The Book of Joel

The next prophet of focus in this Journey is the prophet Joel. Biblical scholars believe that this minor prophet ministered to the southern kingdom of Judah in the years 835 to 796 B.C., about five years after Obadiah's ministry and during the time of the prophet Elisha.

I find it fascinating that God chooses folks who, aside from their written prophecies, we know very little about. Neither Obadiah nor Joel have back stories of greatness. As Edie has mentioned in her comments, with the messages they bore--Obadiah, especially--they could not have been very popular in their day. But, the simple fact that they were chosen testifies to who God is and why these men were prophets at all.

"...But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God."

--I Corinthians 1: 27-29

God intended that His Name and His will be made known, be made great. These men of faithfulness held fast to their belief and to their calling. They were not in it to have a book named after them! They were on a mission from God. That speaks not only to the character of God but to the character of those He chose. Much to learn, even as we have few details.

Joel's name means "the Lord is God." Also interesting, on the topic of names, is that Joel's father's name was Pethuel, which means "openheartedness of or toward God." (Joel 1:1) I think that's an important point, to me, indicating a line of obedience and faithfulness to God in this family. God obviously had chosen Joel for a reason, and being openhearted to a relationship with God surely plays into his being openhearted in receiving and relaying the Word of God.

Although there is uncertainty surrounding exact details of the writing of Joel, my study Bible makes it clear that "the message of Joel is timeless, forming doctrine which could be repeated and applied in any age." Recognizing this as a book of prophecy, it could be a challenge to discern what was for then, what could be for now, and what will be for the future. May the Holy Spirit guide all of us in our reading!

As alluded to in the last post, the key focus of this book is the Day of the Lord. As I came to the background reading for this post, I came to the realization that I need to amend something I wrote in an earlier post. Although there will come a Day (capital D) of the Lord, in the end times, there have been (and perhaps will be?) days (lower-case d) of the Lord.

"The phrase does not have reference to a chronological time period, but to a general period of wrath and judgment uniquely belonging to the Lord. it is exclusively the day which unveils His character--mighty, powerful, and holy, thus terrifying His enemies." (from my S.B.)

Next week, as we begin Joel chapter 1, he will take us through a historical day of the Lord, a time in which Judah experienced a time of physical hardship and devastation. He will use this experience to, in future chapters, explain the yet-to-come Day of the Lord. I believe we have an opportunity to put into perspective what happens in such times, a response to such times, and the workings of God in such times. That glimpse into His character and nature is an opportunity I relish, though, once again, the picture may not be a pleasant one to view from all sides.

Lots more to uncover, and we'll begin--slowly!--with the first four verses of Joel. 'Til next Wednesday!




Photo: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-sistine-chapel-photos/prophet-joel-wga.jpg

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Next week: Joel 1: 1-4

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Obadiah 1: 19-21

¹⁹Then those of the Negev will possess the mountain of Esau,
And those of the Shephelah the Philistine plain;
Also, possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria,
And Benjamin will possess Gilead.
²⁰And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel,
Who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,
And the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
Will possess the cities of the Negev.
²¹The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion
To judge the mountain of Esau,
And the kingdom will be the LORD'S.

Today's lesson brings us to the end of our first book of prophecy in this study! We're looking at Obadiah's closing verses and the conclusion of his forth-telling concerning the day of the Lord. [In teaching us what a prophet's job was, a former pastor used the comparison of foretelling versus forth-telling. Prophets were not sent as fortune tellers, forecasting the future as they saw it. Prophets were men of God, telling forth God's Word revealed by God to them, either for the current time or one to come. Subtle word change makes an enormous difference in meaning.]

I find this a tough passage this week because I get very hung up on place names. Too often, I'll gloss over something and say, "name of a place" in my head without really taking in the importance. So, to the extent I can with my resources, I'm going to try and pull those places apart a bit.

• "those of the Negev"--the South country--will possess the mountains of Esau (Edom)
• "those of the Shephelah"--the foothills--will possess the Philistine plain. Philistia is to the West (west of the Salt Sea on the map above)
  
• "Ephraim...Samaria"--These territories were to the North (above Damascus)
  
• "Benjamin will possess Gilead"--Benjamin is one of the tribes of Israel. Gilead was located to the East (east of the Salt Sea)
  

We need to go back to last week's verses to put this into context. Verse 17 talked about "those who escape" from the wrath God would bring in the day of the Lord. "And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions [those taken by Edom]." This was part of the fulfillment of a promise first made to Jacob's grandfather, Abraham, and bestowed as part of the blessing upon Jacob by his father, Isaac--who then sent Jacob away to find a wife.

