JOEL

The following comments are from Navigator's and Quiet Time Diary journals. One verse will be entered, then the comment, then the date.

1:3    Tell your sons about it,
        And let your sons tell their sons,
        And their sons the next generation.

    This verse refers to the prophecy that Joel is about to tell in this short book in the Bible, however it could refer to the Christian life in general, where parents should clearly tell their children of their faith in Jesus Christ and set the example of living for Christ - which didn't happen in my life. (DRM 8/20/06)

1:14    Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord you God, and cry out to the Lord. 

    Chapter 1 of Joel is mostly an introduction and deals with the facts that Joel saw in a dream. A swarm of locusts had eaten everything (v.10), fields are ruined, the ground is dried up. . . 
    The prophecy of Joel should make me think again just how real God can be. While we do not know exactly when this will happen, we must always be prepared for Him. (DRM 9/10/87)

1:15    Alas for the day!
            For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.

    Joel felt that the Day of the Lord was coming soon - as he wrote of a severe drought in this section of Chapter 1. Today we (I) also anticipate the Day of the Lord and His coming. While I don't know if I'll be raptured or not, the day I go to Heaven will be my Day. (DRM 8/21/06)

2:10    Before them the earth quakes,
            The heavens tremble,
            The sun and the moon grow dark,
            And the stars lose their brightness.

    This section seems to describe the army of the Lord (v. 11) on the day of the Lord (v. 2). It will certainly be a frightful day for the inhabitants of earth! For those in the Lord's army, it should be an exciting day - as it will usher in Christ's rule! (DRM 8/22/06)

2:12    "Yet even now," declares the LORD,
            "Return to Me with all your heart,
            And with fasting, weeping, and mourning;

    "Return" is the key word in this verse. The Lord God wants Israel (past and present) to return their devotion to Him and His Son, Jesus.
    God wants all people to know Him, or know Him better - known as a revival of their soul. There is never a point where we (I) will reach "too much Jesus." (DRM 8/23/06)

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.

    God=Jesus wants us to repent and follow His ways. Our spiritual heart is everlasting, but our clothes are temporary. Tearing our clothes in repentance (as in old days) will not achieve salvation.
    Most of this verse (three lines) refers to God's attributes - what He does for those who repent of their sins and follow Him.
    While God is patient - slow to anger - He loves each person on earth and wants them to repent and follow His ways. At some point our opportunity will end. Death can come suddenly, then it will be too late. Rend/tear your heart from earthly things and give it to Jesus today if you haven't already done so. (DRM 10/21/16)

2:23    So rejoice, O sons of Zion,
           And be glad in the LORD your God;
           For He has given you the early rain for your vindication.
           And He has poured down for you the rain,
           The early and latter rain as before.

    I think this is a prophecy about the state of Israel after the great tribulation.
    During the tribulation there will be no rain (Rev. 11:6) for 1,260 days, but after Jesus returns the rains will also return. I believe the early rain is in Spring and the latter rain is in Fall, at harvest time.
    The earth will not end - as people are predicting now - but rather be renewed after Jesus returns. (DRM 4/25/12)

2:25    Then I will make up to you for the years
           That the swarming locust has eaten,
           The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust,
           My great army which I sent among you.

    Within the past month I have seen videos of the invasion of locust in Egypt and Israel. Since Joel was a prophet predicting this would come before "The Day of the Lord" (2:30), this invasion could be God's answer to Joel's prophecy.
    So many things are happening now because God wants our attention and trust in Him - for salvation first - but also protection from the judgment to come.
    Restoration is also a part of this verse. God will restore Israel - and us as believers - in the future. (DRM 4/11/13)

2:26    You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.

    If you trust the Lord everything will work out. This is the same theme as "last nights" verse [Hebrews 11:1] even though it is from the Old Testament.
    God will provide for our needs, if we will only praise His name. (DRM 12/13/86)

2:28    "And it will come about after this
            That I will pour out My spirit on all mankind;
            And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
            Your old men will dream dreams,
            Your young men will see visions."

    I'm unsure what time period "after this" refers to. Remembering that Joel was an Old Testament prophet and a bad time came, then a prophet (Jesus) of deliverance, then this period, then the Day of the Lord - so I think today's verse refers to the current church age - where the Holy Spirit is on the earth. (DRM 8/24/06)

3:11    Hasten and come, all you surrounding nations,
            And gather yourselves there.
            Bring down, O LORD, Thy mighty ones.

    There is a lot of prophecy in this section (3:1-13), from the dispersal of the Israelites to their return to their land (v.7) and, later, the Lord's judging of the nations. Certainly God knows the future, and we (I) can understand more of it by studying His word. (DRM 8/25/06)

3:14    Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
            For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

    In verse 16, the Lord is in Jerusalem, so this verse refers to an event just before His arrival. It appears that many will have a final chance to make their decision before that day, however we don't know if we will live to see that day before we depart this earth. The time to decide for Christ is NOW. (DRM 8/26/06)

3:16    The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

    The "end times" are coming. All of the earthquakes are going to come at one time, but I don't have to fear - because I belong to Him and He will be my refuge! (DRM 6/5/89)