Joel 2

Joel 2

Meyer - Our Daily Homily Joel 2:25 I will restore to you the peace that the locusts hath eaten. How many years of our life have been consumed by the locust! Self in one form or another has sorely robbed us of our golden sheaves, reducing them to dust. Self-indulgence, frivolity, wanton spend-thriftiness of time, and talent, and opportunity, sloth and lethargy, mixed and evil motives, secret sins—what a crew are there! They have played the part of the caterpillar, the cankerworm, and the palmerworm with the green promise and the yellow produce of our lives. But God waits to forgive; to put away from his mind the memory of the wasted past; to place the crown of a new hope upon our brow—yea, more, to restore to us the years that the locust hath eaten. There shall be a revenue of glory to Him even from those wasted years. Either in the experience they shall have communicated to us for dealing with other men, or in the penitential and broken-hearted temper they shall have begotten in ourselves; those years shall yet yield crops of praise to God, and of fruitfulness to us. And, also, God is prepared so to add his blessing to us, in the present and future, as to give us in each year not only the years produce, but much more, so that each year will be laden and weighted with the blessing of three or four beside. Where sin abounded, grace shall much more abound. Where we have sown, we shall reap; not thirty-fold only, but a hundred-fold. God is so anxious to give us as large a result as possible to show for our life’s work, though we may have sadly wrecked its earlier portions. Did He not restore to Peter at Pentecost what he wasted in the hall of judgment? Did not Paul win harvests for Christ out of the years which preceded his conversion? Joel 2:25 Losses Overcome Faith's Checkbook C H Spurgeon “And l will restore to you the years that the locusthath eaten.”—Joel 2:25 YES, those wasted years over which we sigh shall be restored to us. God can give us such plentiful grace that we shall crowd into the remainder of our days as much of service as will be some recompense for those years of unregeneracy over which we mourn in humble penitence. The locusts of backsliding, worldliness, and lukewarmness are now viewed by us as a terrible plague. Oh that they had never come near us! The Lord in mercy has now taken them away, and we are full of zeal to serve Him. Blessed be His name, we can raise such harvests of spiritual graces as shall make our former barrenness to disappear. Through rich grace we can turn to account our bitter experience and use it to warn others. We can become the more rooted in humility, childlike dependence, and penitent spirituality by reason of our former shortcomings. If we are the more watchful, zealous, and tender, we shall gain by our lamentable losses. The wasted years, by a miracle of love, can be restored. Does it seem too great a boon? Let us believe for and live for it; and we may yet realize it, even as Peter became all the more useful a man after his presumption was cured by his discovered weakness. Lord, aid us by thy grace. Joel 2:25 Restoring The Years READ: Joel 2:12-27 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. — Joel 2:25 How many years have you lost to the locust? Have self-indulgence, sensuality, sinful motives, and personal ambition robbed you of joy, peace, and fruitfulness? Perhaps you feel discouraged when you think of all the time that seems to have been wasted, never to be reclaimed. If so, consider the words of the Lord through the prophet Joel. God told the people of Israel that even though they had been disobedient to Him and had been disciplined through a plague of locusts, there was still hope. The Lord said that He is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (Joel 2:13). Then He promised, "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten" (Joel 2:25). When we confess our sin to the Lord, He is quick to forgive our past and fill our future with hope. He can bring good out of our wasted years. He does that by teaching us humility through our failures, and by helping us to understand the weaknesses we have in common with others. Forgive me, O Lord, for all of my sin, Please make my heart pure and cleanse me within; To You I confess, my ways have been wrong; Restore now my joy and fill me with song. —Fitzhugh No matter how dark your past, with Christ your future is bright. Joel 2:25 Locust Years READ: Joel 2:12-27 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. --Joel 2:25 A British newspaper reported that a woman had hidden $20,000 worth of jewelry in a plastic bag, hoping to prevent burglars from finding it. Later, having forgotten about it, she accidentally threw the bag out with her garbage. Several workmen searched for 9 hours in a landfill before finding her treasure and restoring it to her. Some people throw away God's abundant and gracious blessings in their lives through blatant sin. There was a time in my life when I wasn't experiencing the blessing of God because of worry and bitterness. When I finally realized that I couldn't help myself, I turned to God, repentant (See in depth word studies on The verb Repent = metanoeo; the noun Repentance = metanoia) and broken. Gradually, as He taught me through His Word to rely on Him for all things, I experienced a full restoration of His hand of blessing. In Joel 2, an invasion of locusts had stripped God's people of everything. What those swarming locusts did to them, our persistent sins will do to us. Our only hope is to heed God's call: "Turn to Me with all your heart" (Joel 2:12). To those who turn to the Lord in repentance, regardless of the sins that plague them, He promised, "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten" (Joel 2:25). Our sinful ways can sap our joy And isolate us from the Lord; Confession and repentance, though, Provide the way to be restored. --Sper When God forgives, He removes the sin and restores the soul Joel 2:26 "You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied and praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied: Lev 26:5,26 De 6:11,12 8:10 Ne 9:25 Ps 22:26 103:5 Pr 13:25 Song 5:1 Isa 55:2 62:8,9 Mic 6:14 Zec 9:15,17 1Ti 6:17 And praise the name of the LORD your God: De 12:7,12,18 26:10,11 1Ti 4:3-5 Who has dealt wondrously with you: Joe 2:20,21 Ge 33:11 Ps 13:6 72:18 116:7 126:2,3 Isa 25:1 Then My people will never