"May He also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham."

--Genesis 28: 4

Jacob then has a dream, and God speaks of this promise yet again:

"And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, 'I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'"

--Genesis 28: 13 and 14 (italics mine)

It is God's full intent to restore to His people that which He promised them through His servants. Edom and the surrounding lands would be restored to Israel per God's design. Verse 20 continues, noting that even those who had been in exile--with the Canaanites or of Jerusalem--would also gain possession of the cities of the South country. Zarephath is a town believed to have been between Tyre and Sidon, in what is now Lebanon. Sepharad may have been as far away as Spain, though its exact location is uncertain.

The final verse concludes with mention of "deliverers" who have come to judge. When Jesus comes to reign on earth in the thousand-year period known as "the millennial kingdom", He will appoint other Christians to serve as judges. Not only would Jacob regain its land, but its people would also be called to rule with Christ on the mountain that was Edom, in the final days of earth.

The judges of the Old Testament were mediators of grace to those who sought mercy. Nehemiah 9:27--"But when they cried to You in the time of their distress, You heard from heaven and according to Your great compassion, You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors."

Even with Christ on the throne, there will not be compassion shown to those who do not accept Him as Lord. This is His kingdom--His physical earthly reign!

"...Why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, 'AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.' So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God."

--Romans 14: 10-12

Edom faced this "final judgment" before the end times, before our times. They are a people that no longer exist. What is important for us to see is that even though Edom was removed in our history, God's final settlement of this situation--the ultimate restoration of Jacob--is yet to come. As difficult (and depressing) as it is to read Edom's story, we need to take to heart that Obadiah's words--the revelation of God's Word--came to fruition. God's truth and promises prevailed!

Do we believe that this same Word will prevail and that promises yet to be fulfilled one day will? Edom's loss should be our gain if we believe what we read.

Next time, an introduction to The Book of Joel. 'Til next Wednesday!




Photo: http://www.nordiclandscapes.com/Mountains-Spring-Summer-Autumn/slides/15-mountain-silhouette-norway.jpg; http://www.bible-history.com/map-davids-kingdom/index.html

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Next week: An Introduction to the Book of Joel

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Obadiah 1:15-18

The Day of the LORD and the Future

¹⁵"For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations
As you have done, it will be done to you
Your dealings will return on your own head.
¹⁶"Because just as you drank on My holy mountain,
All the nations will drink continually.
They will drink and swallow
And become as if they had never existed.
¹⁷"But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape,
And it will be holy
And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
¹⁸"Then the house of Jacob will be a fire
And the house of Joseph a flame;
But the house of Esau will be as stubble
And they will set them on fire and consume them,
So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau,"
For the LORD has spoken.

We begin verse 15 with a phrase that will not be uncommon to see in our perusal of the Prophets: "The day of the Lord." In fact, our next prophet to study will be Joel, and his book focuses solely on this theme.

Generally speaking, the day of the Lord is that time when the Messiah will return to judge all the nations. Up until this point in the book, Obadiah's prophecy has focused on the more immediate destruction awaiting Edom at the hands of God. He now speaks of the future to come at the hands of the Messiah, and nations who have not heeded the Word of God will find that breaking "the Golden Rule" comes with extremely high consequences.

"Thy reward shall return upon thine own head." Rewards are spoken of throughout the Bible. The Hebrew word for reward means "treatment, as in an act." [Strong's] Recognizing all that Edom had done, surely this was a grave sentence indeed. (Yeah, pun intended.) But for the one who believes in and grows the Kingdom of God, the reward is quite different.

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality."

--Colossians 3: 23-25

Judas had a choice of rewards. He got his.... No partiality.

My study Bible has an excellent note on verse 16. What exactly is the drink, here? "Compare Zechariah 12:2, where the Lord will make His people as a 'cup that causes reeling' from which His enemies will be made to drink. This refers to the cup of God's wrath. Judah drank temporarily of judgment, Edom will drink 'continually'." Metaphorically, God said that His people would not only prevail but would bring the permanent destruction of Edom.

