Prophesied Day of the Lord

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Joel 2:1-11. The Message

The Locust Army

2 1-3 Blow the ram’s horn trumpet in Zion!
    Trumpet the alarm on my holy mountain!
Shake the country up!
    God’s Judgment’s on its way—the Day’s almost here!
A black day! A Doomsday!
    Clouds with no silver lining!
Like dawn light moving over the mountains,
    a huge army is coming.
There’s never been anything like it
    and never will be again.
Wildfire burns everything before this army
    and fire licks up everything in its wake.
Before it arrives, the country is like the Garden of Eden.
    When it leaves, it is Death Valley.
    Nothing escapes unscathed.
4-6 The locust army seems all horses—
    galloping horses, an army of horses.
It sounds like thunder
    leaping on mountain ridges,
Or like the roar of wildfire
    through grass and brush,
Or like an invincible army shouting for blood,
    ready to fight, straining at the bit.
At the sight of this army,
    the people panic, faces white with terror.
7-11 The invaders charge.
    They climb barricades. Nothing stops them.
Each soldier does what he’s told,
    so disciplined, so determined.
They don’t get in each other’s way.
    Each one knows his job and does it.
Undaunted and fearless,
    unswerving, unstoppable.
They storm the city,
    swarm its defenses,
Loot the houses,
    breaking down doors, smashing windows.
They arrive like an earthquake,
    sweep through like a tornado.
Sun and moon turn out their lights,
    stars black out.
God himself bellows in thunder
    as he commands his forces.
Look at the size of that army!
    And the strength of those who obey him!
God’s Judgment Day—great and terrible.
    Who can possibly survive this?

For Reflection

BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID!  Fear is a strong motive. Fear is a built in warning system that animates self-protection. It was God's challenge to shake God's people out of their complacency.

As one who has been on the same job too long, the people of God had become mechanical.  They were wearing the robes, going through the motion, but their hearts were not in it.  They grew distant, not attentive.  Their lives became bland and routine.

Those who's heart animated their action would not be troubled by God's apparent threat. Because these people were obedient and God-centered, they did not fear the wrath of God.  The faithful understood what the others did not.  God does not threaten to punish without also offering a path to repentance and reconciliation. The "Day of the Lord" marks the beginning of life, not the end!

Pray

Pray that when God puts trouble in your way, you will not fear retributiion, but welcome the shepherding, repent, and return to a God-centered existence.