KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, September 17, 2016
Chapters: The Book of Joel
Message: Hope Beyond This Life
Hello My Friend,
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 took place approximately between 860BC and 850BC, around the time of Isaiah. 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. “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 2:32.
In the Book of Hosea tells of the fate of Israel before and after Jesus returns, the Book of Joel tells us about the fate of Judah and Jerusalem. Through Joel, they were reminded of the judgment that God placed on them, but also that further judgment was coming, not just upon them, but all nations. They were instructed to tell their families, and every generation, of the judgment.
“The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. 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. 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. 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. 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, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” – Joel 1:10-15.
“for the day of the LORD is at hand,” Jesus will return to claim His people, His throne, and put an end to sin and suffering for good, those whom have died will be resurrected first and carried to safety, those alive will be caught up in the clouds, while those remaining on the earth have to figure things out for themselves. Dead or alive, we will stand before Jesus, we must keep telling the lost the Gospel before that time comes. God continues to give His warning of Judgment Day.
“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; 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. 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. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: 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?” – Joel 2:1-2,9-11.
“And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army:” All Jesus will do to defeat the enemy, including the devil and his great army is speak the Word of God, and the only ones who will survive are the ones His blood bought. Jesus may have died for all, but only those whom have received Him.
“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. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 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. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”- Revelation 19:11-16
Zion is the hill in Jerusalem, on which the temple was built, God will dwell there and it will be the final gathering place for all His people, whether Jew or Gentile, none are strangers to God if they repented and asked Jesus to save them. While God does allow destruction He promises that He will restore all that has been lost to His people.
“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 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. Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 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 2:12-13,18-19,31-32.
“and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:” What a day it will be when we as Christians can walk the earth and not be condemned, ridiculed, or falsely prosecuted because we follow Christ. People make the mistake of thinking that this is only people who were born of the twelve children of Jacob (a.k.a Israel), this is incorrect. When Christ returns, the children of Israel will be all, Jew or stranger who have received Him as their Saviour. God confirms this several times, including here, through Joel.
“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. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. 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. But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.” – Joel 3:17-21.
“For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed:” How amazing is it that the second we receive Christ as our Saviour we are cleansed, stripped free from all the filth that sin had covered us with, no more strangers to God, but His children. This is the same promise given to us, reminding us that God never meant for just one nation to come to believe in Him and follow His Son, but all nations. Praise God!
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:9-13.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “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?” – Joel 2:11.
Today’s Prayer: God, Help me to look beyond now and see a deeper meaning of each day’s task. May the hope You place within this redeemed heart of mine stir up a joyful spirit and an overcoming attitude regarding the difficulties I encounter throughout the day. Restore unto me the joy of salvation and renew a Your Spirit within me as I rejoice in the unending hope I have in You. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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