King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 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.]
Date: Sunday, September 12, 2021
Chapters: Book of Joel
Message: Wake Up Church!
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today, this passage came to mind, [Luke 21:11-15 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.]
The closer we get to Christ returning the worse things are going to get. In fact, we are seeing these end times approaching rather quickly, especially dealing with this pandemic, catastrophic storms, a godless government, and Christian prosecution at an all time high. 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. Even Christ’s few and faithful need to be sober and alert, always watching for the day that He will return, [Luke 21:34-36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.]
And this is exactly why every knee, saved or not, will bow to Christ when we see Him face to face. None of us will feel worthy to have escaped all these things, but those who remained true to their faith until the end will have so much to be thankful and grateful for. 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 His 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.]
Most commentators believe that Joel prophesied during the time that Isaiah did, but they really cannot be sure of that. The book itself was written around the same time that Ezekiel prophesied, which is why I believe that Joel was actually living in Judah during that time that God had shown Ezekiel its devastation.
[Joel 1:2-7,11 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. 11 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.]
[Awake, ye drunkards, and weep;] This sounds an awful lot like what Jesus was telling saying to us. Now, this was just Israel, can you imagine what it will look like all over the world? I know I do not want to be here to find out, but we surely are giving some signs right now. [Be ye ashamed,] Have you noticed that Christians are not ashamed of their sin anymore? This also reminds me of what Jesus said, [Luke 5:37-39 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. 39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.] This is exactly what is wrong with the Church, they are no longer desiring the new wine that Christ brings, they rather remaining in the drunkenness of their sin, using their salvation as a cloak. Well, it is time for the Church to wake up and God is telling us exactly how to do that.
[Joel 1:13-15 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.]
[Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand,] Wake up Church! Jesus is returning! Pastors, get your act together, stop living in and or condoning sin! Ministers, get your act together and start teaching and living the way Christ leads you. Congregation, get your act together and start listening to what God has to say. 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, we can turn the state of the Church around, but it is going to take all of us, [Romans 15:1-4 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.]
Our hope is actually in Christ’s returns to claim His people, His throne, and put an end to all sin and suffering for good. All these wannabe environmentalists, climate change advocates, and save the planet crazies are “working” on saving the planet, but it is all a waste of time. Instead of trying to take all joy out of the world, or searching for another planet that they can destroy, they need to be looking to Christ. Dead or alive, we will all stand before Christ, which is why we must keep teaching the Gospel to all the world before that time comes. This warning was not just given for us today, it has always been. Through Joel, God tells us to be ready for the sound of that trumpet because it will be a day like we have never seen before.
[Joel 2:1,4,7-9,11 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; 4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 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?]
[appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;] This sounds a lot like what we read through the Book of Revelation concerning the horses, and Christ’s army, [Revelation 19:11-16 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. 12 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. 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 you to come to Him, but He will never force or beg you. 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.
[Joel 2:12-14,17 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? 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?]
[And rend your heart, and not your garments,] 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 2:21,25-27 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 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. 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. 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.]
[that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:] This is another reason why I believe God was using Joel to speak during the same time of Ezekiel, had this been before Israel was judged the first time, then we would not be reading about this. 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. Before Christ gave His life on the cross, the Holy Spirit did not dwell permanently in a soul, and if God saw fit He would yank it right out, but today that does not happen because of the promise that He makes to us, [Romans 3:22-24 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:]
Our churches are in the shape they are in because 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 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. 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 tells Israel to be ready for the Gentiles, for all will stand before Christ.
[Joel 3:11-13,16-18 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. 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. 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. 18 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.]
[for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.] The heathens are those who reject Christ, and if you stop to think about it, before we knew Christ as our Saviour we were heathens as well. God is o merciful and slow to anger in that He does not want anyone to end up this way, which is why He sent His Son, [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.]
[For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed:] He 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 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 stand before Him, cleansed, and unblemished. 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 a Your Spirit within me as I rejoice in the unending hope of knowing that I can stand before You and hear you say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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