Repent!

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).

Repent!

No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu. This is the same title as a previous reflection in Joel and is done purposely to emphasize that the prophet has two calls to repentance – the first in 1:13-20 and the second in 2:12-17.

The call to repentance opens with an invitation to return to God (vv 12-14).

Motivating Memories

We all have things in our past that we would like to forget. Indeed, it is true that there are some things that are best forgotten. But our memories are important, for, as painful as they may be at times, they can teach us valuable lessons.

The oracles of the prophet Zechariah begin with an appeal to the people of Judah to remember their past.

The Cold, Committed, and Condemned Churches

Sardis is the least favoured of the seven churches. It was devoid of life. There was nothing happening other than a hollow pretence of faith. Ray Steadman chillingly calls it “The Church of the Zombies.” Apart from a few believers, they were nominal in belief; having an outward profession but being dead on the inside.

Tell the Truth

We tend to have a rather domesticated view of angels. Gentle, floaty creatures with delicate wings, or chubby cherubs sitting astride gravestones. The angel we meet now is of a different order. He is a colossus of a creature with a lion’s roar, threatening to release another wave of evil on the earth.