Joel 2

Joel 2

Johnson applies the sense of urgency in the phrase "yet now" - Incidentally, my good Christian friend, the time for repentance is always now. It should never be put off. The more we put off repentance for sin that we have committed the less likely we are to repent. For the more we put off repentance the harder becomes our heart. And so repentance is something that is always to be carried out now. Dr. Chafer at the seminary use to tell us in the theological classroom that, “Men, it is necessary to keep short accounts with God.” You don’t get in the habit of sinning half a dozen times and then when the number gets to six repenting or waiting till the end of the day in order to confess failure before God. Repentance is always an immediate duty as soon as the knowledge of sin comes, and short accounts are to be kept. (Judah's Repentance and God's Repentance) Declares the LORD - It is easy to read these words too fast. Pause a moment and ponder this incredible statement. What do you see? These are the very words from the mouth of the loving God Who "is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9-note) Sometimes we read words like these and we forget that we have just heard a clear word from Heaven, from the "lips" of the Almighty God Himself. We dare not read such words too quickly or glibly. These are words filled with His great mercy and grace to His Chosen People (and all mankind) who "like sheep have gone astray, each turning to his own way, but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him," the Messiah, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. (Isaiah 53:5-6, John 1:29) Notice also that this is the same LORD who "utters His voice before His army," so the same LORD Who thunders also offers a way of escape. In the midst of wrath, He remembers mercy. Feinberg - What grace God offers them! Even at that late hour it was possible ("EVEN NOW") to repent and turn to the Lord, thus averting further disaster. God calls for a time of deep exercise of heart and spirit, a time of fasting, a time of brokenness of heart before Him. Because it is ever so easy to substitute the external for the real, to be lost in the round of outward show, God exhorts them to rend their hearts and not their garments. (The Minor Prophets) POSB - It is clear from the ominous threat of the previous verses that the situation is serious. It is not, however, hopeless. There is nevertheless no time to lose and so Joel, and the Lord through Joel, calls the nation to the only course of action appropriate to the crisis. They must repent and do it now. These six verses of Joel's prophecy constitute one of the clearest calls to repentance in Holy Scripture. (Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible Commentary) The LORD stands ready to forgive and bless because His heart is always that sinners should repent so that none might perish: Ezekiel 18:23 “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? 1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Joel 2:12-17 has a total of ten commands which signifies the Spirit of God is seeking to arrest the attention of every reader! These are not suggestions! The situation is dire. The "day" is dangerous (Joel 2:11). No one can endure the coming Day of the LORD (Joel 2:11)! In Joel 2:1 he blew the horn warning. In Joel 2:2-11 he presented a description foreshadowing the day and why he was warning. And now in Joel 2:12-17 he is clearly declaring the way of escape. Joel 2:12 - Return Joel 2:13 - Rend Joel 2:13 - Return Joel 2:15 - Blow Joel 2:15 - Consecrate Joel 2:15 - Proclaim Joel 2:16 - Gather Joel 2:16 - Sanctify Joel 2:16 - Assemble Joel 2:16 - Gather Gilliland makes some excellent observations in this great section on repentance: In Joel 2:12 the emphasis is upon when to turn: "Therefore also now". In Joel 2:13 the emphasis is on where to turn: "unto the Lord your God". In Joel 2:14 the emphasis is on why to turn: "who knoweth if." Joel 2:15 advises how they are to gather: in "solemn assembly". Joel 2:16 states who are to gather: "people ... congregation ... elders ... children ... infants ... bridegroom ... bride ... priests" (Joel 2:17); Joel 2:17 defines where they are to gather: "between the porch and the altar". Joel 2:17 declares why they are to gather: to intercede. (What the Bible Teaches – Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah) McComiskey on Joel 2:11 - This verse begins a transition. The prophet's description of the recent disaster (chap. 1) and the threat of an even greater disaster (Joel 2:1-11) end, and in their place is an offer of grace and repentance. The same Lord, master of the apocalyptic hosts, takes the initiative in offering and inviting the nation to repentance (Craigie, Twelve Prophets, p. 101). The language of Joel 2:12 is in many ways reminiscent of 2 Chronicles 7:14. When Solomon prayed that God would hear the prayer of his people in times of locust outbreaks or other disasters (2 Chr 6:28), God had responded by promising that "if my people who are called by my name 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. