Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Another plea to return. Another reaching out to His people in the voice of a prophet. Another petition to a people that were walking away, or should I say had walked away.
For chapter 2 of Joel, this prophet describes the Day of the Lord. The first 11 verses of this chapter provides some of the most fearful imagery of destruction being poured out. Not on Egypt. Not on Assyria, though that would come eventually. Not on Philistia. Not even on Amon or Moab.
This judgement was to fall on the people of God, the nation of Israel. for Joel begins this chapter with
Joel 2:1 Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near, (bold italics mine)
Joel clearly refers the the land of Israel, giving ample identification of who he is addressing, warning those with the following passage as to what was to befall them. Horrible images of fire devouring ahead of an army, ready to pounce on them, of darkness and gloom, of the victims being in anguish and the earth quaking as the armies approach.
The final verse prior to our plea to return clearly indicates it is the Lord Himself that is leading this army. It is the Lord who guides and directs this Assyrian killing force, known as one of the most merciless fighting forces in the ancient world.
Joel 2:11 The LORD utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it?(bold italics mine)
Joel ends this sobering passage, asking who can endure it? Truly who could endure this frightening death? On the brink of total destruction, it seems there is no hope, no rescue and no escape.
This is a loosing situation for the people of God, with no option but to face an enemy that will destroy them. Having departed from God, they have nothing to depend on. They are empty, without strength and without hope.
At this hopeless point, the Lord opens His hands, providing a glimmer of hope, a plea to return, an offer of His relenting over the coming disaster.
Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Joel 2:13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
The offer is conditional, for the people must tear themselves down before the King, show a deep repentance the the One they rejected, on the hope of God possibly turning from this judgement.
Joel 2:14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?
Upon true repentance, God is offering the opportunity for Him to offer forgiveness. When Joel asks his audience “Who knows whether He will not turn and relent”, this turn of phrase speaks of either one of two things in my mind.
Ignorance
The absolute ignorance of the people of God as to who their God is. Is it not true that our God is a God who is gracious and merciful slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love? Joel teaches his people this truth, but they are without understanding. They don’t have the assurance that the God of Mercy will exercise mercy, for it is His heartbeat to rescue.
Limits of Patience
The other option is that continual rebellion and rejection of God by the nation God rescued, guided and protected has brought about their own abandonment. Continual rebellion against our God puts the rebel outside of the reach of God, a God known for His gracious and merciful acts. The rebel who walks away from such a kind and loving God, walks directly (if not immediately) towards destruction.
God does not change, for as we listen and strive to know Him, we are covered with the blood, and have the freedom to know His grace and mercy. Do we not know of the continual mercy shown us as we confess our weakness and sin, and look to the Savior?
For those who walk away from God, they begin to loose security, the peace and joy so precious for the saint. Eventually, as these poor souls in Israel experienced, the judgement was ready to fall on them. They had set their hearts to face away from the only Hope they had.
And yet He reached out, seeking them in their sin and rebellion. Our God is just like that, then and now. He is reaching out, with His own blood on His hands.
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