Joel

Joel

I sometimes struggle reading the Old Testament. How do these stories apply to me? Aren’t we under a New Covenant? What could God be speaking through lists of names and complicated prophetic symbolism? Why would God want me to read these weird stories when I could go so much more out of Paul’s letters or the Gospels? I still don’t understand a lot of the Old Testament. When I read it I usually struggle through most of it. It is easy for me to pick out verses and chapters I can really get a lot from but it’s often a lot harder for me to understand the entire story. Reading Joel was a little different; I understood the prophetic word God gave Joel for the land of Judah. From what I understand it was fairly simple. Repent. Joel told the priests, farmers, men and women to weep and fear the judgment that is soon to come. God wanted the people to turn from their ways and mourn, and fast for Him. God promised the people He would bless them once again if they repented: Joel 2:27 "After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will dream dreams; your young men will see prophetic visions. Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days." The previous verse is a promise from God about the last days. There is an apocalyptic tone to Joel's message. Joel mentioned plagues such as an army of locusts and famines as punishment for not returning to the Lord. Joel tells the people to repent, he warns them of the judgment and tells of a future to come where it will all be restored. Reading Joel’s word in its entirety helped me to understand the bigger picture of the book. I am excited to talk about this in class to see my classmates and Professor’s comments on the book of Joel.

The Living Breathing Word of God is Good.

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