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place" (2 Chr 7:14-15RSV). God is keeping his promise to Solomon—the repentant prayer offered in his temple will bring healing for the land. (The Minor Prophets: An Exegetical and Expository Commentary) "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart - Return to Me in essence means "Repent!" It is an urgent call t repent in light of the fact that they had experienced a literal attack of locusts which was only a shadow of the more devastating future Day of the LORD. Joel had described the Day of the LORD as "coming" and "near" (imminent) (Joel 2:1-note) and as "great and awesome" (Joel 2:11-note), and then followed up in Joel 2:11 with the rhetorical question of who could possibly endure this Day? And as noted above, here beginning in Joel 2:12 God gives His people the (not "a way" of many ways but "the only way") way of escape from that horrible Day of the LORD. The way of escape is the way of repentance from one's heart, turning to God and away from the sins that had brought the "day of the locusts" and would just as surely bring the future dread "Day of the LORD." With all your heart - This requirement speaks of genuine personal faith, not false humility. Notice the repeated use of the verb shub/sub in the call to repentance section of Joel - Joel 2:12-17 and three more times in Joel 3: Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; Joel 2:13 And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. Joel 2:14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God? Joel 3:1 “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, Joel 3:4 “Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head. Joel 3:7 behold, I am going to arouse them from the place where you have sold them, and return your recompense on your head. Return (a command to turn back to Jehovah) (07725) (shub/sub) is is a common verb (1050x most often in Jeremiah - 111x) meaning to turn, to return (implying physical movement some 270x sometimes of God Ge 18:14 but usually of men - Ge 22:5), to go back, to do again, to change, to withdraw, to bring back (87x with this sense), to reestablish, to be returned, etc. In the present context it is a command from God to repent. The Lxx uses epistrepho in the aorist imperative which speaks of urgency! God is saying "Do this now! Do not delay!" Why? For the Day of Jehovah is COMING and it is NEAR! (Joel 2:1-note) and it is great and very awesome (Joel 2:11-note). Epistrepho means to to turn around, to turn toward, to return and figuratively to convert. The idea is a definite turn to God in conduct as well as in one's mind, which is an excellent description of genuine repentance. In fact the 39 uses of epistrepho in the NT (see Strong's 1994) are frequently associated with repentance and conversion. TWOT on shub - The Bible is rich in idioms describing man's responsibility in the process of repentance. Such phrases would include the following: "incline your heart unto the Lord your God" ( Josh 24:23) ; "circumcise yourselves to the Lord" (Jer 4:4); "wash your heart from wickedness" (Jer 4:14); "break up your fallow ground" (Hos 10:12) and so forth. All these expressions of man's penitential activity, however, are subsumed and summarized by this one verb shûb. For better than any other verb it combines in itself the two requisites of repentance: to turn from evil and to turn to the good...Shûb in the Qal...is in passages dealing with the covenant community's return to God (in the sense of repentance), or turning away from evil (in the sense of renouncing and disowning sin), or turning away from God (in the sense of becoming apostate). In such contexts shûb in the Qal is used 129 times....Taking all stems (Qal, Hiphil, et al) into consideration, Holladay (p. 117) concludes that there are a total of 164 uses of shûb in a covenantal context. The majority of them, as one might expect, are to be found in the classical literary prophets 113 times, with Jeremiah leading the way (forty-eight times)....There is no systematic spelling out of the doctrine of repentance in the OT. It is illustrated (Ps 51:1-19) more than anything else. Yet the fact that people are called "to turn" either "to" or "away from" implies that sin is not an ineradicable stain, but by turning, a God-given power, a sinner can redirect his destiny. There are two sides in understanding conversion, the free sovereign act of God's mercy and man's going beyond contrition and sorrow to a conscious decision of turning to God. The latter includes repudiation of all sin and affirmation of God's total will for one's life. One of the best summary illustrations of turning from sin and turning to God (repentance) is found in 1 Thessalonians For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to (epistrepho) God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.