THERE ARE CERTAIN GREAT PROPHETIC THEMES THAT RUN THROUGH MANY SCRIPTURES - THIS IS ONE

• When God's people are disobedient - their crops fail, others eat their profits, war prevails.
• When God's people obey His voice - the loaves are multiplied, they eat of their own vineyard.
• There is no book where this is more evidenced than Joel.

No warnings or promises greater than those surrounding what he says about God's great army - to collect or not?

A WARNING OF GOD'S COLLECTION ARMY

2:1 Blow the trumpet - sound the alarm - tremble - a great invading host is coming upon us!

THE DAY OF THE LORD IS AT HAND - AND IT IS GREAT, TERRIBLE, AND NOT BLESSING - 2:1 JOEL

• When something  important is about to happen - God says Bear 1:2, and tell children 1:3 parents
• The darkness - clouds - 2:2 are great plagues of locusts - Sennacherib's army? Or yet - Rev 9:3
• The devastating results - 1:4, 2:3 - even as fire and with noise - v.5 no "Silent Spring" fiction!

THE TERRIBLE JUDGMENT AND ASSAULT UPON THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH IS EARNED BY THE PEOPLE!

• It is because of the people's sin that God sends His judgment - Hag 1:6 - wages in bag with holes.
• But now there is a direct assault - Joel 2:7-10 by insects storming the city as a mighty army!
• In fact - Joel says God calls these "His Army" - 2:11 & 2:25; I believe God's word - it happened.

SOUND THE TRUMPET AGAIN - FOR THE GREAT ARMY IS INVADING  AGAIN - AND THIS TIME IT IS U.S.A.

• Scientists have said man's greatest danger is not man, pollution, ecology - but INSECTS!
• A Hollywood film - regarding ants adapting an immunity to poison, invading a city, terrorizing the world.
• Not fiction - Nematodes - Worm & Gypsy Moth - NJ; NM range worm caterpillar - 9/10/71 paper

If nuclear war killed all but 2 - it would take 2,000 years for man to repopulate; for insects - 30 days

A CALL TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT WORKS!

God's wonderful book has given us instructions about every emergency - and tells us what to do!

GOD CALLS UPON US ALL, FROM THE WORST TO THE BEST, TO WAKE UP, CRY OUT, AND BE CONCERNED

• 1:5 Awake ye drunkards and howl; 1:8 lament; for it hurts; 1:11 be ashamed - no sensitivity training.
• 1:13 priests, ministers - sackcloth, pray all night, howl; 1:14 call for revival meeting and cry.
• Is it not bad enough?  1:16 famine; 17 seed rotting; 18 even beast groan, why not men?  Thirsty!

THEREFORE NOW SAITH THE LORD -- TURN TO ME -- REND YOUR HEART --JOEL 2:12,13

• When trouble comes, instead of blaming God, running - turn to Him with all your heart!  Seek Him!
• The way to seek Him - Rend your heart - weeping, mourning, fasting - get your heart right and your feet will follow!
• I've found no account of repentance then - but Hezekiah 100 years later; Ezra & Nehemiah 400 years later. 

WHY DO WE NOT TRY GOD'S WAY OF SEEKING DELIVERANCE TODAY IN OUR LAND OF AMERICA?

• The priests and ministers v.17 won't weep and cry over sin - but lead riots - or feel glad at judgment.
• The people do not come assemble and pray, they blame the preachers - v.16 won't gather - fight.
• But what would happen if people in America began to obey - II Chron 7:14 - would God do it?

Some church people have tried it!  Some Jesus People have tried it!  Some here have touched it!

A WONDERFUL PROMISE - GOD SAYS "I WILL"  - JOEL 2

All of God's great promises are hanging on the word "Then" - in Joel 2:18 - when we repent! -

THERE ARE GREAT AND WONDERFUL PROMISES GIVEN IN THIS CHAPTER IF WE OPEN OUR HEARTS TO THEM

• 18 - Be Jealous for the land and pity His people
• 19 - Will answer His people and send grain, no more make them a reproach
• 20 - Remove northern army - peace
• 21 - Do great things
• 23 - Cause the latter rain - (A teacher of righteousness)
• 25 - Restore what His army took away - locusts
• 28 - Pour out His spirit in hearts
• 30 - Show wonders in heavens
• 32 - Save whoever calls upon the name of the Lord

Some promises are just for the Kingdom - Joel 3:18, 19 - but many echo throughout Scripture time

CAN WE NOT CLAIM SOME OF THESE PROMISES TODAY?  IN JESUS IS GOD'S GRACE PERFECTED TOWARD MAN

• Some as pointed as Mal 3:10, some as general as Joel 2:26,27, to know the Lord, not ashamed
• Some of the wholesomeness and material blessings are natural to His morality - we have tasted
• But the greatest - His Indwelling Spirit - YOU MUST CALL AND BE SAVED - Joel 2:32, Rom 10:13

If God freezes my wages and material things perish - I know that I have eternal life - I AM SAVED!

GOD'S OFFER THROUGH JOEL WAS TO ISRAEL, BUT THE OFFER TODAY IS TO EVERYONE - WHOSOEVER WILL!

• If you have never received Christ - I urge you - come, find forgiveness of sin, be saved!
• If you do not want America judged and punished for her sin - come and obey God's word!  Change history!
• Put both into practice - and the angels in heaven rejoice and we have revival!

Some will - and some won't - but only you can claim promise for yourself and your family!