Joel 1:1-20
Wednesday, 15 March 2023
The day of the LORD is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be! -Joel 1:15 [NLT]
We have heard many dooms day prophesies and there are many movies that depicts that day of doom and gloom. But the Old Testament prophet Joel from a distant time period, after seeing through the 'times' about the terror of such a day- (popularly called the 'The Day of The Lord') is blowing out his warning trumpet from a distant past. During the Old Testament times, this prophecy had a partial fulfillment. A terrible plague of locust had infected the land of Judah as per historical records.
But the truth is that the fullness of this particular day of Judgment will be unveiled in the days to come. There are other very clear prophecies concerning this Day of the Lord. Let’s see some of them so as to get the seriousness of it:
· For the day of the LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up—And it shall be brought low—[Isa 2:12 NKJV]
· Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.[Jer.30:7 NKJV]
· The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness,[Zeph. 1:14-15 NKJV]
· But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.[2 Peter 3:10 NKJV]
· For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"[Rev. 6:17 NKJV]
The way of escape:
Joel was startled to the very core of his being and cries out to his own people to humble themselves before God and escape from the inevitable end. God will make a way of escape for His own people, who are called by His name. ‘If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. [2Chron. 7:14 NKJV]
As the clear signs foretold by the Prophets and Jesus are seen around us, we need to take heed to the warnings given in this beautiful passage of our devotion today. Before it is too late, we need to seek the Lord in all sincerity so that we can escape the terrible calamities that has been foretold. To those who have yet not acknowledged Christ Jesus as their Saviour-Today is the day of Salvation (2Cor.6:2). Turn to Him and be saved!
Peter the Apostle warns the church; ‘Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells’ [2 Peter 3:11-13 NKJV]
Prayer: Abba Father, our only hope and consolation is in You. As we are lovingly warned well in advance through Your prophets and the Lord Himself, help us to be ready and expectant for Your salvation from everything that is coming upon this earth. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.