Facing Devastation

The Young Professionals class that I teach is about to start along the path of studying the Minor Prophets, and since there is no particular order, I've decided to start with Joel. Joel is an interesting book. It's short, having only 3 chapters, but what makes it interesting is that we have no date for it. It may have been written any time between the separation of Israel and Judah and the coming of Christ. Instead of this making it irrelevant to anyone, this makes it relevant to everyone. Joel is a book of lamentation, not to be confused with THE book of Lamentations, with a message of hope. 

The first chapter of Joel introduces us to Israel being attacked by a swarm of locusts, followed by another, and another. They will devastate the Israelite land until there is nothing left. Joel asks the rhetorical question "Has such a thing happened in the days of your fathers?" (Joel 1:2) This was going to be a memorable event, one that you would tell your children about, and they would tell their children. This was also a genuine cause to lament their impending poverty and starvation. Without the crops, nothing would eat. The cattle and sheep would suffer and would even have nothing to drink. Wine is a symbol for joy, and a fig tree is a symbol of safety and peace. Both the vine and the fig tree will be cut down. A nation is coming to overthrow Israel, which is something that happened time and time again. 

In life, we will go through times when we are devastated, broken, brought to our knees. Maybe it's the guilt of sin that drives us down or the hopelessness of keeping up with our responsibilities to work, church, and our families. Maybe you've experienced a time when you weren't sure how you were going to pay the bills this month, or worse, eat. For me and hopefully for you, it's never been that bad, but we do have cycles when we need to lament and do what Joel calls the Israelites to do. 

Joel doesn't just tell them everything is awful and leave them be. This is a call to action. He tells them how to handle this devastation.

1. Put on sackcloth and lament (v.13)- They were called to repent of their sins and grieve those sins. 
2. Fast (v.14)- They couldn't really help but to fast from food. There wasn't any, but fasting isn't fasting without prayer, study, and meditation on God.
3. Call a Gathering (v.14)- As the Jewish community relied on one another during hard times, so does our Christian community. 
4. Cry out to Yahweh (v.14) - We know without him we are nothing, and he is the only one who can bring us out of desolation. 

Thank you for reading, 

Jeff Griffith