Joel 2:18-32
The Comforting Answer
The “who knows” of Joel 2:14, after what happened in Joel 2:17, gets here his beautiful answer. Is it not touching, this verse? It is at least as touching as the LORD’s reaction to the removal of the idols in the book of Judges: “And He could bear the misery of Israel no longer” (Jdg 10:16). People who show their humility and break with sin and thus go to Him, always experience His compassion. Then He will again act in favor of His land and His people. There has always been a connection between land and people (Gen 13:14-18; Gen 17:6-8). With ‘land’ the emphasis is on the LORD’s relentless zeal for its well-being. With ‘people’, the emphasis is on His compassion, His tender feelings for them.Two Promises
This verse contains two promises. The first is that there will be grain, new wine and oil again. They will be able to live from it, not just to stay alive, but they will be able to eat it until they are satisfied. When the LORD sends anything, it is never scanty. He always gives in abundance (Mt 14:15-21; Mt 15:32-38). The second promise is the assurance that they will never again be made a reproach among the nations. This assurance is a great relief. Reproach gives an enormous spiritual burden, by which life can become extremely difficult. The opposite, to be praised, or simply appreciated in daily life, can give wings; it makes life easier and pleasant.A Third Promise
The LORD gives a third promise: He will chase away the enemy. This enemy comes from the north. It is Assyria. That enemy will be expelled in three directions, unlike with the locusts which have been expelled to the west, in the sea. Part of it is driven “into a parched and desolate land”, probably referring to the wilderness area south of Israel. Another part, “his vanguard”, is driven “into the eastern sea”, which is the Dead Sea. The third part, “his rear guard”, will be driven “into the western sea”, that is the Mediterranean Sea. This fate that strikes Assyria comes from the LORD because this enemy boasts that he has done “great things”. That is, he acted with pride. He has spoken and acted arrogantly. Their countless bodies will decay, so that the stench will arise and its foul smell will come up and pollute the air (cf. Amos 4:10a). Smell and pollution is all that remains of it. Once the discipline has done its job, it is removed. It is different with the plagues that have come over Egypt. There a plague stopped to make way for a new plague, because there was no conversion (Exodus 7-12).Great Things
“Do not fear.” What a word full of comfort! From this call or command that we often encounter in the Bible, many have drawn strength through the ages. How afraid we can be when we think of the future, near or far away. We do not have any grip on it. Many things happen without us being able to influence them. But he who trusts in God will be told: “Do not fear!” Here this word is said just after the country suffered enormously, but is now blessed again by the LORD. The land again produces much fruit, until satisfaction. But precisely because it is so recent that it has sighed, through its own unfaithfulness, under the discipline of God, there is still the fear that things will go wrong again. The people think back and realize how fragile and vulnerable this blessing can be. Then comes another encouragement: the land may rejoice and be glad, because the blessing no longer depends on their faithfulness, but because the LORD has done great things. In Joel 2:20 it says that Assyria boasts of having done great things. But doing great things is only reserved for God. He has done great things in their salvation from the enemies. And for us? If we think of the great work of the Lord Jesus on the cross … How incredibly great that is! That gives all redeemed of all times every reason to always rejoice and be glad (cf. Joel 2:23).Again Plenty to Eat for the Animals
From this verse the realm of peace comes into view. Under the reign of the Prince of peace, the whole of creation – land, animals and people – will be able to enjoy, in unprecedented peace and rest, all that God has given. The encouragement “do not fear” of Joel 2:21 sounds here for the animals. In the same sentence, the call “rejoice and be glad” of Joel 2:21 sound in Joel 2:23 for the children of Zion. The animals have suffered because of the sin of man. But when man, the people, have converted, the animals also share in the results of the atonement. Their longing for God (Joel 1:20) has been answered. They can eat plenty of what the field produces. They do not have to fear new scarcity. Even in our time, cattle still sigh under the curse of man’s sin that rests on creation. But if the curse is removed, the animals will be brought, though not in joy, in the freedom of the children of God (Rom 8:18-22). Thus God, when He spares Nineveh, also has an eye for the animals, for cattle also have fasted (Jona 4:11; Jona 3:8).The Sons of Sion
