Fear Not, Be Glad and Rejoice Joel 2:21

Joel the prophet told the people of Judah the LORD would “remove far from” them “the northern army”, and that He would “drive” them “into a land barren and desolate”. In chapter two and verse twenty-one of his prophecy, Joel tells the people not to “fear” and to “be glad and rejoice” where we read:

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

The verse begins, “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice:” Joel began with the phrase, “Fear not” which means “do not revere, be afraid, be in awe or dread”, “O land” which refers to “the ground, territory, country and inhabited earth”; “be glad” or “rejoice and exult” “and rejoice” which means “cause to be gladdened and rejoiced”. Joel called upon the “land” of Judah to “rejoice” at the change that was about to come.

The verse goes on to say, “for the LORD will do great things.” Joel continued, “for the LORD” which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the one true God” “will do” or “fashion, accomplish, make and produce” “great things” which means “important, powerful and magnificent things”. The reason the people of Judah were to be “glad” was because “the LORD” would “accomplish” “powerful and magnificent things”.

When we think through these words of Joel, we begin to see the value of believing “the LORD will do great things”. When we truly believe this, we have no need to “fear”, and we have great cause to “rejoice”. Let us consider the benefit of having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and when we make this our greatest priority, “fear” will flee, and “rejoicing” will abound!

Next time Joel shares concerning “the beasts of the field”, 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.