Joel the
prophet told the people of Judah the LORD would send them “corn,
wine and oil”, and they would be “satisfied” with
them and no longer be made “a reproach among the heathen”.
In chapter two and verse twenty of his prophecy, Joel tells the
people how the LORD would “remove far off from” them “the
northern army” where we read:
But I will
remove far off from you the northern army,
and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face
toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and
his stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall come up, because he
hath done great things.
The
verse begins, “But I will remove far off
from you the northern army,
and will drive him into a land barren and desolate,...” Joel
began with the word, “But”
which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be
written takes precedence over what was just stated, “moreover,
notwithstanding and nevertheless” “I will
remove far off” or “distant and gone far
away” “from you the northern army”
which refers to “the nation north of Judah”, “and
will drive” or “impel, thrust or banish”
“him into a land”
or “the earth, country, territory, district or region” “barren”
which means “dryness, drought and desert” “and
desolate” or “devastation and waste”.
Not only was the LORD going to “remove”
this “northern
army”, but he was going to “impel, thrust
and banish” them to a “barren and
desolate” place.
The
verse goes on to say, “...with his face toward the east sea, and
his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come
up,...” Joel added, “with his face” which refers to
“presence and front” “toward the east” or “former
ancient and eastern” “sea” which means “seaward, west
or westward or the Dead Sea”, “and his hinder part”
which refers to “end or conclusion” “toward the utmost” or
“behind, following western, latter and subsequent” “sea”
which refers to “seaward, west or westward or Mediterranean Sea”,
“and his stink” or “stench and foul odor” “shall
come up” which means “go up, ascend and climb”. When the
LORD drives the “invading nation” out, they will be driven from
the “east to the west” and the smell of their destruction will
follow their defeat.
Finally
the verse says, “...and his ill savor shall come up, because he
has done great things.” Joel lastly said, “and his ill
savor” or “stench and foul odor” “shall come up”
or “go up, ascend and climb”, “because he has done” or
“do, fashion, accomplish and make” “great things”
which means “important, powerful, praiseworthy and magnificent
things”. The LORD will do “powerful and magnificent things”
which will leave a “stench” and “foul odor” among the enemy.
When
we think through these words of Joel, we understandhow the LORD will
be on the side of Judah as they humble themselves before Him. There
is nothing like having the LORD on our side, pushing our enemies to
barren places and leaving the stench of their destruction behind. May
we align ourselves humbly before the LORD Jesus and invite God
Almighty to be with us in the manner He promised to the people of
Judah.
Next
time Joel tells
the people to “fear not”,
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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