REPENTANCE

       The repentance (metanoia) called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. Though it includes sorrow and regret, it is more than that. ... In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God. It is a change of heart and desires.

        As I walk through the book of Joel or Yo,el which means "Jehovah is God", we should be reminded of God's wrath, His Mercy and His restoration. 
     
        A. Devastation of Judah: scourge of locusts, drought, and fire (1:2-20)
1. Graphic description of the locust scourge (vv. 2-4)
2. Call to various classes to mourn, or repent (vv. 5-14)
3. The awful calamity: day of Jehovah  prayer for mercy (vv. 15-20)
       
           In these verses we see Joel send a reminder of God's  wrath that was poured out on those who would not turn from there ways and listen to Him.  He explains this as an invasion and total devastation done by Locust.  Friends let us be reminded that refusing God and His correction only leads to destruction.

        B. A more urgent summons to repentance and prayer: the scourge is a forerunner of
 the day of judgment (2:1-17)
1. The urgent summons (vv. 1-11)
a) The trumpet of warning (vv. 1-3)
b) Vivid description of the calamity (vv. 4-11)
2. A more urgent call to repentance (vv. 12-17)
a) Rend the heart, not the garments (vv. 12-14)
b) Sincerely repent, fervently pray (vv. 15-17)
   
      We next see Joel give a command to gather all the people together, reminding them of the terrible day of the Lord and what God's wrath looks like. But he gives a way out in verse 12, Gods Mercy.
“Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
 
         Friends God makes a way for all of us. We may think we are too bad, we need to get cleaned up first, the building will fall in or there is no hope. But the good news is no matter how far you you think you may be God is only on step back.  His mercy endures forever.
​          II The day of Jehovah: a day of blessing to Israel, a day of terror to her enemies
[Jehovah speaks (2:18  3:21)]
         A. Blessings promised to Israel (2:18-32)
1. Repentance implied: Jehovah’s gracious change (v. 18)
2. The removal of Jehovah’s army, temporal blessings promised (vv. 19-27)
3. Outpouring of the Spirit and approaching judgment (vv. 28-32)
a) Outpouring of the Spirit (vv. 28-29)
b) Judgment upon the wicked parallel to blessings on Israel (vv. 30-31)
c) The escape of a remnant in Zion (v. 32)

        We finally see God's restoration. For us when we repent of our direction and turn back to God through faith in Jesus.  Remember Romans 10: 9-10. God will restore us when His spirit is poured out in our lives by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  

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