Scripture
We are currently in a sermon series that I am calling, “Lessons from a Minor Prophet: Joel.”
The Prophet Joel was perhaps the earliest of the Old Testament’s writing prophets (writing in the eighth, or perhaps even in the ninth century BC). The people in Joel’s day had just experienced a massive attack of locusts. This was followed by an extremely severe drought. The resulting devastation crippled the economy and caused incredible suffering, not only for the people, but even for the land and the animals.
God led Joel to use the locust plague as the backdrop for his message to his people. In the first chapter of Joel, he urged the people to pay attention to what God was saying to them through their contemporary circumstances. Joel identified the locust plague as the “day of the Lord.” The “day of the Lord” in Scripture is a day of judgment and blessing. It could refer to either a contemporary day, an impending day, or the future day of the Lord (also known as the eschatological day of the Lord).
Even though no specific sin was mentioned by Joel in his book, it seems that the sin of the people was that they had wandered away from their God in their walk with him. God urged his people through Joel’s message to return to him with all their heart (2:12-13). Apparently, the people of God heeded God’s warning and returned to him in repentance. God wonderfully restored his people because of their repentance.
Let’s read about the eschatological day of the Lord in Joel 2:18-27:
18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land
and had pity on his people.
19 The Lord answered and said to his people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations.
20 “I will remove the northerner far from you,
and drive him into a parched and desolate land,
his vanguard into the eastern sea,
and his rear guard into the western sea;
the stench and foul smell of him will rise,
for he has done great things.
21 “Fear not, O land;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
22 Fear not, you beasts of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit;
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
23 “Be glad, O children of Zion,
and rejoice in the Lord your God,
for he has given the early rain for your vindication;
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the latter rain, as before.
24 “The threshing floors shall be full of grain;
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 I will restore to you the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent among you.
26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else.
And my people shall never again be put to shame. (Joel 2:18-27)
Introduction
The Sistine Chapel is one of the true jewels of world art. After spending four years painting it, Michelangelo finished his masterpiece in 1512, and the chapel went into daily use. In those days the only light source came from candles. As candles burned year after year, the soot began to rise to the ceiling, obscuring the paintings. After over 400 years of soot, grime, and dust collecting on the ceiling, the original art had to be restored. So a team of restorative artists worked on the Sistine Chapel from 1984-1999 until the monochrome colors were restored to their original beauty.
Prior to the restoration process, many in the art community thought that Michelangelo was a genius at composition. After all, how did he think to have Adam’s hand stretching out, yearning to find the finger of God, which was already reaching out for him? But it was also widely-believed that Michelangelo’s coloration was mediocre. It was too dark, monochromatic, and blah. And yet when they restored those frescoes to their original state, everyone could see the beautiful, fresh, and even spring-like colors—pale pink, apple green, vivid yellow, and sky blue against a background of warm pearly grey. When the maker’s true brilliance and goodness were revealed, people had to change their assumptions about Michelangelo.
In a similar way, for many us, over the years the soot, grime, and dust of daily life have obscured our vision of God’s goodness. God’s character seems blah, mediocre, and maybe even dark. We no longer feel and deeply believe that through Christ we have a good Father. However, by calling us to repentance, God begins a work of restoration so we can see the true colors of his brilliant goodness.
The people in Joel’s day certainly had an obscured vision of God that left them spiritually lethargic. Hence, God’s call to them through the Prophet Joel to return to him in repentance.
Lesson
Joel 2:18-27 teaches us that God restores all who return to him in wholehearted repentance. (I am using much of the material from O. Palmer Robertson’s commentary on Joel for today’s lesson.)
Let’s use the following outline:
1. The Blessings of Restoration (2:18-20)
2. The Recipients of Restoration (2:21-23)
3. The Climax of Restoration (2:24-27)
I. The Blessings of Restoration (2:18-20)
First, let’s examine the blessings of restoration.
In the previous section of Joel’s prophecy, he had exhorted the people to return to God in repentance. They had done so. Therefore, in verse 18, Joel said, “Then the Lord became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.”
Instead of telling the people what to do, Joel tells the people what God has done. When God’s people, under the direction of their leaders, return to the Lord in wholehearted repentance, he blesses them with full restoration. Joel mentions four specific blessings of restoration.
A. The Lord Will Answer Your Prayer (2:19a)
First, the Lord will answer your prayer.
