DAY OF JEHOVAH HERE NOW

DAY OF JEHOVAH HERE NOW 

"Alas for the day! For the day of Jehovah is at hand" Joel 1:15

Joel was a prophet to Judah. His message, as found in this book, seems to be one; rather than the notes of a long period of ministry as in the case of Hosea to Israel. The occasion of its delivery was that of the desolation of the land by a locust plague. In the beginning of this chapter, we have his description of that desolation, and from it we learn how terrible it was. It was an hour in which men would be likely to brood upon the calamity, moved very largely by pity for themselves. Then the prophet spoke, and his word interpreted the situation, and called men to recognize the real meaning of the calamities in the midst of which they were living. This was the DAY OF JEHOVAH, which meant that it was the DAY OF DIVINE GOVERNMENT AND ACTIVITY. The coming of the locusts was no accident. They came in ranks, in order; and they wrought the will of God. Therefore the prophet called the PRIESTS and the PEOPLE to HUMILIATION. Here then is the first note of this prophecy. The burden of Joel from first to last was that of the Day of Jehovah, that is, the fact of the Divine government of human affairs; and his first application of that burden was that of calling the people to a recognition of the fact that the DAY OF JEHOVAH was then PRESENT, it was at hand: that is, it was near, not in the sense of approaching, but rather in the sense of actual and immediate activity. There is more to say —as we shall see—but let this first fact be carefully noted. THE DAY OF JEHOVAH IS HERE AND NOW. HE IS REIGNING TODAY. THE CALAMITIES, THROUGH WHICH MEN PASS, ARE ALL UNDER HIS CONTROL. Instead of mourning over sorrow, men should mourn over sin, and cry unto Jehovah.