NL 313: Joel: God’s Promised Spirit - Joel 2:12-13, 28-29
image: Pixabay
December 6, 2020
Joel 2:12-13, 28-29
Initial Thoughts
What is this doing here? It’s not Ash Wednesday or Pentecost or Thanksgiving.
Second week of Advent - often Peace. Sometimes Hope.
This is a reminder that in the midst of trouble, there is a promise of Peace.
This is also the sermon that Peter draws from in his Pentecost sermon.
Bible Study
Background of Joel
Hard to place historically. Is it an ecological disaster or a response to an invading army?
1:4 Describes a terrible locust plague.
1:6 Describes a nation that has invaded the land.
Alter and Holder assert that it is locusts, and that the nation invading is a metaphor for this natural disaster.
“In this instance, the invading nation is a metaphorical representation of the locusts.” (Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible, v. 2 The Prophets, p. 1242)
“The breadth of the prophet’s vision is cosmically expansive rather than historically specific. Many scholars propose that the strong apocalyptic elements featured in the second half of the book suggest a late rather than early dating.” (William P. Brown in the notes on Joel in the Discipleship Study Bible, p. 1242).
“The theological center of Joel is found in the motif ‘the day of the Lord,’” which is marked by judgment and salvation, and destruction and restoration. (ibid.)
“Joel’s message, in short, dramatically moves from repentance to the explosive possibilities of new life and worship.” (ibid.)
In the aftermath of disaster - natural or man-made, ecological or militaristic (for all options are a possible reading of this text)
God will restore all things.
There will be a time of plenty and abundance.
Repeats: “My people will never be put to shame.”
Joel and the oppressed
In the Africana Bible, Holder asserts that the trouble is a plague of locusts - a natural disaster with social and economic implications. As in most natural disasters, it is the poor who suffer the most.
He compares Joel to African American Spirituals, “I Am Seekin For a City”
“There are significant levels of convergence between the message of the Old Testament prophets and African American spirituals that emerged out of oppressed Black communities in the United States. Both the Hebrew Bible and the songs spring from the well of human experience that seeks to resolve contradictions of life while embracing hope in God who never lets go, in spite of these contradictions.” (John W.D. Holder, Africana Bible, p. 169)
“The community of Joel also needed assurance of Yahweh’s presence in spite of the ‘devil’ reflected in the locust plague. The prophet provides assurance by asking the people to engage in acts of prayer and penance. Like the experience of slavery, the locust plague is interpreted as having some eschatological significance.” (Holder)
“In the spiritual, as in the case of Joel, there is a longing for that decisive moment of divine intervention. The song offers words of hope and encouragement for a beleaguered people. The same can be said of Joel 2:18-27, where Yahweh promises to relieve dire conditions created by locusts.” (Holder)
V. 12-13 - when you don’t know where to turn, turn to God
In this passage the devastation felt is interpreted as a sign of God’s judgment - but the “why” something is happening is not as important as the “what do we do now?” And what we do now is return to God
It is hardest to turn to God when everything is falling apart and we are most tempted to blame others, withdraw, or lash out.
V. 13 - Rend your hearts
Casey Thornbourgh Sigmund, Workingpreacher.org
“Rend your hearts” is traditionally seen as a sign of sincerity
Hebrew meaning, “heart” implies “determination, purpose, or courage.”
In other words, this original meaning better relates to the first invitation in verse 12—your weeping and lamentation are welcome. Even if you have nothing else to bring, that would be enough. You do not need to feel happy or better to courageously rend your heart to God.
True repentance happens within the heart - it is a dedication of the heart to the purposes of God and away from our own fears and desires
V. 13b- why should we repent and focus our hearts on God, because God is a God of love and grace
V. 28
The “ruach” of God - same word used a couple weeks ago as the wind which caused the storm that hit Jonah when he was fleeing to Tarshish
Spirit is (James Limburg, Interpretation: Hosea-Micah)
powerful (Give the power to tear a lion apart-Judges 14:6; break bindings - Judges 15:14; kill enemies - Judges 14:19)
Inspiring (ralling tribes together - Judges 6:34)
Life-giving (life into dry bones - Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Liberative (makes a path to freedom amidst the waters - Exodus 15:8)
Spirit upon everyone
The healing of the people and the land is a remarkably universal healing.
Sons and Daughters
Young and Old
Slave and Free
This is a wonderful picture of God working through all people.
Looking ahead - V. 32 “But…”
There is also suffering. The restoration is marked with “blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.”
“Those who call upon the Lord” are saved. Sort of undoes the great universality of the previous couple of verses.
“…why does there always have to be a big but? But…then we come to verse 30—32 and all of a sudden our vision of inclusive—hope filled—dreams are made dark with apocalyptic images of blood, fire, darkness and terrible days. I guess we can’t have our cake and eat it too! Someone is going to have to suffer and endure the days ahead. Top it all off only those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved…”
All this brings to mind my younger days sitting in front of a fired up revivalist selling the fear of hell as the ticket price to heaven. “Turn or burn!” “If you died tonight would you go to heaven?” Whatever happened to “All” and the power that comes through God’s grace and redemptive action on our behalf?
I guess, I wonder at what point did this eschatological vision of hope and God’s gracious outpouring on all flesh turn toward doomsday darkness and the need of self justification?” (Roy Terry, The Hardest Question)
Thoughts and Questions
For Sunday of Peace, this story of ecological disaster seems like it doesn’t fit. This should be about the end of war, not of the end of a natural disaster. Yet climate change, which has caused a lack of potable water in many places, has pushed people to migration and extremism.
There is ecological good news, especially if you include verses 21 and 22. God is telling the soil and the animals “Do not fear.” This is good news not just for Israel, but for all creation. Part of our act of repentance that God calls for is to remove the fear from the soil and animals as well. Good news for Israel is good news for all of Creation.
Female ordination and inclusion is still an issue - not for mainline Christians, but for a large part of Christianity. Even within mainline tradition, where women have been ordained for decades, how many of the “First Churches” in our conferences are pastored by women? The Spirit poured out on “all flesh” is an important concept as women continue to be denied a voice (#Repealthe19th). It is also applicable concerning matters of ordination for LGBT community.
Opening music: Misirlou, One Man 90 Instruments by Joe Penna/MysteryGuitarMan at MIM
Closing Song by Bryan Odeen