The fact that the people are addressed with “sons of Zion” must sound like music to their ears. Zion is one of the mountains on which Jerusalem is built. Zion is often called ‘the city of David’. He lived there. Once the true David, the Lord Jesus, will live there and reign from there, Mount Zion will be “the joy of the whole earth” (Psa 48:2). As with Mount Sinai the law is connected, so with Mount Zion the grace is connected (Heb 12:18-22). The “sons of Zion” are therefore “children of grace”. Therefore the cause of rejoicing and gladness is not in themselves, but in the LORD. They see Him as the cause of their joy. He has shown them mercy, while they have forfeited every right to blessing. They may rejoice once again in “the LORD your God”, in which the consciousness of a renewed, restored relationship with the God of the covenant is included. On the basis of this new covenant, the rain currents of blessing will descend again. The early rain falls in October and November; the late rain falls in March and April and is indispensable for a good harvest. Rain first means rain as a natural blessing, but then also the spiritual blessing in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28).“The teacher for righteousness” – as “the early rain for [your] vindication” also can be translated [see footnote NASB] – is no one else but the Lord Jesus. He will teach them in righteousness (Isa 53:11b). It may seem strange that in the midst of all the earthly blessings a Person suddenly comes forward. Yet this is not strange when we consider that, if the promised state of blessing is to be maintained, God’s people must also live in God’s way and according to His commandments. Because Israel’s blessing is connected with keeping God’s commandments, it is of vital importance that the LORD also has those commandments taught as well. When, through the Teacher’s teaching, life according to God’s will is taken seriously again in Israel, the rain, coming as a blessing from God, may descend. In the past, righteousness was demanded, no one could meet it. Now that new life is present, there is also the desire to be taught in righteousness.The Blessing
The coming of rain is evidence of the blessing God has in His heart for them. He will give that rain if they obey His commandments. In the book of Deuteronomy Moses is a picture of the Teacher for righteousness (Joel 2:23; Deu 11:13-14). Grain, new wine and oil, the three products of the land that together represent the full blessing, will be overflowing. All this thanks to the rain streams that the LORD will give, each at his appointed time.Restoration
That’s God! Once His people have converted to Him, He will compensate them for what they have missed all these years because of His discipline. God does not keep the blessing to Himself; He is the God Who distributes blessing, provided that the conditions He has set are met. He can only give blessing where things happen according to His will. Even if a person or a people are stubborn, He is able to make them act according to His will. That is how God always does it. It is in itself a blessing if, after a rebellious life, a person comes to the acknowledgment that God has to judge that rebellious life. This acknowledgment is sufficient for God to give new life. That new life is the life of God Himself. Then God shows how many blessings He has in His heart to give to those who are so connected to Him through new life. Everything that has been said and done in rebellion against God has only done harm. Conversion has put this to an end. After Israel’s conversion in the future, they will be allowed to take possession of all the promised blessings. How many years of our life have been consumed by locusts? Self-sufficiency, frivolity, waste of time, talent and opportunity, slowness, laziness, mixed and evil motives, hidden sin, they all played the role of locust. It made sure that there was no power to live for God and enjoy fellowship with Him. There was also no power to testify to those around us Who the Lord Jesus is for us. But God wants to forgive and give us a hopeful future again. Moreover, He wants to give back what the locust has eaten. The Lord Jesus did the same with Peter. After Peter has denied the Lord (Mt 26:69-75) the Lord restored him and entrusts him with the care of His sheep (Jn 21:15-17). He also did it with Paul. After Paul caused devastation in the church of Christ and the Lord has met him, He makes him a builder of the church. Paul has built both in the preaching of the gospel and in teaching the doctrine (1Tim 1:12-14). This is how the Lord wants to act in our lives. It begins with the removal from our lives of everything that is more important than Christ. We must condemn the things we do not do for Him, especially the confession and forsaking of sins (Pro 28:13) that we still cherish. Then we will see that we have access to “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” hidden in Christ (Col 2:3).Praise for the LORD
It is striking how, when it comes to the blessing of God, it is always spoken of abundance and satisfaction. If the damage suffered is made good by the LORD, subsequently His people have enough to eat again. Then they will express their gratitude by praising the name of the LORD, their God in worship. That is the ultimate goal of all God does with and for His people, both in Israel and in the church. Every redemption, both of a person and of a people, will lead to the exclamation: “This is the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes” (Psa 118:23). This wonder could happen by the contents of the verse before it: “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner [stone]” (Psa 118:22). This is the cause of the worship of the wonder. The Lord Jesus was rejected by men, but made by God the basis for His work. The wonder of redemption is made possible by what the Lord Jesus did on the cross. Also all the earthly blessings that Israel will receive are due to that work. The natural blessings will have a spiritual effect because one will honor and thank the LORD as the Processor of them.Knowing Where and Who the LORD Is
