Rejoice, Return, Rapture

O. T. #2075 "Rejoice, Return, Rapture"

Nov. 29, 2021

Joel 1-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

Folks, Psalm 116 has a lot of good things to say to us believers in Jesus.

Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The LORD preserveth the simple; I was brought low, and He helped me. (verses 5-6)

I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. (verse 9)

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. (verse 15)

I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all His people. (verses 17-18)

God is always available so His children can reach Him immediately with our prayers and cry out for help. He bends down and listens to our voice. He answers the prayers of His children so He can give us His best. We are so precious to Him that God even chooses carefully the time when He calls us into His presence through death. God sees and values each life. So much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die in our place in order for our sins to be forgiven. What a sacrifice! Have you accepted it yet?

Do we offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD?

LET IT GROW

Let's remember that Joel probably prophesied during the reign of King Joash in Judah (835-796 BC). It would have been about 210 years before Babylon conquered Judah.

The people were careless and concerned only with their sinful pleasures instead of pleasing God and only worshiping Him. Sin's shackles had them bound.

What was going to happen in the land of Judah?

• The locusts (conquering armies) would devour the grapes so the drunkards could have no wine. (verse 5)
• A great lion/nation was coming as a lion to lay waste the fig trees.(verses 6-7)
• There would be no meat and drink offerings for the priests to give the LORD. (verse 9)
• Cornfields would be a wasteland, thus no oil available. (verse 10)
• No wheat or barley would be harvested. (verse 11)
• The pomegranate, apple, and palm trees will wither. (verse 12a)

The entire population is affected.

Joy is withered away from the sons of men. (verse 12b)

Is our joy withered? Are we so bogged down with troubles and despair that we just go through the motions of each day?

Our Creator will return to earth and set free those in sin's shackles, and then the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad... and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom like the rose. (Isaiah 35:1)

 

LET IT GO

Rejoice, for the Day of the Lord is coming!

Look up, for our Redemption draweth nigh!

One day Jesus will return and rapture us into heaven.

While we wait, let us rejoice, give thanks, and stay faithful to our King Jesus.