(Reflections based on the book of Joel as a whole)
Yahweh is God, that is the meaning of the name Joel and as I read through the verses in this short book I begin to see how the meaning of Joel’s name connects to his personal calling. Joel’s mission was to make the people aware who has control over everything, the one true God, Yahweh. Joel’s uses the events of the locust plague and warns the Israelite people that the “day of the Lord” was coming and all who turn away will be destroyed. Joel in his best effort tries to get the people to open their hearts and minds to the truths of the message that God is all-powerful and trustworthy.
As I read these few chapters one verse really sent me a clear message of God’s power. Chapter 2:3 reads “Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them.” The God who created what was made to be perfect (Eden) also has the power and authority to destroy and take away. Joel’s plea for the people to repent came from a deep personal understanding in his own heart of who God is, on God’s behalf Joel was calling them back into a covenant relationship with Yahweh.
I think Joel faced many of the same things that we face today; we have a generation of people that don’t even know who God is and for many they don’t want to know. We have a culture that focus on everything but the truths of the bible; people have chosen to do things for themselves, they have been raised into a culture that is self-serving. We like Joel need to be a part of the calling to bring people back to a faith in not just the next thing that is bigger and better, we need to be calling people to experience the heart change of the grace, mercy and love of our heavenly father.
steveworkingthroughtheword.com 