Joel 1

Generational Bondage Within

The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.

2 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.

My, it seems that's it's not for nothing that our God has done this, that is to say the desolation causeless shall not come. For the times when the generations shall have come to the full then let all the earth then be filled with the Lord. It can be his knowledge therein or just that of his judgement at first. Yet how many know that's exactly where judgement must begin first with the house of the Lord. To start off with, this section, there's a couple of things I want you to notice real quick that is if you care to follow along with me to where we are going. Without having a knowledge of why the desolation comes, it'll seem random at first and then cruel and evil even on after. See, it's one thing to say that God is just, it's quite another to be recognizing him for his mercy and such. That's one thing though you can't do without truly is a proper knowledge of the Holy. As in where Christ read from off of Isaiah's prophecy written in the temple there truly that he'd come to preach deliverance to the brokenhearted, to tell to all who'd listen of our God who reigns above. Even more so can we trust in him for being found in his love. But oh my friends, for those of you who don't know him, there's judgement coming back to the house of the Lord and just now it's ready and waiting there in the wings. See, he's the sun of righteousness is he not with healing in his wings. How oft would he have gathered us under those of them then as well only were it not for the fact that some would not and for this has their house been left unto them as Desolate rather. Ezekiel mentions the flying scroll which goes over the face of the whole earth. Now I have to but ask you one simple question, what's it go over all the earth for if there's nothing to be found in it therein. It seems our God is exceeding jealous there for his children. Perhaps you don't know or recognize it just yet. Still there remains to be seen the cup that is full in the hand of Lord. It's full of his indignation and fury of which for the blood of his people the nations have drunk on down to the very last drops, what's referred to as the dregs once again. Then too, there's desolation to be seen in the hand of the Lord, strong darkness, with reeling. As the prophets have said, it's a cup that makes the nations stagger and whoever drinketh of it then instead. Then after it's poured out its effects trickle on down to the children. For this cause are they seen stumbling as out in the street. Then notice if you will the children, children, children, children of which our God is brining this lesson. How often would he have indeed for as he'd promised his people he'd visit them even unto the children of the third and fourth generations of them that hated him. Then too to those who loved him and kept his commandments, there was mercy and lovingkidness to be seen with him with which he would keep them.

Eaten Up of the Hosts

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.

Now it seems there's perplexitiies to be seen in the house of all men. The Lord it seems in his glory is there once again and now it's not for nothing is it that the desolation has then causeless come. Indeed, it's enough to make anyone wonder at this such a thing now for even so has the thing ended with what in all it was wearing. You know, so often Levitacla law prescribed but a wearing of sackloth and ashes especially in times of great morning. Though it didn't start out that way, not at first really. Instead it's very much as Matthew had said in Christ's message that the zeal of the Lord's house would've eaten him up. Though now in the eating thereof, it's just merely spread about to the people. For this cause, then there's them that are drunken indeed just as he said, yet it's not for gladness much rather but then just an infolding of himself once again. It's almost as though he'd visited the house and found it wanting just as in Babylon so long ago when Belshazzar had reigned on the throne. But how many of you know even in all of that our God is working there amongst all men. He's still on the throne up above no matter who might perch down here for a while or however short or long a time it is being. Then again, there's a mighty strange army that's come up against his flock of people whom he'd been in the awful strange habit of calling his sheep. There's the palmerworm, the locust, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar just come in the bargain. Now I could make it all fancy of course and spiritualize these and call them all sorts of names. Quite simply though, there's but one thing missing really and that is of Deuteronomy 28 where the curse came without number, purpose, or mission bent on one sole thing only, but that of all desolation. Remember how too that the Lord had once promised all these things would've had a report of the people who'd all but forgotten the Lord. Then too there's somewhat of false shepherds, who're like a roaring lion seeking whom they may devour now in the midst of wolves in sheeps clothing though the sheep very much have been replaced with only a fig tree. Might well you have wondered where that our God has gotten off to now at this point, the lion of the tribe of Judah once again seen as the Lamb that was slaiin.

Provision of These

8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.

9 The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn.

10 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.

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.

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.