Joel says in verse 19a, “The Lord answered and said to his people.” Undoubtedly, during the devastation of the locust invasion, the people had called out to God. Joel had been sent by God to tell the people that they needed to repent of their sin of spiritual complacency. Finally, they did so, and the Lord answered their prayer.
Sometimes you and I experience some kind of disease, difficulty, or disaster. In such instances, we should always check whether we have sinned against God, or simply become spiritually lethargic. Let us repent of our sin and our spiritual lethargy, and we can be sure that the Lord will answer the one who returns to him. As Robertson says, “Believe his promise that he hears, no matter what your ‘feelings’ may tell you.”
B. The Lord Will Satisfy Your Desires (2:19b)
Second, the Lord will satisfy your desires.
God says through Joel, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied” (2:19b). The crops destroyed by the locusts will be restored again, and God’s people will be satisfied.
Do you remember the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand? Luke says that “they all ate and were satisfied” (Luke 9:17). Jesus’ power to satisfy the physical needs of so many people is an illustration of his ability to satisfy the spiritual needs of every single person who turns to him in repentance.
C. The Lord Will Remove Your Reproach (2:19c)
Third, the Lord will remove your reproach.
God says in verse 19c, “… and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.” When the locusts devastated the land, the surrounding nations sneeringly said of God’s people, “Where is their God?” (2:17). God’s people were a reproach among the nations. But with God’s restoration of his people, he removed their reproach among the nations.
A great example of this principle is found in the experience of Chuck Colson. At one time, the second most powerful person in the world, after President Richard Nixon, he was publicly disgraced when he was convicted in the Watergate scandal. During prison, he repented of his sin and came to faith in Jesus Christ. He went on to found Prison Fellowship, and earned the respect and love of a far greater number of people than he ever had while working in the White House.
Robertson continues: “If you have been caught in sin and your reputation is tainted by rumors of truth and half-truth, commit the matter to the Lord. Concentrate on returning to God, and he will see to it that your reproach is removed. Time will tell the truth, and God’s great business is restoring the ruined reputation of straying sinners.”
D. The Lord Will Destroy Your Enemies (2:20)
And fourth, the Lord will destroy your enemies.
God says in verse 20, “I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things.” It seems to me that there is a play on the word “northerner.” On the one hand, it refers to the locusts, which God had driven into the seas. On the other hand, it also refers to the Babylonians that would invade Judah centuries later. Again, God would eventually deliver his people from the Babylonians, for he has done great things.
The enemies you and I face today are not primarily human enemies; our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil. As we return to God in wholehearted repentance, he destroys our enemies so that we are enabled to continue walking in obedience to God.
II. The Recipients of Restoration (2:21-23)
Second, notice the recipients of restoration.
A. The Land Will Be Restored (2:21)
First, the land will be restored.
God says in verse 21, “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things!” The land was the first to suffer when the locusts attacked and devastated the land. Now, the land is the first to be restored.
B. The Beasts of the Field Will Be Restored (2:22)
Second, the beasts of the field will be restored.
God says in verse 22, “Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.” The animals were also severely affected by the locust plague. Now, there is plenty for them to eat as well as God restores the beasts of the field.
C. The Children of Zion Will Be Restored (2:23)
And third, the children of Zion will be restored.
God says in verse 23, “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.” Finally, the children of Zion, that is, the people of God, will be restored by God himself. And they are to rejoice in the Lord their God.
Robertson asks, “How should you respond when the Lord starts blessing you in these immeasurable ways?” He answers, “You should gratefully receive the Lord’s blessings, stop being afraid, and live in happiness.” And then he adds, “Because of what the Lord does in response to your repentance, rejoice! Don’t sink into depression over your past sins and losses. Don’t dread the consequences of earlier failures. Don’t assume a complete restoration is too good to be true. Rejoice wholeheartedly over the Lord’s capacity to restore by grace.”
III. The Climax of Restoration (2:24-27)
And third, let’s look at the climax of restoration.
What God has done in restoration is amazing. The barren land will start producing crops again. The beasts of the field will have plenty to eat again. And God’s people will also be restored and will rejoice.
Could it get any better? Amazingly, yes it does!
A. The Restoration of Lost Time (2:24-25)
First, notice the restoration of lost time.
In verse 24 God says that “the threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.” There will be material blessing for the people of God. But, even better than that, God says in verse 25, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.” This is surely one of the most precious promises of God in his Word, when God says, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten….”
