of [[Joel]]'s message for believers today. [[God]] does send natural calamities when nations refuse to obey Him. Wars, poor crops, epidemics, earthquakes, storms, recessions--all or any of these can be used of [[God]] to bring people to their knees. [[God]] can even use little insects to do His will if man will not obey Him! Our lives can become dry and fruitless if we are out of the will of [[God]]. But, praise be to [[God]], He is faithful and true to forgive us and again bless us when we come to Him and experience sincere repentance.
[[Joel]]'s book records two plagues--that of the locusts and the terrible drought. The combination of the two brought the land to a place of famine. [[Joel]] saw in these calamities the disciplining hand of [[God]] upon the people for their sins. But [[Joel]] looked far beyond the locusts and saw another army, a literal Gentile army, attacking Jerusalem and the Jewish people. [[Joel]] used the immediate judgment of [[God]] (the locusts) as an illustration of the ultimate judgment in the Day of the Lord.
The Book of [[Joel]] is divided into two parts--the present message about the plague of locusts (chapter 1:1--2:27) and the future message about the Day of the Lord (chapter 2:28--3:21). [[Joel]] uses the phrase, "Day of the Lord," five times in these three chapters. This time of tribulation will take place after the [[Church]] has been taken to heaven, and during the period known as the Tribulation Period. It is described in more detail in Revelation 6--19. It will end with the Battle of [[Armageddon]], and [[Jesus Christ]] returning to the earth to defeat His enemies and establish His Kingdom.
There is a personal application of [[Joel]]'s message for believers today. [[God]] does send natural calamities when nations refuse to obey Him. Wars, poor crops, epidemics, earthquakes, storms, recessions--all or any of these can be used of [[God]] to bring people to their knees. [[God]] can even use little insects to do His will if man will not obey Him! Our lives can become dry and fruitless if we are out of the will of [[God]]. But, praise be to [[God]], He is faithful and true to forgive us and again bless us when we come to Him and experience sincere repentance.