be put to shame.: Ps 25:2,3 37:19 Isa 29:22 45:17 49:23 54:4 Zep 3:11 Ro 5:5 Ro 9:33 10:11 1Jn 2:28 ISRAEL NEVER AGAIN PUT TO SHAME! You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied - Again note this is future tense and will not be perfectly fulfilled until the redeemed remnant of Israel (Zechariah 12:10-14-note, Zechariah 13:1-note, Zechariah 13:8-9-note, Romans 11:25-29-note) enters into Messiah's earthly reign in the Millennium. Life Application Study Bible adds that "If the Jews would never again experience a disaster like this locust plague ("never again will my people be disgraced"), how do we explain the captivity in Babylon, the Jews' slavery under the Greeks and Romans, and their persecution under Hitler? It is important not to take these verses out of context. This is still part of the "blessings" section of Joel's prophecy. Only if the people truly repented would they avoid a disaster like the one Joel had described. God's blessings are promised only to those who sincerely and consistently follow him. God does promise that after the final day of judgment, his people will never again experience this kind of disaster (Zechariah 14:9-11-note)." Satisfied (07646)(saba) means to be sated (implying sufficiency, though generally not speaking of excess), to be filled or be full and so to be satisfied or have enough (or too much) of something, as when Israel had enough (too much) quail (Ex 16:8, 12). Yahweh is the ultimate Source of physical satiety (Ps. 104:28; satisfaction with His lovingkindness - Ps 90:14). Satisfied in Joel 2:26 is translated in the Septuagint with the verb empimplemi meaning to be satisfied or have enough (John 6:12 of Jesus feeding 5000 men). Praise the name of the LORD your God - Praise is always fitting but especially when we have experienced God's hand of blessing! Do you (I) frequently (daily) offer up praise and thanksgiving for giving you (me) daily bread (and then some!)? Keil and Delitzsch - On the reception of these benefits the people will praise the Lord, who has shown it such wondrous grace, lit., has acted towards it even to the doing of wonders. (Commentary on the Old Testament – Volume 10: The Minor Prophets) Who has dealt wondrously with you - When God bestows blessing it is not just a "pinch" but is extraordinary. Have you experienced this truth about God? Wondrously (06381)(pala) refers to that which is surpassing or extraordinary. The first use in Ge 18:14 sets the stage for other uses where God says "Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" And of course the answer is an emphatic "NO!" In this future time of restoration, God's provision will in short be extraordinary, even miraculous (cf "miracles" in Ex 3:20)! The Septuagint translates pala in Joel 2:26 (and Ex 3:20) with the adjective thaumasios meaning remarkable, excellent, wonderful, describing that which is a cause of wonder or worthy of amazement, (used only in Mt 21:5 = of the things Jesus did). Then My people will never be put to shame. - Never means not ever or at no time in the future! This clearly is not true today, but will be fulfilled in the Millennial Reign of Christ and His saints, including saved Jews and Gentiles. This is such good news that God repeats it in Joel 2:27! In fact the nations will see God's hand of blessing on Israel and they will be ashamed (bosh) (Micah 7:16-note)! In that future day when Jehovah restores His chosen people Israel the Gentiles will see Messiah's wonder working power. At that time the Gentile nations who opposed them with their great military might will be utterly ashamed. The will see in that day that might does not make right especially when that might is used to oppose the little nation of Israel. Then - This marks sequence in a series of events and is especially important to recognize in passages which are clearly prophetic. Zephaniah tells us "when" is "then," writing... In that day (WHEN MESSIAH RETURNS TO SET UP HIS KINGDOM) you will feel no shame Because of all your deeds By which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst Your proud, exulting ones, And you will never again be haughty On My holy mountain. (Zephaniah 3:11-note) Put to shame (0954)(bosh from root = “to become pale” or “to blush”) is a verb which conveys the primary meaning of to fall into disgrace, normally through failure, either of self or of an object of trust. It is both an external and a subjective experience, ranging from disgrace (Hos. 10:6) to guilt (Ezra 9:6) When failure or sin occurs, there is a disconcerting feeling, a flushing of the face. This Hebrew verb bosh often occurs in contexts of humiliation and shattered human emotions, and can include the feeling of public disgrace. The confusion, embarrassment, or dismay when things do not turn out as expected. And so we see in the eschatological age to come a reversal of the shame of Joel 1:11-note. Bosh is translated here in the Lxx of Joel 2:26 with the verb kataischuno which speaks of dishonor, disgrace, of blushing because of shame. Kataischuno can also refer to the shame and disappointment that come to one whose faith or hope is shown to be vain. Ashamed - Affected by shame; abashed or confused by guilt or a conviction of some criminal action or indecorous conduct, or by the exposure of some gross errors or misconduct, which the person is conscious must be wrong, and which tends to impair his honor or reputation. Confused by a consciousness of guilt or of inferiority; by the mortification of pride; by failure or disappointment.(Webster, 1828). Shame - A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt, or of having done something which injures reputation; or by the exposure of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal. Shame is particularly excited by the disclosure of actions which, in the view of men, are mean and degrading. Hence it is often or always manifested by a downcast look or by blushes, called confusion of face. (Webster, 1828) Isaiah records a similar promise “Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; And do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. (Isaiah 54:4) Jeremiah echoes this truth ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘And do not be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar And your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease (IN THE MILLENNIUM), And no one will make him afraid. (Jer 30:10-note)