Joe 2:17 | KingComments | STEP | When the whole people are called, the priests are told where to stand and told what to do and say. The priests represent the people before the LORD. In them the LORD sees all the people. A priest is supposed to know what is due to Him, what is appropriate for Him. He is not supposed to act according to his own insight – for he is “a servant of the LORD” – but must fully abide by the prescriptions the LORD has given. In doing so, his priesthood is to the satisfaction of the LORD and to the blessing of God’s people. In the New Testament, all believers are a spiritual priesthood and may bring spiritual sacrifices ( ). They too are expected to know God’s thoughts about the condition of His people. From a spiritual point of view, they too would do well to take to heart the task of the priests in the book of Joel. The priests take their place in the midst of the people, outside the sanctuary, to call together with the people to God with an appeal to His faithfulness. They have to stand “between the porch and the altar”. This tells us that they can only take their place in the presence of the LORD, the porch, because the sacrifice is brought upon the altar. They can only exist before Him because He accepts them in the value of sacrifice. They themselves have nothing to sacrifice. But in taking that place it is as if they remind the LORD and also themselves of the sacrifice. They are instructed to cry, which means that they repent of their unfaithfulness and realize that by doing so they have earned God’s judgment. They have lost all rights to be accepted by Him. Then they have to open their mouths to pronounce what is said to them. Here the Spirit puts in their mouth what is to be spoken (cf. ), in order to move the heart of God to intervene for “Your people” and “Your inheritance”. They plead with God in view of Whom He has always been for His people and inheritance; at the same time they plead with God in view of His glory opposite the enemies. Moses also uses this second argument after the people sinned with the golden calf ( ; ).

‏ Joel 2:17

Assignment to the Priests

When the whole people are called, the priests are told where to stand and told what to do and say. The priests represent the people before the LORD. In them the LORD sees all the people. A priest is supposed to know what is due to Him, what is appropriate for Him. He is not supposed to act according to his own insight – for he is “a servant of the LORD” – but must fully abide by the prescriptions the LORD has given. In doing so, his priesthood is to the satisfaction of the LORD and to the blessing of God’s people.

In the New Testament, all believers are a spiritual priesthood and may bring spiritual sacrifices (1Pet 2:5). They too are expected to know God’s thoughts about the condition of His people. From a spiritual point of view, they too would do well to take to heart the task of the priests in the book of Joel.

The priests take their place in the midst of the people, outside the sanctuary, to call together with the people to God with an appeal to His faithfulness. They have to stand “between the porch and the altar”. This tells us that they can only take their place in the presence of the LORD, the porch, because the sacrifice is brought upon the altar. They can only exist before Him because He accepts them in the value of sacrifice. They themselves have nothing to sacrifice. But in taking that place it is as if they remind the LORD and also themselves of the sacrifice.

They are instructed to cry, which means that they repent of their unfaithfulness and realize that by doing so they have earned God’s judgment. They have lost all rights to be accepted by Him. Then they have to open their mouths to pronounce what is said to them. Here the Spirit puts in their mouth what is to be spoken (cf. Hos 14:3), in order to move the heart of God to intervene for “Your people” and “Your inheritance”.

They plead with God in view of Whom He has always been for His people and inheritance; at the same time they plead with God in view of His glory opposite the enemies. Moses also uses this second argument after the people sinned with the golden calf (Exo 32:12; Psa 42:3 ; Psa 115:2).