The “knowing” of this verse is a knowing by experience. They become aware, they notice, that the LORD is in their midst. The answer to the prayer of Joel 2:17 and the answer of the LORD in the salvation from need can be seen in Israel’s renewed relationship with the LORD. When God says “that I am the LORD your God”, He shows the exclusive privilege of Israel. He became the LORD their God because He delivered them out of Egypt (Exo 20:2; Deu 5:6). The addition “and there is no other” (Deu 4:35; Isa 45:5) emphasizes the previous statement. This is necessary because Israel, in its needs, often has turned to other gods. In doing that they have always been ashamed and were made ashamed, something they have never experienced in their relation with God and that they will never experience forevermore. Then there will be no more room for the mocking question: ‘Where is their God?’Blessing for the People
In the Hebrew Bible Joel 2:28-32 form a separate chapter (Joel 3). Joel 3 in our Bible is there Joel 4. This division into four chapters is also maintained in other translations.Until now it has been a material and, moreover a temporary blessing. It concerns the restoration of Israel in the enjoyment of the blessing of former days. This fact is based on grace, a grace that prevents the blessing from being lost again. Now the prophet is going to speak about the spiritual blessings that the Messiah, the Christ, will bring to His people. In this all nations, who have accepted Him, will share. For God will pour out His Spirit from heaven “on all mankind”. “Pouring out” refers to the abundantly rich extent with which the Spirit is given (Isa 32:15a). This will happen “after” the destruction of the Assyrians. The destruction of the last hostile powers of Israel and the outpouring of the Spirit are the last events recorded (Eze 39:29), before the prophet Ezekiel describes the temple and the land during the realm of peace (Ezekiel 40-48). Peter quotes these verses in Joel 2 in Acts 2 without saying that it is the fulfillment of this prophecy (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21). This indeed is not the case. He refers to Joel 2 because what happens on Pentecost has the same character as what Joel announces. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost is something reminiscent of what Joel said. We can say that what happens on Pentecost is a pre-fulfillment of the prophecy, not the fulfillment itself. The fulfillment of what Joel says will take place after what he prophesied in the preceding verses has been fulfilled. The word “after” in the first line of Joel 2:28 shows that there is a chronological order with the preceding verses.Peter’s main purpose in quoting this verse from Joel is to make it clear to the Jews that this wondrous event that takes place so suddenly in their midst is fully confirmed by what Joel said about the outpouring of the Spirit. But the outpouring that takes place in Peter’s days is not the full accomplishment of the event announced by Joel. The Holy Spirit comes to earth on the day of Pentecost. Through His coming the church is formed which He will continue to form. This outpouring takes place to form a people for heaven. Therefore He is still on earth. What Joel writes about can only take place when the enemies of Israel are defeated and the people themselves dwell in their land.“All mankind” does not mean ‘all people living then’. It indicates that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not an event limited to the Jews. Pentecost also makes that clear. It is not that God allows all the converted to speak the Jewish language, but He allows the Jews to speak the languages of those who are scattered among the Gentiles. This is a special testimony of grace that goes out to the Gentiles. The Gentiles are not incorporated into the Jewish people, but as Gentiles they participate in the blessing of the Holy Spirit. All the different languages are the result of God’s judgment of the people because of their arrogant plan to form their own unity by building the tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). But now the grace of God goes out to them as well and He lifts up the judgment of the confusion of languages by the wonder of speaking in languages. Language is no longer a barrier.The working of the Spirit Who has been poured out manifests itself in prophecy. On the day of Pentecost this is shown in speaking in languages “of the mighty deeds of God” (Acts 2:11). It seems that speaking in languages is a form of prophecy here, because through this speaking and the explanation given by Peter, people are touched in the heart and many repent (Acts 2:37; 41). In the Old Testament, the Spirit as a gift is reserved only for persons with a special place in God’s people, such as kings and prophets. That the