(1 Thes 1:9-10-note) Comment: Note that in these two verses we see that genuine repentance brings about (1) a radical, 180 degree change of one's allegiance which reflects genuine internal or heart change (cf circumcision of the heart) and (2) there is the bringing forth of "fruit" in keeping with (and therefore serving to authenticate one's) repentance (cf Mt 3:8) - serving (douleuo) and waiting () both verbs in the present tense signifying that this is now the general "direction" of their lives (NB: "direction" not "perfection," the former reflecting progressive sanctification or gradual growth in Christ-likeness and the latter reflecting our final glorification when we will be like Him for we will see Him as He is - 1 John 3:2. And notice the hope or absolute assurance of the latter change serves to motivate the former progressive transformation as indicated by John writing "everyone who has this hope [glorification] fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." 1 John 3:3) S Lewis Johnson on Return to Me with all your heart - When Joel says, “Return unto me saith Yahweh,” he is saying the identical thing with the exception of the time reference that John the Baptist said when he said, “Repent for the kingdom of the heavens is at hand.” (Mt 3:2) Or when the Lord Jesus uttered that same message, “Repent for the kingdom of the heaven is at hand.” (Mt 4:17 cf "repent and believe the Gospel" - Mk 1:15) For the Old Testament word (the Greek used to translate the Hebrew word) “to return” or “turn to me” is the word which is used in the New Testament in the Greek text of the New Testament under the form “repent”. So that repent in the New Testament is the equivalent of return to me in the Old Testament. So Joel is a prophet of repentance. (Judah's Repentance and God's "Repentance") The is one other point to note about the use of the word "return" which in English means going back to a previous place or in the present context returning to a prior relationship that Israel once had with God. To what is God referring? It is a call to return to their prior covenant relationship. For more discussion of this see Johnson's sermon Judah's Repentance and God's "Repentance". Finley - The spiritual challenge that Joel gives after his description of the invasion simply heightens that which he had given earlier. The crisis of the locusts must not be taken lightly; it could mean utter destruction if the people do not turn to the Lord. Repentance comes from a Hebrew word which means to draw a deep breath, as one does in expressing relief or sorrow. With reference to man’s sin, repentance is that inner contrition and conviction which leads the individual to confess and forsake his sin. True repentance involves contrition of heart, confession with the mouth and a change in the person’s conduct. (see ex of false confession -- Saul's failure to accept responsibility for his sin, even though he said "I have sinned" 1Sa 15:24,26) Weeping and mourning - People usually wept and mourned in the OT when someone died and turning from God is tantamount to death! And with fasting, weeping and mourning - These actions and emotions are to reflect an internal change ("rend your heart"). Each of these can easily be faked externally (cf Mt 6:1-note, Mt 6:16,17-note). But unless there is a genuine heart change, these acts are worthless before God. This call from God to Israel to return and weep and mourn will one day in the future be fulfilled. When? At the return of Israel's Messiah, the prophet Zechariah recording (MESSIAH IS SPEAKING) “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. 11 “In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 “The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves; 14 all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves. (Zechariah 12:10-14-note) Joel 2:12-17 Warning Lights “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” —Joel 2:12 I didn’t think that the hesitation in my car engine and that little yellow “check engine” light on my dashboard really needed my immediate attention. I sang it away, saying that I would get to it tomorrow. However, the next morning when I turned the key to start my car, it wouldn’t start. My first reaction was frustration, knowing that this would mean money, time, and inconvenience. My second thought was more of a resolution: