Read
Return to God
13Mourn, you priests who serve
at the altar of my God.
Spend your days and nights
wearing sackcloth.
Offerings of grain and wine
are no longer brought
to the Lord's temple.
14Tell the leaders and people
to come together
at the temple.
Order them to go without eating
and to pray sincerely.
15 We are in for trouble!
Soon the Lord All-Powerful
will bring disaster.
16Our food is already gone;
there's no more celebrating
at the temple of our God.
17Seeds dry up in the ground;
no harvest is possible.
Our barns are in bad shape,
with no grain
to store in them.
18Our cattle wander aimlessly,
moaning for lack of pasture,
and sheep are suffering.
19I cry out to you, Lord.
Grasslands and forests are eaten
by the scorching heat.
20Wild animals have no water
because of you;
rivers and streams are dry,
and pastures are parched.
Reflect
Disasters should serve as wake-up calls to repentance. This is certainly true with Joel’s prophecy.
The catalogue of destruction and devastation wrought by the locusts (vv 1-12) is followed by an appeal to the people to change their ways and turn to God so that he can wipe away their sins (vv 13-14). Interestingly, God’s call to repentance comes first to the priests (v 13), then the leaders (v 14), and then goes out to the people (vv 1:14 – 2:1-17). Perhaps the reason for this process (priests – religious leaders – people) is because priests and leaders should, by virtue of their roles, show the way back to God through their example.
While repentance is needed in the world at large, we should recognize that repentance should first and foremost be a defining characteristic of God’s people. The Israelites often forgot this, as do we. That’s why we should see our own sin for what it is (see Matthew 7:3), show remorse, ask for forgiveness and renew our love for God (Psalm 51:10).
Spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. When there’s spiritual apathy or bankruptcy, we need to repent if we are to reconcile or restore our relationship with God. When there’s no repentance, judgment follows (v 15). The Israelites thought that the day of the Lord would be judgment on their enemies. But they were wrong. Amos revealed how, in the absence of repentance, the day of the Lord brings disaster on God’s covenant people (Amos 5:18-27).
In the context of the whole Story, repentance was preached by the Old Testament prophets and by New Testament preachers (e.g. Matthew 3:2, Mark 6:12, Acts 3:19). According to 2 Corinthians 7:9-11, repentance leads to sorrow over sin, disgust for sin, restoration with others, revival toward God, and the opportunity to move forward without regrets.
Respond
Lord, thank you that the good things you are longing to give, eager to give, and ready to give are released into my life when I repent. Lord I repent of … Amen.
Lawson Murray
Lawson is the President of Scripture Union Canada and the Managing Editor of theStory™. Lawson takes every opportunity to enthusiastically invite people of all ages to connect with Jesus and His Story. He says, “We have been given the greatest story ever - God's Story! Should we not, with all our might and energy immerse ourselves in it? I believe we should. For without the Story we really have nothing to offer the millions who hunger and thirst for something more. But, with God’s Story we have what everyone needs!” Publications: Bible Engagement Blog; Children’s Ministry Basics Blog, Bible Engagement Basics; Bible Beginners