In the spring of 1945, the people of Western Holland were facing catastrophe. Five years of German occupation, an exceptionally harsh winter and the breakdown of food supplies had brought the population to the brink of starvation. It became known as the Hunger Winter. Many were driven to eating tulip bulbs. 20,000 died from hunger.
But in April 1945, something extraordinary happened. Through a negotiated settlement with the Nazi occupiers, allied aircraft began flying over, not to drop bombs, but instead delivering flour, sugar, butter, & meat. People poured out of their homes, waving flags and cheering as the aircraft passed overhead. The skies which had brought fear were now bringing food.
Last week in Joel, we left God's people in the depths of despair. They had rebelled against him, and after great patience the Lord had brought disaster as an act of discipline and judgement. An invading army of locusts had destroyed their crops. Hunger in place of plenty, sorrow in place of joy, curse in place of blessing.
Joel had called the people to return to the Lord with all their hearts, reminding them that he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. But how would God respond? This passage gives us the answer.
1. Responding to Repentance
God responds to the heartfelt cries of repentance. The people and priests have called out to him, pleading for him to spare them. They have recognised their sin, grieved over it and returned to God.
Here’s our reminder - the blessings of the Gospel, (forgiveness, welcome into God's family, peace and the promise of eternal life), are received by those who come to God in genuine repentance and faith. Repentance doesn't excuse or downplay our sin, but brings it honestly to the Lord, desperate for his grace.
2. Renewing Creation
The turnaround is extraordinary. Where locusts had devoured the land, God promises grain, wine and oil. The land is restored, the pastures become green, the trees bear fruit, and the people are satisfied.
But there’s more to this than meets the eye. Just as the judgement of Joel’s time pointed forward to the coming day of the Lord, so this restoration points forward to the blessing of God in the new creation.
The Christian hope is not simply that our souls go to heaven when we die. Beyond that lies the physical resurrection of God's people and a renewed creation. We must avoid two mistakes: imagining that all these blessings are already ours in this life, or thinking that God is uninterested in our physical wellbeing. He cares about his creation and teaches us to pray for our daily bread.
We are heading towards a glorious new creation, but we are not there yet.
3. Restoring Reputation
This is a recurring Biblical theme. The people had prayed that God would not allow them to become a reproach among the nations. Now he promises that they will no longer be put to shame. God's people may be mocked for their apparent weakness, and many of our brothers and sisters around the world face persecution and suffering. But a day is coming when God will vindicate his people and display his power and glory to a watching world.
4. Repelling the Enemy
God promises to drive away the enemy. In Joel's day this may refer to the locusts themselves or to the invading armies that often threatened Israel. Either way, the point is clear - God defeats the enemies of his people.
In the Gospel, Jesus has defeated our greatest enemies - sin, Satan and death. Sin no longer has the final word over us, Satan is a wounded enemy, and death (the ‘last enemy’) has become a doorway into eternal life for those who trust in Christ.
5. Redeeming Suffering
One of the most remarkable promises in this passage is v25 - ‘I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.’
Years spent in suffering are not wasted with God. Even the consequences of our sinful actions can, in his providence, be used for good and for his glory. This doesn't mean all suffering is God's discipline, but our God is able to redeem suffering, after all, his glory is most vividly displayed in the suffering work of his own Son.
6. Revealing His Presence
The passage climaxes with a wonderful promise, ‘You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else.’
The greatest blessing is not full barns or fruitful field but knowing God himself. AS the purity Richard Sibbes put it,
‘Heaven is not heaven without Christ. It is better to be in any place with Christ than to be in heaven itself without him. All delicacies without Christ are but as a funeral banquet. Where the master of the feast is away, there is nothing but solemnness. What is all without Christ? I say the joys of heaven are not the joys of heaven without Christ; he is the very heaven of heaven’
7. Rejoicing Commanded
So how should God's people respond? Joel's answer is clear -'Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things!'
Those who have come to God in repentance and experienced his grace have every reason to rejoice. Whatever our present circumstances, we can be glad because the Lord has done great things for us. We taste his blessings now, and one day we will enjoy them in all their fullness.
SERMON RESOURCES BELOW 👇
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