As
Joel began this second chapter of his prophecy, he cried, “Blow
the trumpet in Zion” because he wanted an “alarm” to
be “sounded” over all the land of Judah. “The day of
the LORD” was at hand, and in chapter two and verse two of his
prophecy, Joel declared this “Day of the LORD” to be a
“day of darkness and gloominess” where we read:
A day of
darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as
the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong;
there has not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it,
even to the years of
many generations.
The
verse begins, “A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of
clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the
mountains:” Joel began with the phrase, “A day of
darkness” or “time, year and a period of darkness, obscurity
and a secret place” “and of gloominess” which means
“calamity, wickedness, and misfortune”, “a day of clouds”
or “time, year and a period of cloudy mass such as a nimbus or
thunder cloud” “and of thick darkness” or “heavy, dark
and thick clouds”, “as the morning” which refers to “the
dawn” “spread” or “scattered, stretched and broken in
pieces” “upon the mountains” which refers to “hills or
range of hills”. Joel wrote concerning the “dark” and
“gloomy” period of time which would occur when “the Day
of the LORD” arrived.
The
verse continues, “a great people and a strong; there has not
been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it,...” Joel
added, “a great people” or “many, numerous, abundant and
enough nations, persons, compatriots, kinsman and kindred” “and
a strong” which means “mighty, vast, numerous and countless”;
“there has not been” which means “not come to pass,
exist, happen or fall out” “ever the like neither shall be any
more” “add, increase or do again” “after it”
which means “following part, behind, hinder and afterwards”. “The
Day of the LORD” would consist of a group of “people”
who would be so “strong” there would be no other nation
ever to compare.
Finally
the verse says, “...even
to the years of many generations.” Joel
continued with the phrase, “even to the
years” or “division, measure, indication
of time or age” “of many generations”
which is the Hebrew words “dowr, dowr” and refers to “a period,
generation, habitation and dwelling”. The destruction caused by
this “invading strong people”
would last throughout “many generations”
to come.
When
we think through these words of Joel, we might be intimidated by such
a threat upon our own country. What if there was a pending “Day
of the LORD” to come upon our nation? How would we react, and
to where would we flee? The people of Judah forsook the ways of the
LORD, and judgment fell upon them from a “strong” people,
and if we forsake the saving grace of Jesus Christ, what will
prohibit the same destruction coming upon us?
Next
time shares about, “fire” and “flame” again,
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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