whole people will prophesy has remained a wish expressed by Moses (Num 11:29). This wish of Moses has become a promise of the LORD with Joel. Sons and daughters will prophesy. For this a life inspired by the Spirit is necessary. Only thereby one is receptive to divine revelations. This will be the case for all who will enter the realm of peace. Prophesying is speaking from the presence of God with knowledge of His will. God will make known His will to the elderly through dreams and to young men through visions. The difference between ‘dreams’ and ‘visions’ is that in dreams things are seen in sleep, whereas with visions this may not be the case. Visions are also more about what is seen, the appearance. We find more often in Scripture that God makes His will known through dreams (Job 33:14-18; Gen 20:3; 6; Mt 1:20; Mt 2:12-22) and visions (Gen 15:1; Gen 46:2; 1Sam 3:1; 15). The connection between prophecies and dreams and visions is evident in what the LORD says to Aaron and Miriam after they spoke against Moses: “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream” (Num 12:6).The Spirit on All
As has already been mentioned, in the Old Testament we do not see the Spirit generally using every member of the people. He performs His work mainly through kings, priests and prophets. This will be different in the future. Then all layers of the people, even male servants and female servants, receive this gift. There will be no distinction according to gender, age or social status. The elderly, whose strength is diminished or even gone, like the young, who have little or no experience in the things of God, will receive revelations from Him in dreams and visions.Wonders
In the literal sense, the Spirit will eventually be poured out on all mankind the moment the Assyrians and all enemies are defeated and the LORD has placed His people back in His land. The wonders mentioned in this verse will precede that event. Although Peter does quote these verses in Acts 2, these wonders do not directly follow the outpouring of the Spirit. This is because Israel as a nation did not convert, but was (and still is) disobedient. If they had converted, “that great and awesome day of the LORD” would have come immediately. The LORD would have judged the enemies both inside and outside of Israel in favor of His people. His performance would have been accompanied by the phenomena mentioned here. Now that day is still to come. That is why these phenomena are still future. They will certainly take place after the church has been raptured (Rev 6:12-17). Under the sixth seal mentioned in Revelation 6 judgments there are judgments that are very similar to what Joel says. All judgments that take place from Revelation 6 onwards are included in that “great and awesome day of the LORD”. They are paving the way for the return of Christ to the earth to establish His realm of peace and righteousness.Survivors
In that time of great distress, in which what is mentioned in Joel 2:30-31 takes place, salvation for everyone who sees his hopeless situation is only possible by calling upon the Name of the LORD. He who approaches Him in trusting faith does not perish, but is saved. In Romans 10 this verse is quoted and declared generally applicable for the proclamation of the gospel (Rom 10:13). With respect to the gospel there is no distinction in judgment nor in the offering of salvation. It is available to everyone. Throughout all the centuries, salvation can only be found in faith in the Lord Jesus. He is the LORD. Here in Joel, salvation is also connected to Jerusalem and Zion, for that is the place from which the Lord Jesus will reign (cf. Oba 1:17). There He dwells; with Him everyone is safe. All who are called by the LORD will go there. Here we find the remnant that is saved. A remnant is “a remnant according to [God’s] gracious choice” (Rom 11:5; Rom 9:27). Both sides are true and needy. On the one hand there is the call to call upon the Name of the LORD to be saved. On the other hand, only those who are called by the LORD are saved. It is the same today. “God is now declaring to men that all [people] everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30). This command should not be invalidated by saying that you cannot repent, but that God must do so and that it only happens when you are chosen. Then you simply put the Word of God aside and make any preaching of the gospel a useless activity. At the same time God is declared a liar. After all, He is Someone Who says things that are not true. He asks something of man that he cannot do. But God is not like that! When He asks something of man, He also gives the strength to do it. That’s God! At the same time, it is also true that someone who has converted can only say this because he is chosen. You can compare it with an invitation above the door of a house. It says that anyone can come in and get something. Whoever actually does so, reads above the door on the inside: Chosen one. God knows who will actually accept His invitation to be saved. But these two sides of the truth must never be played off against each other. The gospel must be preached to all people without distinction, while the election is a truth that all believers may embrace with great gratitude.
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