I need to pay attention to warning lights that are trying to get my attention—they can mean something is wrong. In Joel 2:12-17, we read that God used the prophet Joel to encourage His people to pay attention to the warning light on their spiritual dashboard. Prosperity had caused them to become complacent and negligent in their commitment to the Lord. Their faith had degenerated into empty formalism and their lives into moral bankruptcy. So God sent a locust plague to ruin crops in order to get His people’s attention, causing them to change their behavior and turn to Him with their whole heart. God’s love is not some fuzzy thing That lets us do what we think best; It guides and warns, and shows the way, And always puts us to the test. —D. De Haan Conviction is God’s warning light. Joel 2:13 And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. rend your heart : 2Ki 22:19 Ps 34:18 51:17 Isa 57:15 66:2 Eze 9:4 Mt 5:3,4 not your garments: Ge 37:29,34 2Sa 1:11 1Ki 21:27 2Ki 5:7 6:30 22:11 Job 1:20 Isa 58:5 Mt 6:16-18 1Ti 4:8 For He is gracious and compassionate: Ex 34:6,7 Nu 14:18 Ps 86:5,15 145:7-9 Jon 4:2 Mic 7:18 Ro 2:4 Ro 5:20,21 Eph 2:4 Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness: Ne 9:17 Ps 103:8 Na 1:3 Jas 1:19,20 And relenting of evil.: Ps 106:45 Jer 18:7,8 Am 7:2-6 Jon 4:2 GOD'S GRACIOUS CALL: REND AND RETURN! Notice how mourning (Joel 2:12) for one's sin precedes and is accompanied by repentance from one's sin. If I do not genuinely mourn over my willful rebellion against my Father in Heaven, I am very unlikely to seek to genuinely repent. Mourning for "hurting" (cf Ezekiel 6:9-note) our Father is a crucial spiritual component in the overall spiritual dynamic of return and restoration of fellowship and communion with our Holy Father. The command to return in Joel 2:12-note is now "reinforced" by two more commands - rend and return. The Creator is calling to men and women created in His image to return to restoration of a personal relationship. God is calling for genuine morning for sin and not merely external actions of grief. This begs a question "Do I mourn when I sin?" Psalm 34:18; The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. Hubbard on rend your heart - The command rend your hearts and not your garments is the Hebrew way of saying that inward contrition is more important than an outward show of grief, which by itself could be an act devoid of sincerity or integrity...As the seat of moral and spiritual decision, it is the heart that must be dealt with. There evil ideas were hatched and brought to birth. Rend your hearts means ‘change your whole attitude’, with a result akin to the broken, contrite heart of Psalm 51:17 or the circumcised heart of Deuteronomy 10:16 and Jeremiah 4:4. (TOTC) And rend your heart and not your garments - The NET Bible puts this phrase with Joel 2:12NET and it does seem to fit better in that passage. Clearly God is speaking figuratively, for there is no way to tear our hearts and still live. On the other hand, in one sense, God is in fact calling us to "die" to ourselves, that we might live to God ("For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it" cf Mark 8:34-38). God is not interesting in a sham religion, but in authentic relationship. He is calling for an internal change, a change of heart. It is easy (and very impressive to others) to rend one's garments as a sham show, but God Alone sees the heart (1 Sa 16:7, Pr 15:3) and He knows whether our external acts of piety reflect a changed heart or a deceitful heart! In a sense, God's call to rend the heart is very similar to His call to "circumcise your hearts," in Deuteronomy (Dt 10:16) “So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer. But notice that what God calls them to do, He enables them to do.. (Dt 30:6-note) “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. Comment: Note that it is only a circumcised heart that can love God holistically! (Holistic = characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.) We see an excellent illustration of what God was calling for in the life of King Josiah when he heard the Word of God read from the Book of God which had been lost in the House of God ("go figure!")! When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes....19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you (2 Chr 34:27 adds "you humbled yourself" and) have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.