From verse 17 until the end of the book, God explains the rising of Judah to carry out His work. "Those who escape" [God's wrath] will regain their possessions--those things lost when Edom allowed the pillaging of Judah. Even more, Judah would be the "consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29 among other places) of God upon Edom, reducing the nation to "stubble...so that there will be no survivor...."

When I hear 'stubble', I immediately think small growth of hair. However, the first dictionary definition is "short stumps of grain, corn, etc., collectively, left standing after harvesting." Think on how many Biblical references you have read regarding "the harvest." The Messiah, the great reward of the believer, returns to gather His own--the harvest, but brings the reward of wrath to those who reject Him, reducing them to stubble--the remains of the harvest.

I like how the King James puts verse 17: "But upon Mount Zion there will be deliverance, and there shall be holiness." God, who set His people apart (sanctified, made them holy), by His grace--not on any merit of our own--will bring deliverance. As Ginny commented in an earlier post, quoting from her New Living Translation introduction to Obadiah, "But only a God who judges can reassure us that evil will not ultimately triumph." Edom refused the call, and its dealings returned to its head.

Next time, the conclusion of "The Day of the Lord and the Future," and the conclusion of the Book of Obadiah. 'Til next Wednesday!




Photo: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2246/1735396111_aaf12233e5.jpg

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Next week: Obadiah 1: 19-21

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Obadiah 1: 10-14

¹⁰"Because of violence to your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame,
And you will be cut off forever.
¹¹"On the day that you stood aloof,
On the day that strangers carried off his wealth,
and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem--
You too were as one of them.
¹²"Do not gloat over your brother's day, the day of his misfortune
And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah in the day of their destruction;
Yes, do not boast in the day of their distress.
¹³"Do not enter the gate of My people in the day of their disaster
Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity in the day of their disaster
And do not loot their wealth in the day of their disaster.
¹⁴"Do not stand at the fork of the road to cut down their fugitives;
And do not imprison their survivors in the day of their distress.

I am reading the verses of our Scripture passage this week, and all I can hear is God, the angry parent. "Do not" and "Do not" and "Yes, you, [Edom], do not...." Of course, Edom had already done all of these things. But it was God's decision to recount for them (and for us) everything that they had done against Jacob (i.e., the Israelites).

The "violence" suffered was not just a physical attack by Edom, but an attack in multiple ways, as explained in the verses following God's condemnation in verse 10.

Edom "stood aloof," allowing Jacob's wealth to be stolen by foreigners who cast lots for the goods. "Stood aloof" didn't just refer to the Edomites' posture in standing by. It referred to their attitude. Aloof means to be "at a distance" not just physically, but relationally. In short, they didn't care! And they didn't care because they were a self-serving nation.

A cross-reference for Verse 11 is Psalm 83:5b--"Against You they make a covenant...." In living for themselves, the Edomites rejected the covenant of God and took up the covenant of self.

Edom "gloated," "rejoiced" and "boasted" in Jacob's collapse. And as Jacob's people sought refuge, Edom met them to take them down or to capture them. This wasn't a simple misjudgment or one-time back-stabbing, this was the culmination of a long-held grudge, a lifetime of pent-up anger and resentment. (Remember the story of Esau.)

God would not show His mercy to Edom for this violence. We will read this again weeks down the road, but hear God's Word from Amos, Chapter 1, Verse 11:

^"Thus says the LORD,
'For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke its punishment,
Because he pursued his brother with the sword,
While he stifled his compassion;
His anger also tore continually,
And he maintained his fury forever.'"

I keep coming back to understanding the character of God in the light of prophecy. We will read in plenty of places throughout the Bible how God is merciful. But there are times when He withholds His mercy. For me, this means seriously taking to heart the trespasses of Edom. Vengeance, lack of compassion, unrelenting anger, "fury forever"--these are not concepts solely of concern to the Edomites.

And, though God is merciful, He is also unchanging in regard to how He views sin. The Message paraphrase of Verse 11 makes it perfectly plain: "You stood there and watched. You were as bad as they were." Who wants to be in that spot?

Next time, "The Day of the Lord and the Future." 'Til next Wednesday!




Photo: http://www.otomokana.com/files/gimgs/10_aloof03.jpg

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Next week: Obadiah 1: 15-18

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).