Joe 1:8 | KingComments | STEP | The people are called upon to wail. Their sorrow must be shown by the wearing of a sackcloth. The misery that has come upon Judah and that must lead to sadness is compared to the misery that is caused by the breaking of a love relationship. The cause of the sorrow the prophet presents in the picture of a wailing bride whose beloved was torn out of life shortly before marriage. Both the unexpected and the intensely painful are drawn here. The fate of Judah and Jerusalem is compared to the fate of a bride who has to do without the fellowship with her husband. Judah and Jerusalem also have no more fellowship with the LORD because of the emergency situation, as it was experienced before in the sacrificial service. The means of sacrifice are given to the people as a proof of their allegiance to the LORD. Because all their hope is connected with earthly blessings, the loss of them can only have great sorrow as a consequence. In a general sense we can connect to this the lesson that whoever works only for the food that perishes ( ) will come out cheated in his work. All earthly prosperity can suddenly disappear. In that case, it is to be hoped, as here with Israel, that this grievous matter will bring about a sorrow that is in accordance with God and not just a sorrow for the blessings that have been lost ( ).

‏ Joel 1:8

Sorrow for Loss of a Loved One

The people are called upon to wail. Their sorrow must be shown by the wearing of a sackcloth. The misery that has come upon Judah and that must lead to sadness is compared to the misery that is caused by the breaking of a love relationship. The cause of the sorrow the prophet presents in the picture of a wailing bride whose beloved was torn out of life shortly before marriage. Both the unexpected and the intensely painful are drawn here.

The fate of Judah and Jerusalem is compared to the fate of a bride who has to do without the fellowship with her husband. Judah and Jerusalem also have no more fellowship with the LORD because of the emergency situation, as it was experienced before in the sacrificial service. The means of sacrifice are given to the people as a proof of their allegiance to the LORD. Because all their hope is connected with earthly blessings, the loss of them can only have great sorrow as a consequence.

In a general sense we can connect to this the lesson that whoever works only for the food that perishes (Jn 6:27) will come out cheated in his work. All earthly prosperity can suddenly disappear. In that case, it is to be hoped, as here with Israel, that this grievous matter will bring about a sorrow that is in accordance with God and not just a sorrow for the blessings that have been lost (2Cor 7:10).