“‘And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
~ Joel 2:28
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you know a kid or guy whose name is Joel? Your dad has a cousin whose name is Joel. You can find in the Bible a guy whose name is Joel. Joel scribed a short book that became included in the Bible’s canon. Joel’s book is called Joel. No one really knows when Joel penned his book. Joel was a prophet. Joel quite possibly lived during the period of time when Israel and Judah were still countries in the land area which God had given His specially chosen guys, gals and kids – the Israelite people group, to always to have to live in as their very own land. Joel may have lived on planet Earth about the same time when a couple of other prophets – Elijah and Elisha, lived on planet Earth. Not all that much is known about Joel. Why do you think that Joel’s book became included in the Bible’s canon especially since not that much is known about Joel? Joel wrote about something terrible that took place during the days when the Israelite people group guys, gals and kids were still living in the land that God had given to them to always to have to live in as their very own land. The Joel Book is about locusts. Have you ever seen a locust? Do you know what a locust is? Locusts will eat anything green. Locusts only live at a certain time of the year. Locusts will get together in swarms. There can be so many locusts in a swarm of locusts that a swarm of locusts can look like a dark swirling cloud. A grasshopper looks somewhat like a miniature locust. There are always in the summer grasshoppers on the farm where your grandpaa grew up as a kid. If there are a lot of grasshoppers, the grasshoppers can destroy grain fields. The locusts – which Joel writes about, turned a land that was lush and green and which is described as a Garden of Eden, into a desert. God’s specially chosen guys, gals and kids who were living in the land that God had given to them to always to have to live in as their very own land had one day plenty of food available to eat but the next day – after the locusts had ravaged their crops, they had no food available to eat. Why do you think that God would send swarms of locusts into the land that He had given to His specially chosen guys, gals and kids to always to have to live in as their very own land to destroy what they were growing in their fields? God’s specially chosen guys and gals were disobeying Him again. Your grandpaa thinks that God was probably sending a wakeup call – using locusts, to cause a famine to get His specially chosen guys and gals to obey Him again.
Joel 2 has two distinct messages. The first message in this chapter talks about the invasion of locust swarms. The second message in this chapter talks about the hope that God’s specially chosen guys, gals and kids have after they turned back to believing in God again. The first part of this chapter talks about a great army. This great army would come with a great noise. The army would appear to be horses. These horses would actually be locusts. These locusts – which would like horses, would move out, climb walls, march straight ahead, go into homes and scare the guys, gals and kids who are living in the land that God had given to them to always to have to live in as their very own land. There would be so many locusts the sky would look like it was trembling or quivering. There would be so many locusts it would seem like it was darker outside – as the locusts would cover the light of the sun and the moon. There would be so many locusts the stars would not be able to be seen. God would be leading this vast swarm of locusts. God as He is leading this massive locust swarm would be making a thundering sound. The locusts would obey God’s commands to go where He wants them to go and to do what He wants them to do. Why do you think that God would want to send an enormous swarm of locusts to planet Earth? What do you think that the day of the Lord will be like? The day of the Lord is when planet Earth is destroyed by God. No guy really knows when God will destroy planet Earth. God used locusts to destroy the land that He had given His specially chosen guys, gals and kids as an example of what He will do later – the day when He will destroy planet Earth. God also used locusts as an example to His specially chosen guys and gals – to show the guys and gals what it will be like when He sends His enemies to take them away as captive slaves. This had to have been a scary time for God’s specially chosen guys, gals and kids to have suddenly have their land covered by locusts which ate everything.
What does a guy, gal or kid do who becomes scared? A guy, gal or kids will sometimes ask God for help from what is scaring him or her. God is always ready to help a guy, gal or kid who is scared. There may be a reason why God will not help a guy, gal or kid. Do you know of a reason why God would not help you – if you asked God for help? If a guy or gal is disobedient to God, will God listen to that guy or gal? Your grandpaa does not think so. God helps a guy or gal who admits that he or she has done wrong. God helps a guy or gal who admits that he or she has not been obedient in living out God’s Word in his or her life. God promises to help a guy and gal who wants to be led by Him. God promised that He will do wonders for His specially chosen guys and gals instead of against His specially chosen guys and gals. God promises in verse 28 “‘And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Your grandpaa believes God wants Him to have dreams. God has blessed your grandmaa and grandpaa with opportunities that your grandmaa and grandpaa never ever thought that they would have. This chapter goes from facing complete disaster to experiencing ultimate hope. This chapter goes from what it is like to suffer the consequences of being disobedient to God to what it is like to experience what it is to accept God as being the Savior Who brings hope.
Joel 2 (99)