He never grows missing or tired does he nor yet as though we should've ceased from his praise. There'd been false shepherds you see or even that of the lion our mortalist enemy rather who much would've seen some devoured. Instead, he's come and barked at God's people for that's what the fig tree represented there time and again, as just merely that of the Lamb which was slain. Though how many of you know even had our God cursed it once in his ministry for bearing no fruit in the end, only he can restore it from barrenness rather and a bringing of all things to an end. There's provisions in the house of the Lord, or at least there were for all who'd minister. But now, they're unable to help even their people much as would a false husband of these very much rather, that is if they'd been in the habit of putting these in place of the Lord. You know how some do very much so with their exalting their fathers and ministers almost to provider and lordship of status. Though it's not where they belong really and truly for the providing, the grace, and the glory, and all is only but of the Lord. It's amazing really for now there's nothing to be seen in the land of the people, certainly not after all the chewing things have come upon it much rather. It's sort of like been a bad year or more than a few for all these things to have come up against and then too nearly destroyed all of God's people. Though there's still another mile left on this end of the being, for not having a few things that're much need say for celebrations and such is hardly the end of the thinking. Surely the next one will be better by far than any we've had so far should we but wait a little while longer for fortunes to turn as luck would've had it though not so much still in the hands of the Lord. Better still to have trusted the Lord and husband of these very much rather as Scripture would tell the husbandsmen and the vinedresser time and again. Though there's weeping and wailing now to be seen in the house of the people since what was planted hasn't come in yet time and again and all the work and the labor by which for these seems quite still to have perished.

Husbandsmen Rather

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.

16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?

At this point in time, it's about time for the people to call all their chiefs, priests, and leaders together as well as some of the Lord's too for that matter. Though, as the Lord would've said the situation goes far beyond them even and that back to himself. It's quite beyond them rather for it's even the Lord's doing. Though it's not marvelous surely whether in our eyes or not at this matter. When you've been blessed as with all people in a knowledge of God though, it's marvelous surely for the doing and the knowledge is all but of him then at the end. Perhaps it takes some time to but see it at first. Though it all things, he's working very much for our good and his glory and that to bringing the world on back to his Son as with all things in light of his own glorious appearing and mercy then truly. The day of the Lord as the prophets have said, is surely feared by some though still quite possibly one of great mercy. It's at this point in time indeed, that there's been weeping and mourning afoot in the house and then too a forsaking of the joyful assembly. For those of you though that are knowing the Lord, he's just not done yet at this point in time so as then surely. Had he not promised never to leave nor forsake his people ever again in their midst. Had he not promised to Abraham and the forefathers to have made it as the stars or the sand of the sea. Then again, had he not mentioned to these in particular time and again that they were to be ever if only of him. Had he not in all his providing for them time and again never not left off of his care towards all men. Had he not made it his especial promise to them that remembered the manna and the budding of Aaron's rod stored up in Heaven. Then too was there not the ark of the Covenant contained with the few. Had he not been there time and again and done it so as in general to the least of all men. Had he not time and again been everything, anything really, though at this time he was very much not hiding then from all of people. How it would behoove these hear and now at least to remember and if not so to do all his good pleasure as well.

Desolation Instead

17 The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.

18 How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.

20 The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

Herein now that it seems the desolation has spread through the land. In fact, it's almost the abomination of desolations spoken of by Daniel the prophet is it not once again. Though when asked, as outsiders looking in how much rather shouldn't we just refer these on back to the grace of our God. Indeed, as with John wherever he was in the end seeing the visions of Heaven though just maybe it was all along, we should rather say an 'only thou knowest' in response to the Lord. Perhaps there's not sufficient answers as of just yet to the people. Indeed, the creatures have gone about in perplexity due to their enemies but goodness only knows how they've been living. In fact, the whole situation seems devoured to the uttermost or at least it would've been for them knowing the Lord again truly. In fact, it's safe to say that as with the animals so also the people from the we the sheep of his pasture to all the rest looking in. Consider too how that whenever man had ceased from their silence the whole earath became full of the glory. That is to say, there's not yet for any without his good pleasure up in there as well. Consider too how good our God's been to his children. How often some of us seek for his blessings really and truly. Though the hers of beast and the cattle and all the rest have just sought the Lord as they go. It's almost a perspective such as this that causes the lions to cry out for food from their stable and so too are they that seek the Lord then wanting for nothing at first if not then in the midst. He'll heal and provide as at first though he doesn't say why. Consider though the ones who've not ceased from their duties are always foremost to praise. Then too the perplexity with which these have been troubled as well though with him is there nothing wanted again.