Waverly Church of Christ

The book of Joel begins with these words: "the word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel" (Joel 1:1) The message of the book of Joel falls naturally in two parts. How a locust plague that came over Israel as a judgement from God and how the people repented and God restored their fortunes. And it speaks of how God at some future time is going to pour out His Spirit far and wide to bless His people and how He is going to gather for judgement the nations which have rejected Him and His people.

Let us never lose sight of God's purpose in history. His purpose is to be God in the eyes of all the world. If our hearts wander from God, He will fight against us to bring us to repentance. And as Joel pleads, render you hearts and your garments, "awake (1:5), "be ashamed and wail" (1:11), "declare a fast," and "cry out to the Lord" (1:14) for mercy. Turn from the sin you cherish and for which you feel guilty every day. God's discipline is that of a loving Father who wants to turn us away from our love of the world.