The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Joel 1:2,
"Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land."
The prophecy of Joel begins with a call to listen. It is the Lord that is speaking, and this is what he has to say! While this might be expected as a natural way to begin the prophetic utterances of someone carried along by the Holy Spirit to speak on the Lord's behalf, I sense that rather than just window-dressing as a way to frame what is to follow, it indicates a reality that the Jews had come to a place where they no longer listened to what the Lord had to say in previous prophecies and the Scriptures. Later, in verse 5, the call is to "Wake up". "Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!" Joel 1:5.
Judah needs to wake up as something is upon them they are not seeing, "Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty." Joel 1:15. So far from being alert to what is headed their way, they need the alarm sounded to get their attention, "Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand—" Joel 2:1.
So it is today. People have fallen asleep. They have uncritically accepted myths and lies about the origin of things here on planet earth, where we have come from, where we are going, why we are here and what we should be doing. This has allowed them to be lulled into a spiritual sleep, so to speak, where the horrific impending judgment of God escapes their notice. It is coming upon them and they are oblivious to it.
Serious discussion of the things of God, how and where the current events of our day fit into what God has told us has escaped many. Life around us goes on as if the spiritual realm of reality didn't exist. As if the call to escape God's coming wrath in his judgment for the sins of the world has fallen on deaf ears, ears of those who have fallen asleep and need to awake!
Jesus Christ is returning to planet earth. When he comes he will be treading the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty! Like a big massive freight train that has already left the station, it is headed our way, unstoppable, unswerving, headed right at us! Woe to the man who is found asleep, not watching, not listening!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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