King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Thursday, September 12, 2024
Chapters: Joel Chapters 1-3
Message: Faithful Ministers
Hello My Friend,
Christ’s faithful ministers are tired, many are quitting the ministry, and becoming part of the world, some are just content to preach the Gospel and that is it. We need to lift up and encourage those who are tired, we also need to fast and pray for God to work in our lives like never before, and we need to remember how merciful and gracious God is upon us, [Psalms 103:8-12 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.]
The Book of Joel contains three chapters, the author is Joel and it was written to the people in Judah. The timeline for these events comes with a bit of a debate among Bible scholars, some say 850-860 B. C., others say, 400–380 B. C. Since the book describes what will take place during the time of Christ’s return, it is likely to be the later date. The purpose of the book was to warn Judah of their sin and need for repentance and to inform them of God’s future restoration for the entire nation. What we are to learn from the book is that even in the midst of God’s chastening, His plans always include restoration, [Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.]
Joel, prophesied in Judah around the time that Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon, Joel, describes the state of his beloved nation, what once was the land flowing with milk and honey was now a desert land. Joel, is angry with his fellow Jews who were literally drinking themselves to death with the old wine that had been left over and now it was gone and now they are beside themselves.
[Joel 1:2-7 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? 3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. 4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. 5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth. 6 For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion. 7 He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.]
[all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine;] The four insects described were all locust called Oriental locust, which apparently came into the land in excessive swarms at that time, first eating up the orchards and vineyards, then the vegetables and fruits in the fields, and finally the foliage on the trees until all vegetation was gone and it was like desert land. It is not uncommon for people to become depressed when calamities come, instead of turning to God they turn to alcohol, drugs, and immorality, which makes them seem as selfish, careless fools. We saw this a few years back with Covid and people are still struggling today, even Christians. This is where God’s faithful come in to tell them that it is time to wake up, which is what Joel is doing.
[Joel 1:11-15 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. 12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. 13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. 14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, 15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.]
[because joy is withered away from the sons of men.] The closer we get to Christ returning the worse things are going to get as the world loses the very things that fed the lusts of their flesh. In fact, we are seeing these end times approaching rather quickly, especially dealing with pandemics and diseases, catastrophic storms, a godless government, and a society that is all about pleasing the lusts of their flesh. Nevertheless, Christ’s few and faithful, those who are not ashamed to proclaim His name, will become an amazing testimony of how we endured all of this through our faith, [Matthew 24:12-13 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.]
Even Christ’s few and faithful need to be sober and alert, always watching for the day that He will return. Through Joel, God tells us to be ready for the sound of that trumpet, [Joel 2:1-4 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. 4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.]
[The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;] Joel, is describing the locust, there were so many that they appeared as clouds darkening the sun, it was like a gloomy rainy day, but with no rain. The appearance of these locust is also described in Revelation, so this could hint at what things will be like during the tribulation, [Revelation 9:6-7 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.]
In fact, as Joel continues to describe this devastation, it sounds even more like he is talking about the tribulation, [Joel 2:6-9,11 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: 8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. 9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. 11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?]
[And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army:] This also sounds like something from Revelation, [Revelation 19:11,13-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.]
That sharp sword will be none other than the Word of God, and all Jesus is going to do is speak it as He watches nation upon nation that rejected Him become utterly destroyed. The time to accept Christ is not when you stand before Him on Judgment Day, it is now. He is actually calling on all to come to Him, but He will never force or beg anyone. If you die without knowing Christ as your Saviour, then that is all on you. He is giving you ample warning to come to Him. As Joel continues he calls for a day of repentance.
[Joel 2:12-15,17-18 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.]
[Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep] Have you noticed that Christians are not ashamed of their sin anymore either? The Church is dying, grasping for the air that only Christ can give them, and it is time that the entire Church, whether we are faithful to Christ or not, to start praying and fasting for each other, [Galatians 6:1-3 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.]
Appearance means nothing to God, you can change your clothes, but that does not mean you are trusting Christ as your Saviour. True repentance comes from the heart, and by the way, when the heart changes so do the garments because we start to become a reflection of Christ. This has been the same message from the beginning, through Joel, God tells them how He restores and creates His believers into witnesses that will never be ashamed to call themselves Christians.
[Joel 2:21-26 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.]
[I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,] Repentance, goes a long way with God, even if one struggles with sin as long as we are repentant, and God will restore much more than what was taken away due to sin, [James 4:8-10 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.]
This is actually speaking of when Christ will return and rule the throne from Zion. The most amazing thing about receiving Christ is that immediately we receive the Spirit of God inside of us, and He does not leave us, ever. As Joel continues, we learn of the day that God will pour His Spirit on all who remain on the earth.
[Joel 2:28-32 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.]
[whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:] Do you see how the same message applied to all, not just those of us in the New Testament age, but Old Testament as well. Zion, is the hill in Jerusalem on which the temple was built, when Jesus returns, all will gather there for judgment before the entire earth will be destroyed. Through Joel, God, foretells of the day that Israel recognizes Christ and returns to Jerusalem and then judgment will begin.
[Joel 3:1-2,4,6-7 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. 4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; 6 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:]
[what have ye to do with me…coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence?] Does this sound familiar? If God sent judgment upon Palestine way back then it is no wonder they are fighting Israel today. Through Joel, God tells Israel to be ready for the Gentiles, for all will stand before Christ.
[Joel 3:9-14 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. 12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.]
[Let the heathen be wakened…for there will I sit to judge all the heathen] Until one receives Christ as their Saviour they are considered as heathens, and those who are just playing the part of being Christians under their false religions are also a part of this group. While we will all stand before Jesus to give an account for the lives we lived after we are saved, the heathens will be judged at this time, []
[Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe:] Jesus, Himself is going to come with that sickle to reap all His people before the entire earth is destroyed. The harvest is ripe, the fields are white, just waiting from someone to preach the Gospel to them, [John 4:35-36 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.]
The Egyptians were responsible for bringing the Ishmaelites into the world and I just discovered that the Edomites were responsible for bringing the Romans into the world. Both nations, have been enemies of the church of Christ, having been responsible for bringing the two most prominent religions in the world that goes against the Jews and they too will be destroyed.
[Joel 3:16-17,19-21 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. 19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. 20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.]
[For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed:] Jesus, is the one who cleanses our blood with His blood, and as while we will never be able to do anything to lose our salvation, unless it was in vain, we are still to live the rest of our lives as a testimony of Christ having filled us with that new wine, [1 Peter 1:18-21 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Joel 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for your mercy, grace, and that you truly are slow to anger, I think of the life I lived and sometimes even the things I do today and know that I truly do not deserve Your good graces, but am grateful that I can wake up each day knowing that my Saviour lives and because I am solely trusting Him as my Saviour I know I will live eternally also. Lord, I know the harvest is white, and You could send Jesus any day now, lead me and guide me, let me be a faithful witness to reach as many as I can with the Gospel. Restore unto me the joy of my own salvation, my fear, and renew Your Spirit within me. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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