Monday, April 23 2012
Joel 1
Verse of the Day: V19 “O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.”
1. Children (V1-4)
V3 “Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.”
God through Prophet Joel commanded the people of Israel to teach their children of the great judgment of God, as God sent the mighty locusts to destroy completely the land of Israel when they rebelled against Him. This lesson shall the children of Israel teach their children, and their children would in turn teach another generation. Indeed, this is how the legacy of the Word of God has been taught and preached even in this day and age.
V4 “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.”
2. Crisis (V5-13)
V5 “Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.”
The crisis of the nation of Israel during the time of Prophet Joel was the sin of drunkenness. The people of Israel including the leaders and the priests had become drinkers of wine day and night, that they had neglected their work in the farms and fields, their families and children, and in particular, the joy of serving and worshipping the Lord.
V12 “The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.”
3. Cry (V14-20)
V14 “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,”
Prophet Joel commanded the people of Israel to fast and cry to the Lord for His mercy and repent their sin of drunkenness as this was the only way for God to spare their land and their lives from complete destruction, and to restore the joy of the Lord in their lives.
V19 “O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to cry to You for mercy that I may have joy in You.