God loves to restore what has been lost. He delights in restoring wasted years. He rejoices over sinners who repent and return to him. Listen to Robertson’s series of questions:
Do you mourn over the lost years of your life? Do you think back with bitterness of soul as you remember the wasted years of youth when you did not serve the Lord? Was it twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or sixty years before you humbled yourself in repentance before your Maker? The Lord restores the years the locust has eaten—all of them.
Have you spent a number of years living in carnality and lukewarmness, doing only what pleased you? Have you made a number of serious mistakes in your life? Did you make some hasty decisions that you now regret? Do you often muse about those decisions and the effect they have had on your life?
Did you leave school too early? Did you make a hasty choice in marriage? Did you fail to recognize the perfect partner for you? Have you gone through a divorce or an abortion? Did you conceive a child out of wedlock? Did you make a bad business decision? Did you lose a large amount of money in speculative investments? Did you miss out on the investment opportunity of a lifetime? Did you move your family when you should have stayed where you were? Did you lack faith to move out when the opportunity presented itself? Did you fail to buy a house when the market was right? Did you buy a house when you really couldn’t afford it? Did you rebel against the wise counsel of your parents when you were a teenager? Did you commit a moral crime at one point in your life, a crime that haunts you even today? Do you live in mortal terror that somehow people will discover the great mistakes of your past?
Listen! God will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten! He gives back everything that you have lost, and more beside. The great example of this is of course Job in the Old Testament. Job was under fierce attack from Satan, and lost ten children and a massive amount of wealth. Nevertheless, he remained faithful to God, and in the end, God gave Job twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10).
Listen again to Robertson:
Living with regrets is sin for a Christian. Regret is the sorrow of the world that works death. Living with regret has nothing to do with the godly repentance that leads to life and restoration. Living with regret means that you refuse to believe the glorious truth that God restores the years that the locust has eaten.
Do you mull over your past failures? Like an ugly hyena gnawing on a putrid bone, do you let your thoughts feed morbidly on your sins of the past?
Don’t insult the glorious redemption that Christ has accomplished. Believe him. Start rejoicing in faith. Look your failures straight in the eye, and listen to Satan’s accusations no more. Trust fully in God’s ability to restore the years the locust has eaten.
B. The Response of the Repentant (2:26-27)
And second, notice the response of the repentant.
The last two verses describe the response of the repentant to the work of restoration done by the Lord.
1. You shall satisfy yourself with his blessings (2:26a)
First, you shall satisfy yourself with his blessings.
God says in verse 26a, “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied.” You will come to cherish the blessings of God in the supply of your daily bread. You will realize that even your daily bread is a gift from a gracious God.
2. You shall praise the name of the Lord (2:26b)
Second, you shall praise the name of the Lord.
God says in verse 26b, “You shall… praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.” When you talk with a person who has had his locust-years restored, you will constantly hear how great the Lord is, and how much he loves the Lord in return.
If you have experienced the grace of God in your life, you should do the same thing. “Praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.”
3. You shall know God personally (2:27a)
Third, you shall know God personally.
God says in verse 27a, “You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else.” When you know God’s restoration in your life, you will know him personally. You know that he is the Lord your God and there is none else. No one will be able to budge you from your rock-solid conviction about your personal relationship with God.
4. You shall never again be put to shame (2:26c; 2:27b)
And fourth, you shall never again be put to shame.
Twice in these last two verses, God says exactly the same thing, undoubtedly for emphasis. God says in verse 26c and also in verse 27b, “And my people shall never again be put to shame…. And my people shall never again be put to shame.” Once you have returned to the Lord in wholehearted repentance, you never again have to be ashamed. Your sin, no matter how great, has been washed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Horatio Spafford wrote this stanza in his beloved hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul”:
My sin—O the bliss of this glorious thought—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Conclusion
Joel 2:18-27 teaches us to remember that repentance is God’s way of restoration.
The book of Joel is written to the people of God. It is written to God’s people who have strayed from their walk with him. It is written for those believers who have become spiritually lethargic. They don’t attend to the means of grace. They don’t read God’s Word. They seldom pray. They attend worship services, but if something else comes up, then they skip worship services.
This word is for you: return to God in wholehearted repentance.
Let me close with a final word from Robertson: “Repentance is God’s way of revival. Returning to the Lord in humility is the way to receive all his blessings. In response to your repentance, he will restore the years that the locust has eaten.” Amen.
