Here is todays daily manna from Peter Pollock: DECEMBER 14 THE YEARS OF THE LOCUST Bible in a year: Joel Revelation 5 Scripture: Joel 2: 25: “ So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you” Joel is a minor prophet but is often quoted, never more memorably than when Peter addressed the throng on the day of Pentecost in perhaps the greatest sermon of all time – the sermon that launched the church! Joel’s initial message was directed at Israel and predicted their overthrow and exile at the hands of the Babylonians. Locusts, God’s army, were going to devastate the land and cause much mourning and sorrow. And sure enough all this happened. Israel’s sufferings were because of her backsliding and godlessness but as always there is the promise of God’s blessings when there is genuine repentance and obedience to His will. Naturally the ultimate fulfillment of blessing is the return of Jesus Christ and Joel is told to blow the trumpet and sound the alarm and let all the inhabitants of the land tremble. Yes, not jump around and shout for joy! They needed to shake in their boots! The day of the Lord is coming but it needs to be preceded with penitence! “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning” says God through His servant. “Rend your hearts and not your garments”- it is not about the rituals or the impassioned pleas for forgiveness and mercy. It is about what really happens deep down in the hearts of the people because it is only there that it really matters. And only God knows whether people are genuinely repentant! Only then, will there be a response! Only then, will God restore the years that the locust has eaten! And all of that was experienced by those who had heard first-hand the word’s of Joel! The banishment and exile did precede the return to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the walls and temple. However, there was also the promise of future things! The time would come, spoke the prophet, when God would pour out His spirit upon all flesh. Sons and daughters would prophesy, dreams would be dreamt and visions seen, and there would be much spiritual action. Then the “sun would be turned to darkness and the moon into blood” before the coming of the “great and awesome” day of the Lord. The nations will be judged and finally every knee will bow and every tongue confess the glory and truth of God. The believers will be separated, recognized and blessed and everyone- those “born again”- will live happily ever after!!
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 15:46:33 +0000
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