As Joel the
prophet continued his prophesy concerning the land of Judah, he
shared how “the priests” were “mourning”
because the “meat” and “drink offerings” were
“cut off”. In chapter one and verse ten of his prophesy,
Joel continued to share how the “field, land, corn and new wine”
were “wasted” and “dried up” were we read:
The field
is wasted, the land mourns; for the corn is wasted:
the new
wine is dried up, the oil languishes.
The
verse begins, “The field is wasted, the land mourns; for
the corn is wasted:” Joel
began with the words, “The field”
which refers to “the land, cultivated fields and plain” “is
wasted” or “dealt violently
with, despoiled, devastated, ruined, destroyed and spoiled”, “the
land” or “ground, specific
plot of land and earth substance” “mourns”
which means “laments and bewails”; “for the corn”
or “wheat, cereal and grain” “is wasted”
which means “dealt violently with, despoiled, devastated, ruined,
destroyed and spoiled”. Not only were the “priests”
“mourning” over the loss of
the “meat and drink offerings” but
the “lands, plots of ground, wheat and grain”
were affected by the invasion of “the nation” written
of by Joel.
The
verse goes on to say, “the new wine is dried up, the oil
languishes.” Joel added, “the
new wine” which means “fresh
and freshly pressed wine” “is dried up”
or “made to wither, without moisture and with exhibited dryness”,
“the oil” or “the
fresh and shining anointing oil” “languishes”
which means “is weak, droops, is exhausted and feeble”. Not only
was the “field, land and corn”
devastated, but also the “freshly pressed wine and anointing oil”
were diminished as well.
When
we think through these words of Joel, we can sense the despair of
Joel as he considered the overall destruction that Judah experienced.
Devastation was everywhere, and the planted “fields”
and crops were destroyed as well. When the enemy of our soul comes in
like an invading “nation”,
he attempts to destroy everything. When this happens, we should
remember the words of Jesus, “The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am
come that they might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly.”
(John 10:10). Jesus is the answer to any onslaught from the enemy of
our soul.
Next
time Joel tells the “husbandmen”
and the “vinedressers”
to “be ashamed”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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