(2 Ki 22:11, 19, cf 2 Chr 34:19, 27) So from King Josiah's reaction we learn that rending one's heart is the reflection or "fruit" of a heart that is spiritually tender (in contrast to hardened - cf Mk 3:5) toward God and thus reflects a humble heart, a heart that is willing to submit to God's commands, understanding they are just that -- commands and not suggestions! So in King Josiah's example we see that the internal heart change was reflected in a sincere external action, the rending of his garments and weeping before Jehovah, exactly the response God had called for in Joel 2:12-note. See topic Circumcision of the Heart God is always primarily interested in the internal, for then the external will be the Spirit enabled "overflow" of the internal! For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6, cf Mic 6:6-8-note) Samuel said (TO SAUL), “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey (obedience from a changed heart motivated by love and not obedience motivated by a legalistic spirit!) is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. (1 Sa 15:22) Rend your heart and not your garments - God desires broken and contrite hearts (Ps 51:17), not torn and ragged robes. How do you rend your heart? First, you hear "thus saith the LORD," and because it is a holy Word, our hearts are broken as we come to understand without excuse or equivocation, the gravity of our sin against God (cf Ge 39:9). Feinberg on rend your heart and not your garments - The rending of garments on occasions of great mourning is recorded early in the Scriptures (see Ge 37:29, 34; also 1 Sa 4:12; 1 Ki 21:27; and Is 37:2). It was meant to convey that broken and rent condition of the heart of the mourner. Because the sign often replaces the reality, God through the prophet enjoins a true and genuine contrition of heart. All such action before God is based upon the fact of God’s wonderful character, for He is gracious beyond words and ready to forgive. God is always more willing to bless than to blast, to pardon than to punish, to win by love than to wound by lashing. So there is always the possibility of God’s displeasure being turned into His favor, when His people come low before Him. God has no delight in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from the evil of his ways and live. (Note the case of the Ninevites in Jonah 3:9.) Upon true repentance God will restore to them plentiful harvests. The meal offering and the drink offering, both dependent upon the harvest of the field and vineyard, had ceased because of the drought and the plague, but will now be available to repentant Israel. (See Joel 1:9, 13, 16.) (The Minor Prophets) Barnes on rending garments - The rending of the clothes was an expression of extraordinary uncontrollable emotion, chiefly of grief, of terror, or of horror. At least, in Holy Scripture it is not mentioned as a part of ordinary mourning, but only upon some sudden overpowering grief, whether public or private. It was not used on occasion of death, unless there were something very grievous about its circumstances. At times it was used as an outward expression, one of deep grief, as when the leper was commanded to keep his clothes rent (Leviticus 13:45), or when David, to express his abhorrence at the murder of Abner, commanded “all the people with him, rend your clothes;” (Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament) Rend (07167)(qara) means to tear or rip apart, as when Reuben and Jacob tore their clothes when they realized Joseph was gone from the pit (Ge 37:29, 34; cf Ex. 28:32; Jer. 36:23, 24, Nu 14:6 = Joshua and Caleb's reaction to Israel's grumbling about the promised land; Josh 7:6 = Joshua's reaction to their defeat at Ai; Jdg 11:35 = Jephthah's reaction when he saw his daughter who he had to offer to the Lord to keep a vow; of David when he heard of Saul's death 2 Sa 1:11; of Tamar in mourning for being violated - 2 Sa 13:19; David's reaction 2 Sa 13:31; of Elisha when Elijah departed - 2 Ki 2:12, cf 2 Ki 5:7, 8, 6:30, 11:14, 2 Ki 18:37, 19:1, 22:11,22:19 = Josiah when he heard the words from the book of God which had been lost in the house of God! O my, does this describe much of the American church?; Ezra 9:3, 5; Mordecai's reaction when he heard the ruling to kill all the Jews in Persia - Esther 4:1; Job 2:12 = when Job's friends saw his sad state!; Isa 36:22, 37:1). Of the priest tearing a faded mark from a garment (Lev 13:56). Of the king cutting Jeremiah's scroll (Jer 36:23) but refusing to "rend their garments." (Jer 36:24) A literal and figurative use in Saul's tearing Samuel's robe after Samuel told him the Lord would tear the kingdom from him (1 Sa 15:27, 28, cf 1 Sa 28:17, 1 Ki 14:8, 2 Ki 17:21). Rending of one's clothes could be a sign of mourning or fear (Ge 44:13; 1 Sa 4:12). Qara is used figuratively here in Joel 2:13 of rending one's heart. Other figurative uses includes of tearing away a king's authority (1 Ki 11:11-13 "So the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant."), of God's tearing the heavens (Isa. 64:1), of tearing apart one's eyes with cosmetics - "you enlarge your eyes with paint" (Jer 4:30). Qara can describe building a house - "cut out its windows"(Jer. 22:14). Qara in the passive means to be torn apart, torn up (Ex 39:23; 1 Ki 13:3, 5). Qara describes the LORD giving a sign by splitting the altar (1 Ki 13:3, 5). Qara describes the tearing, ripping of wild beasts In Ps. 35:15 "they slandered me" is more literally "they tore at me." In Hos. 13:8 qara compares the Lord's action against Israel - "There I will also devour them like a lioness,as a wild beast would tear them." One of my favorite (convicting) literal uses of qara is in the description of Job. This is the type of reaction God is calling for from Israel. Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:20-21) One of my favorite figurative uses of qara is a great prayer (you might pause and pray it now) in Isaiah Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at Your presence– 2 As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil– To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence! (Isaiah 64:1-2) The last use of qara in the OT is here in Joel 2:13 and it is the only use that specifically speaks of rending one's heart. Qara - 62x in 60v - cut(2), enlarge(1), rend(3), slandered(1), split apart(2), surely tear(1), tear(7), tear apart(1), tear away(1), tore(26), tore the away(1), torn(16). Gen. 37:29; Gen. 37:34; Gen. 44:13; Exod. 28:32; Exod. 39:23; Lev. 13:56; Num. 14:6; Jos. 7:6; Jdg. 11:35; 1 Sam. 4:12; 1 Sam. 15:27; 1 Sam. 15:28; 1 Sam. 28:17; 2 Sam. 1:2; 2 Sam. 1:11; 2 Sam. 3:31; 2 Sam. 13:19; 2 Sam. 13:31; 2 Sam. 15:32; 1 Ki. 11:11; 1 Ki. 11:12; 1 Ki. 11:13; 1 Ki. 11:30; 1 Ki. 11:31; 1 Ki. 13:3; 1 Ki. 13:5; 1 Ki. 14:8; 1 Ki. 21:27; 2 Ki. 2:12; 2 Ki. 5:7; 2 Ki. 5:8; 2 Ki. 6:30; 2 Ki. 11:14; 2 Ki. 17:21; 2 Ki. 18:37; 2 Ki. 19:1; 2 Ki. 22:11; 2 Ki. 22:19; 2 Chr. 23:13; 2 Chr. 34:19; 2 Chr. 34:27; Ezr. 9:3; Ezr. 9:5; Est. 4:1; Job 1:20; Job 2:12; Ps. 35:15; Eccl. 3:7; Isa. 36:22; Isa. 37:1; Isa. 64:1; Jer. 4:30; Jer. 22:14; Jer. 36:23; Jer. 36:24; Jer. 41:5; Ezek. 13:20; Ezek. 13:21; Hos. 13:8; Joel 2:13 Now return to the LORD your God - Notice the phrase "the LORD YOUR God," which speaks of personal possession and right relationship. God had not moved. Israel had and they needed to make an "about face" and come back to their God. As discussed above, the idea of return is the Old Testament way of describing repentance and is found in many passages such as... Deuteronomy 30:2-note and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, 1 Samuel 7:3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. Hosea 6:1 “Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. For - What is this term of explanation explaining? Always consider the "5P's" - Pause to Ponder the Passage then Practice it in the Power of the Spirit. Clearly Joel is explaining how the door of repentance and return can even still be open to rebellious sons and daughters (not just Israel, but ALL of us!). Joel then proceeds to give us a "list" of the glorious attributes of God which make repentance possible. This description of God's character should encourage us as sinners to run to the Father without any reservation or hesitation, with full assurance that we will be "welcomed" by Him! The bedrock of the doctrine of repentance is based not on what we do as much as on Who God is! Yes, we have the responsibility to repent, but we could not even do so were it not for this great list of divine attributes! Praise You Father for Your magnanimous character. Amen One could easily write a book (many books) on each of these divine attributes (but we will forgo that in the interest of finishing the comments on Joel 2!) Gilliland writes "It is not the sinner's repentance which makes God merciful. He already is that, but the sinner's turning affords God the opportunity to display His compassion richly and righteously. The characteristics of God are drawn from Exodus 34:6 where, after the apostasy of the golden calf when the very existence of the nation was threatened, Moses was given a declaration of the divine name† Following the self-sacrificing intercession of Moses, the Lord made it clear that it is because of who the Lord is that His wayward people are not consumed. Hence the appeal to "turn" is grounded in what He is. Note the emphatic "he" in the original. Five features of the pardoning God are highlighted. (What the Bible Teaches – Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah) WHAT MAKES RETURN TO THE LORD POSSIBLE? It is notable that all the words, gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness are in the same order as in the words given to Moses, on the occasion of renewal of the tables of the law after Israel had committed flagrant idolatry (Exodus 34:5,6, cf Ex 32:1-8).