GRACE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP | 恩道堂

Scripture Reading        : Joel 2:28-3:21

Theme                          : The Day of the Lord Culminated

1. Culminate in Spiritual Life (2:28-32). Toward the end of the day of the Lord, God will pour out His Spirit on the Jews and they will prophesy, call His name and be saved. This end time Spirit has already begun to work, starting from Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on believing Jews (Acts 2:17-21) and initiated the church. Since then the church has been in the last days (Acts 2:17, 1 John 2:18, James 5:3) and is approaching toward the end of the last days. Pentecost continues to foreshadow the ultimate work of the Holy Spirit in the end times (Zech 12:10).

2. Culminate in Judgment of Nations (3:1-16). When all of Israel repents and is reconciled to God, God will act to protect Israel and destroy their enemies. The world will gather in a great army in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (i.e. valley of decision, 3:14) and try to destroy Israel, but instead, God will destroy the army of the world. Jehoshaphat means Yahweh judges. Most likely this is referring to the valley of Jezreel, i.e. Armageddon (Rev. 16:16).

3. Culminate in Restoration of Israel (3:17-21). Israel will be fully restored and have everlasting peace, thus God will fulfill His covenant with David and Abraham (2 Sam. 7:10). Jerusalem will be the spiritual and political centre of the world (Zech 14:16-21) and Israel will fulfill God’s original intention as a light to the nations (Ex. 19:6). In the Millennial Kingdom, a millennial temple with be built (Eze. 40-48) and a fountain shall come of it to nourish Israel and the nations (3:18, see also Eze. 47:1-12). A new world order will be ushered in by the Messiah.

Praying the Scripture

1. Since life in God’s kingdom is eternal and life in this world is temporal, we pray that all our decisions and desires on earth will be aligned with the eternal kingdom of God. We pray that as we focus more on God’s eternal kingdom, we will become less selfish and less irritable with our spouses, children, other Christians, relatives, co-workers, and others. That all the problems we think are big problems will become smaller and smaller in light of our ultimate destination in heaven. May our priorities in life be in line with our ultimate destiny. May we gather spiritual, heavenly treasures on earth, not earthly treasures. Let us not serve both God and money, but only serve God.

2. Our hearts are filled with joy to know that we will escape this fallen world and live in a glorious, new world order, where our majestic God will reign and where righteousness, joy and love will filled the world. We pray the reality of the Millennial Kingdom and the eternal heaven will become more real to us. May our hearts be filled with the greatest joy because of this reality, no matter what our circumstance is, so that the world will know we worship the true, living God, not idols of our own making. Let our love for the glory of God and the glory of the new heavens and new earth be our strength.

Scripture Reading        : Joel 2:1-27

Theme                          : The Day of the Lord Described

1. Great Judgment (2:1-11). During the day of the Lord, i.e. seven years of tribulation, God will bring a greater plague of locust to Israel and the world. This greater plague is described in vv. 2-11. We believe this is not describing the locust plague of chapter 1 or the future Babylonian invasion of Judah because the context of chapter 2 is the end times. We believe this is describing the fifth trumpet judgment in Revelation 9:1-11, where a new breed of creatures resembling locusts, horses, humans and scorpions will torment the earth. As strange as it may sound, this is not science fiction, but a manifestation of the demonic world in the future. It is literal prophesy of God’s judgment that will certainly come truth.

2. Great Deliverance (2:12-27). In light of the present and future plagues of locusts, God calls the Jews to rend their hearts, not their garment, i.e., to acknowledge their spiritual corruption and return to the Lord. This repentance will ultimately be accomplished in the end times when the people will gather to mourn for their sins and cry out to God (2:12-18, see Zech. 12:10-14). Then God will reconcile with them forever and restore blessings to them forever. He will also destroy the “northerner,” which we believe is the anti-christ (Micah 5:6, Rev. 16:16, 19:11-21), who will invade Israel from the north during the end times. God will restore joy and righteousness in Israel and the earth will also be physically revived in the Millenial Kingdom. This is the glory that is waiting for all repentant Jews. But if Judah continues to reject God, it will continue to experience pain and suffering throughout history and individual Jews who rebel against God will end up in hell. Israel has experienced numerous sufferings for their rebellion throughout history, such as the Babylonian Captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. after they rejected the Messiah. Their rejection of God and their suffering will culminate in the end times.

Praying the Scripture

1. The terrifying picture of destruction in the day of the Lord is a preview of hell. It is a warning to Israel and to all non-believers of their horrific end if they do not repent of their horrific spiritual corruption. We pray that the Holy Spirit will convict non-believers of their horrific spiritual condition and that they deserve such horrific judgment. We pray that non-believers will stop being self-righteous by comparing themselves to other fallen human beings, but they will see their true ugly selves through the mirror of God’s word and be horrified, and then cry to God and believe in the amazing salvation of Jesus.

2. The prophecies of the Bible is amazingly coherent, even though they are written by different authors in different times. This testifies to the divine quality of the Bible, the guiding of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). We are sure that the prophecies here will be literally fulfilled during the second coming of Christ, just as all prophecies have been literally fulfilled during the first coming of Christ. Therefore, let us prepare our minds for action and serve Him (1 Pet. 1:13-16). Let us not be conformed to the corrupt ways of the world. For this world will be destroyed by God. Let us not worship what this world worships: money, power, sex, status, possessions, and praise of men. Let us prepare ourselves for the imminent return of Christ by drawing closer to God through prayer and Scripture reading. Let us build eternal rewards by serving His church, loving brothers and sisters, and proclaiming His glorious gospel to the lost.

Scripture Reading        : Joel 1:1-20

Theme                          : The Day of the Lord Foreshadowed

Joel prophesied during a time from late ninth century to eighth century. His message is timeless, forming doctrines which could be repeated and applied in any age. His message on eschatological times is also repeated by later prophets.

1. Future Destruction Foreshadowed (1-12). There was a massive locust plague, a nation of locust (6), that devastated the entire nation of Judah. All food were destroyed. People were starving. There was not even enough food to continue the temple rituals. This destruction is God’s punishment on Judah’s spiritual corruption. The nation was in a physical and spiritual stupor. Wine is not bad since it is a symbol of God’s blessing (2:23–24) and an expression of a believer’s joyful fellowship with God (Num 6:17). But the Jews abused wine, became drunk and committed spiritual debauchery (Eph. 5:18). God even cut off food for temple rituals because their rituals was from their empty hearts.

2. Future Grace Offered (13-20). In light of God’s present judgment, He calls the Jews to repent and return to Him. If they repent from their sin and again seek God, He will reconcile with them. But if they do not repent, the day of the Lord will come upon them. The day of the Lord means a time when sin will be judged and then righteousness will prevail. The day of the Lord is referring to the seven years of tribulation for Israel and the world (Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 6-18). The tribulation will culminate at the second coming of Jesus and His glorious and righteous Millenial Kingdom (Rev. 20:1-6). The Jews will enter this glorious kingdom and later on eternal heaven (Rev. 21-22) if they repent, but if they do not, they will be judged by God and enter everlasting shame (Rev. 20:11-15).

Praying the Scripture

1. In prophetic literature like Joel, God often encourages the Jews to worship Him in light of eternity. God will ultimately and conclusively punish sinners, restore His creation, usher in lasting righteousness and permanent fellowship with believers. Those who worship Him will be in heaven, but those who reject Him will be in hell. The day of the Lord is a glimpse of hell. We likewise, when we present the gospel, need to warn sinners of impending hell for their spiritual corruption and exhort them to stop their self-worship and to start worshipping the true, living God. We must proclaim God’s gracious offer of salvation through Jesus, and not look down on non-believers’ sins with self-righteous pride.

2. The locust plague is foreshadowing and warning adulterous Jews of God’s future and final punishment in hell. It is a foretaste of hell. God continues to send “plagues” to the world in form of natural disasters, wars and consequences from individual sinful attitudes and actions. Plagues of natural disasters are signs of warning that this earth is broken and needs a savior. Plagues of wars and individual sins, such as drugs, addictions, jealousy, hatred, apathy, and lust, are signs of warning that humans are broken and need a savior. We pray that “plagues” of tragedies and trials in people’s lives will not cause them to be even more bitter toward God, like the Jews, but will cause them to cry out to God and be saved.